Surveyor

Make exact measurements and determine property boundaries. Provide data relevant to the shape, contour, gravitation, location, elevation, or dimension of land or land features on or near the earth's surface for engineering, mapmaking, mining, land evaluation, construction, and other purposes.

O*NET reports this occupation under titles such as: City Surveyor; County Surveyor; Land Surveyor; Licensed Land Surveyor; Mine Surveyor; Professional Land Surveyor; Registered Land Surveyor; Staff Land Surveyor; State Surveyor; Surveyor

Tasks

• Direct or conduct surveys to establish legal boundaries for properties, based on legal deeds and titles.
• Prepare and maintain sketches, maps, reports, and legal descriptions of surveys to describe, certify, and assume liability for work performed.
• Write descriptions of property boundary surveys for use in deeds, leases, or other legal documents.
• Verify the accuracy of survey data, including measurements and calculations conducted at survey sites.
• Search legal records, survey records, and land titles to obtain information about property boundaries in areas to be surveyed.
• Record the results of surveys, including the shape, contour, location, elevation, and dimensions of land or land features.
• Prepare, or supervise preparation of, all data, charts, plots, maps, records, and documents related to surveys.
• Compute geodetic measurements and interpret survey data to determine positions, shapes, and elevations of geomorphic and topographic features.
• Calculate heights, depths, relative positions, property lines, and other characteristics of terrain.
• Plan and conduct ground surveys designed to establish baselines, elevations, and other geodetic measurements.
• Establish fixed points for use in making maps, using geodetic and engineering instruments.
• Determine longitudes and latitudes of important features and boundaries in survey areas, using theodolites, transits, levels, and satellite-based global positioning systems (GPS).
• Train assistants and helpers, and direct their work in such activities as performing surveys or drafting maps.
• Coordinate findings with the work of engineering and architectural personnel, clients, and others concerned with projects.
• Analyze survey objectives and specifications to prepare survey proposals or to direct others in survey proposal preparation.

Knowledge

• Mathematics
• Engineering and Technology
• Computers and Electronics
• Geography
• Customer and Personal Service
• Design
• Building and Construction
• Administration and Management
• English Language
• Law and Government
• Education and Training
• Administrative
• Personnel and Human Resources

Skills

• Mathematics
• Reading Comprehension
• Writing
• Critical Thinking
• Speaking
• Active Listening
• Active Learning
• Learning Strategies
• Monitoring

Abilities

• Written Comprehension
• Deductive Reasoning
• Mathematical Reasoning
• Written Expression
• Inductive Reasoning
• Near Vision
• Oral Comprehension
• Oral Expression
• Number Facility
• Problem Sensitivity
• Information Ordering
• Far Vision
• Speech Recognition
• Speech Clarity
• Category Flexibility
• Flexibility of Closure
• Perceptual Speed
• Spatial Orientation
• Visualization
• Fluency of Ideas
• Speed of Closure
• Selective Attention
• Arm-Hand Steadiness
• Finger Dexterity
• Control Precision
• Depth Perception