What does a surveyor do?
A surveyor is responsible for measuring the physical boundaries of a property based on the design documents. Surveyors' duties include determining reference points using special measuring equipment, analyzing land records, evaluating the stability of the property location, verifying data to property agencies and other organizations, responding to the client's inquiries, processing legal property documents, and finalizing boundary lines and maps. A surveyor must have a broad knowledge of the land and property processes, as well as excellent research and analytical skills.
Surveyor responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real surveyor resumes:
- Utilize GPS technology to manage a two man robotic crew assign to residential/ commercial development projects.
- Assist the PLS with ALTAs, B2, legals, exhibits, topo s and plats drawing and field work.
- Set up and run instruments.
- Work with Trimble GNSS surveying systems.
- Survey of proposal access roads by RTK method.
- Create alignment sheets in Carlson from survey base files.
- Perform deed and plat research and produces composite drawings.
- Maintain daily logs, JSA's and project schedules.
- Run levels for benches and cross-section elevations, and topo surveys.
- Revise plans to show as-built conditions and assist in quantity calculations.
- Change bed linens, run errands, direct visitors as needed.
- Control of daily operations, report to PLS for final review.
- Perform daily JSA's, safety meetings and equipment maintenance logs.
- Lay out drill shafts, lay out storm drainage, collect topo shots
- Used Microsoft excel, and some cad to store and edit data.
Surveyor skills and personality traits
We calculated that 16% of Surveyors are proficient in GPS, Survey Data, and Data Collection. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Detail oriented, and Physical stamina.
We break down the percentage of Surveyors that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- GPS, 16%
Collected GPS data utilizing high precision dual frequency receivers.
- Survey Data, 9%
Participated in survey operations consisting of traverse, trig traverse, triangulation, and acquisition of survey data through astronomic observations.
- Data Collection, 6%
Performed general field surveying data collection activities associated with boundary surveying, topographic surveying, and construction staking.
- Survey Equipment, 6%
Operated satellite, conventional, and acoustic survey equipment interfaced to computer systems for navigation in the marine environment.
- Civil 3D, 6%
Set up drawing CAD Label styles, Point Styles, Table Styles, Description Keys etc Develop CAD Civil 3D template.
- Customer Service, 5%
Performed undercover interviews with insurance agents to survey quality of customer services and professionalism among agents consumers using cold calling techniques
Most surveyors use their skills in "gps," "survey data," and "data collection" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential surveyor responsibilities here:
Communication skills. One of the key soft skills for a surveyor to have is communication skills. You can see how this relates to what surveyors do because "surveyors must provide clear instructions to team members, clients, and government officials." Additionally, a surveyor resume shows how surveyors use communication skills: "build, design and map coax and fiber communications cable on gis and system prints for spectrum/charter. "
Detail oriented. Another essential skill to perform surveyor duties is detail oriented. Surveyors responsibilities require that "surveyors must work with precision and accuracy because they produce legally binding documents." Surveyors also use detail oriented in their role according to a real resume snippet: "detailed property boundary details and wrote legal descriptions for various subdivisions in volusia county. "
Physical stamina. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of surveyors is physical stamina. This skill is critical to many everyday surveyor duties, as "surveyors traditionally work outdoors, often in rugged terrain." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "conducted physical, boundary, topographic, and construction surveys of residential and commercial properties. "
Problem-solving skills. For certain surveyor responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "problem-solving skills." The day-to-day duties of a surveyor rely on this skill, as "surveyors must figure out discrepancies between documents showing property lines and current conditions on the land." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what surveyors do: "managed calculations, traverse closures, resolutions, and adjustments for boundary surveys and construction projects. "
Time-management skills. Another common skill required for surveyor responsibilities is "time-management skills." This skill comes up in the duties of surveyors all the time, as "surveyors must be able to effectively plan their time and their team members’ time on the job." An excerpt from a real surveyor resume shows how this skill is central to what a surveyor does: "provide excellent customer service while adhering to contractual agreements and deadlines. "
The three companies that hire the most surveyors are:
- RetailData58 surveyors jobs
- Sam36 surveyors jobs
- SAM Companies35 surveyors jobs
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Compare different surveyors
Surveyor 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.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, surveyor responsibilities require skills like "gps," "civil 3d," "customer service," and "work ethic." Meanwhile a typical party chief has skills in areas such as "cad," "usaid," "cpr," and "technical assistance." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Party chiefs tend to reach similar levels of education than surveyors. In fact, party chiefs are 2.2% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 1.1% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Surveyor vs. Instrument person
An instrument person is also called a survey party chief. They are responsible for preparing and conducting surveys before a particular land is constructed and developed. They usually oversee a group of professionals such as surveyors, contractors, project managers, engineers, and architects to ensure that all duties are done correctly and safely. They assign the staff to particular jobs based on their expertise and conduct a pre-survey before the project starts.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real surveyor resumes. While surveyor responsibilities can utilize skills like "gps," "survey data," "civil 3d," and "customer service," instrument people use skills like "robotic," "dot," "cad," and "brush cutting."
Average education levels between the two professions vary. Instrument people tend to reach similar levels of education than surveyors. In fact, they're 3.9% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 1.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Surveyor vs. Surveyor instrument assistant
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.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a surveyor is likely to be skilled in "customer service," "work ethic," "topographic surveys," and "sketch," while a typical surveyor instrument assistant is skilled in "topo," "as-built," "ran," and "tripods."
Surveyor instrument assistants typically earn similar educational levels compared to surveyors. Specifically, they're 0.0% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Surveyor vs. Professional land surveyor
Even though a few skill sets overlap between surveyors and professional land surveyors, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a surveyor might have more use for skills like "survey data," "survey equipment," "customer service," and "work ethic." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of professional land surveyors require skills like "pls," "survey projects," "civil engineering," and "project management. "
Professional land surveyors reach similar levels of education compared to surveyors, in general. The difference is that they're 0.8% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 1.1% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of surveyor
Updated January 8, 2025
