What does a survey project manager do?
A survey project manager is responsible for making measurements and determining property boundaries. You will prepare data related to the contour, location, shape, dimension, elevation, and gravitation of land or land features. Typical day-to-day duties include coordinating findings with the work of architectural and engineering personnel, clients, and other stakeholders, developing criteria for survey procedures and methods, and preparing sketches, reports, legal descriptions, and maps of surveys. As a survey project manager, you are also responsible for developing criteria for designing and modifying survey instruments.
Survey project manager responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real survey project manager resumes:
- Manage a variety of construction, boundary, right-of-way and easement surveys.
- Lead team as point of reference for plat interpretation and schedule requirements for ALTA certify surveys.
- Manage and direct a team of 10 for a Lidar analysis and 3D spatial modeling contract through FSU.
- Manage overall SAP/ERP software application development life-cycle and assure completion of ERP readiness tasks.
- Manage and conduct the development of a SharePoint base system for providing notifications of application and automation releases throughout the enterprise.
- Perform problem resolution, cost recovery, manage inventory of network components, direct RFP process for procurement of telecommunications services.
- Experience in use of TDS software, GPS (both static and RTK) and robotic instruments.
- Perform boundary surveys, topographic surveys and GPS control for aerial mapping, digital orthography and LiDAR scanning.
- Support range management by collecting GPS data of target locations and existing infrastructure.
- Contribute to GIS mapping projects.
- Experience with Topcon, Trimble, and Carlson software.
- Review and assist with estimates and proposals for GIS projects.
- Develop GIS application macros using ArcObjects with VBA within ArcMap.
- Supervise technicians in the digitizing of GIS layers for statewide project.
- Used AutoCAD with Carlson software to maintain maps and calculate coal tonnages.
Survey project manager skills and personality traits
We calculated that 12% of Survey Project Managers are proficient in Civil 3D, GPS, and Project Management. They’re also known for soft skills such as Detail oriented, Physical stamina, and Problem-solving skills.
We break down the percentage of Survey Project Managers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Civil 3D, 12%
Utilized Civil 3D to produce alignments and volume calculations for civil department.
- GPS, 11%
Prepared strip maps for Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District's location and relocation surveys from conventional and GPS survey data.
- Project Management, 8%
Skilled in all phases of golf course development, project management, and site construction.
- Survey Data, 6%
Establish drafting, field and office standards relating to the collection, processing and storage of survey data and CADD drawings.
- Survey Projects, 5%
Completed all aspects of survey projects from research, through field work, to office analysis and drafting.
- PLS, 5%
Assisted PLS with legals, exhibits, topo s, plats and bids and proposals.
Common skills that a survey project manager uses to do their job include "civil 3d," "gps," and "project management." You can find details on the most important survey project manager responsibilities below.
Detail oriented. The most essential soft skill for a survey project manager to carry out their responsibilities is detail oriented. This skill is important for the role because "surveyors must work with precision and accuracy because they produce legally binding documents." Additionally, a survey project manager resume shows how their duties depend on detail oriented: "prepared surveys from raw survey data and prepared construction staking point plots from plans and details. "
Physical stamina. Another essential skill to perform survey project manager duties is physical stamina. Survey project managers responsibilities require that "surveyors traditionally work outdoors, often in rugged terrain." Survey project managers also use physical stamina in their role according to a real resume snippet: "managed geographic information system (gis) databases in order to create maps, develop and plan seismic geophysical exploration projects. "
Problem-solving skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of survey project managers is problem-solving skills. This skill is critical to many everyday survey project manager duties, as "surveyors must figure out discrepancies between documents showing property lines and current conditions on the land." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "complete boundary resolution, applicable surveying calculations and legal descriptions. "
Visualization skills. survey project manager responsibilities often require "visualization skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "surveyors must be able to envision new buildings and altered terrain." This resume example shows what survey project managers do with visualization skills on a typical day: "project management, gis master planning, gis processing, 2d/3d visualization, volume calculations]"
Communication skills. Another common skill required for survey project manager responsibilities is "communication skills." This skill comes up in the duties of survey project managers all the time, as "surveyors must provide clear instructions to team members, clients, and government officials." An excerpt from a real survey project manager resume shows how this skill is central to what a survey project manager does: "establish data collection and communication methods as it relates to pipeline survey. "
Time-management skills. Lastly, "time-management skills" is an important element of what a survey project manager does. Survey project manager responsibilities require this skill because "surveyors must be able to effectively plan their time and their team members’ time on the job." This resume example highlights how survey project manager duties rely on this skill: "conducted performance reviews, coaching, call monitoring and disciplinary actions to reduce resolution time and improve customer satisfaction rates. "
The three companies that hire the most survey project managers are:
- Bowman Consulting Group23 survey project managers jobs
- Atwell13 survey project managers jobs
- Experis US Inc12 survey project managers jobs
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Compare different survey project managers
Survey project manager vs. Party chief
A party chief is a management position responsible for leading and guiding a program and providing leadership for its success. To fill this role, you will manage the program and provide overall technical expertise. Party chiefs should able to assess and identify risks and offer remedies and must be highly proficient in the program area. You will collaborate with partners to ensure program success, recruit experts for the program, and supervise its implementation.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between survey project managers and party chief. For instance, survey project manager responsibilities require skills such as "civil 3d," "gps," "project management," and "survey projects." Whereas a party chief is skilled in "cad," "usaid," "cpr," and "technical assistance." This is part of what separates the two careers.
The education levels that party chiefs earn slightly differ from survey project managers. In particular, party chiefs are 1.8% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a survey project manager. Additionally, they're 0.7% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Survey project manager vs. Professional land surveyor
Professional land surveyors have skills in reading comprehension, mathematics, listening, speaking, and time management, as well as a keen attention to detail. These traits are needed for the tasks of this chosen career, which include updating boundary lines for construction in order to prevent legal disputes. Land surveyors also oversee the provision of relevant data on the shape and contour of the surface of the Earth for projects ranging from engineering to mapmaking to construction.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, survey project manager responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "survey data," "robotic," "real estate," and "survey equipment." Meanwhile, a professional land surveyor has duties that require skills in areas such as "civil engineering," "government agencies," "computer programs," and "calculation." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Professional land surveyors may earn a lower salary than survey project managers, but professional land surveyors earn the most pay in the technology industry with an average salary of $70,601. On the other hand, survey project managers receive higher pay in the technology industry, where they earn an average salary of $75,794.professional land surveyors earn similar levels of education than survey project managers in general. They're 0.5% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.7% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Survey project manager vs. Registered land surveyor
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a survey project manager is likely to be skilled in "project management," "survey projects," "pls," and "topographic surveys," while a typical registered land surveyor is skilled in "survey parties," "survey control," "auto-cad," and "rls."
Registered land surveyors typically earn lower educational levels compared to survey project managers. Specifically, they're 5.3% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.8% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Survey project manager vs. Licensed land surveyor
Types of survey project manager
Updated January 8, 2025
