Surveying and Mapping Technicians

Perform surveying and mapping duties, usually under the direction of an engineer, surveyor, cartographer, or photogrammetrist, to obtain data used for construction, mapmaking, boundary location, mining, or other purposes. May calculate mapmaking information and create maps from source data, such as surveying notes, aerial photography, satellite data, or other maps to show topographical features, political boundaries, and other features. May verify accuracy and completeness of maps.

O*NET reports this occupation under titles such as: Field Surveyor; Land Survey Technician (Land Survey Tech); Land Surveyor; Mapping Editor; Mapping Technician (Mapping Tech); Photogrammetric Technician (Photogrammetric Tech); Rodman; Stereoplotter Operator; Survey Technician (Survey Tech); Surveying Technician (Surveying Tech)

Tasks

• Set out and recover stakes, marks, or other monumentation.
• Search for section corners, property irons, or survey points.
• Calculate latitudes, longitudes, angles, areas, or other information for mapmaking, using survey field notes or reference tables.
• Enter Global Positioning System (GPS) data, legal deeds, field notes, or land survey reports into geographic information system (GIS) workstations so that information can be transformed into graphic land descriptions, such as maps and drawings.
• Adjust and operate surveying instruments such as prisms, theodolites, electronic distance measuring equipment, or electronic data collectors.
• Check all layers of maps to ensure accuracy, identifying and marking errors and making corrections.
• Collect information needed to carry out new surveys, using source maps, previous survey data, photographs, computer records, or other relevant information.
• Record survey measurements or descriptive data, using notes, drawings, sketches, or inked tracings.
• Conduct surveys to ascertain the locations of natural features and man-made structures on the Earth's surface, underground, and underwater, using electronic distance-measuring equipment, such as GPS, and other surveying instruments.
• Prepare topographic or contour maps of land surveyed, including site features and other relevant information, such as charts, drawings, and survey notes.
• Supervise or coordinate activities of workers engaged in surveying, plotting data, drafting maps, or producing blueprints, photostats, or photographs.
• Compile information necessary to stake projects for construction, using engineering plans.
• Identify and compile database information to create requested maps.
• Monitor mapping work or the updating of maps to ensure accuracy, inclusion of new or changed information, or compliance with rules and regulations.
• Complete detailed source and method notes describing the location of routine or complex land parcels.

Knowledge

• Geography
• Mathematics
• English Language
• Customer and Personal Service
• Computers and Electronics
• Design
• Education and Training
• Administration and Management
• Engineering and Technology
• Public Safety and Security

Skills

• Reading Comprehension
• Critical Thinking
• Mathematics
• Active Listening
• Monitoring
• Speaking

Abilities

• Oral Comprehension
• Deductive Reasoning
• Inductive Reasoning
• Near Vision
• Written Comprehension
• Information Ordering
• Mathematical Reasoning
• Flexibility of Closure
• Oral Expression
• Written Expression
• Problem Sensitivity
• Category Flexibility
• Perceptual Speed
• Far Vision
• Speech Recognition
• Speech Clarity
• Visualization
• Selective Attention
• Speed of Closure