Surveying and Mapping Technicians

Surveying and Mapping Technicians typically perform the following tasks: • Position and hold the vertical rods, or targets, that theodolite operators use for sighting to measure angles, distances, and elevations. • Check all layers of maps to ensure accuracy, identifying and marking errors and making corrections. • Design or develop information databases that include geographic or topographic data. • Monitor mapping work or the updating of maps to ensure accuracy, inclusion of new or changed information, or compliance with rules and regulations. • Produce or update overlay maps to show information boundaries, water locations, or topographic features on various base maps or at different scales. • Determine scales, line sizes, or colors to be used for hard copies of computerized maps, using plotters. • Compile information necessary to stake projects for construction, using engineering plans. • Identify and compile database information to create requested maps. • Operate and manage land-information computer systems, performing tasks such as storing data, making inquiries, and producing plots and reports. • Compare survey computations with applicable standards to determine adequacy of data. • Analyze aerial photographs to detect and interpret significant military, industrial, resource, or topographical data. • Research and combine existing property information to describe property boundaries in relation to adjacent properties, taking into account parcel splits, combinations, or land boundary adjustments. • Calculate latitudes, longitudes, angles, areas, or other information for mapmaking, using survey field notes or reference tables. • Compare topographical features or contour lines with images from aerial photographs, old maps, or other reference materials to verify the accuracy of their identification. • Trace contours or topographic details to generate maps that denote specific land or property locations or geographic attributes. • Provide assistance in the development of methods and procedures for conducting field surveys. • Trim, align, and join prints to form photographic mosaics, maintaining scaled distances between reference points. • Answer questions and provide information to the public or to staff members regarding assessment maps, surveys, boundaries, easements, property ownership, roads, zoning, or similar matters. • Complete detailed source and method notes describing the location of routine or complex land parcels. • Adjust and operate surveying instruments such as prisms, theodolites, electronic distance measuring equipment, or electronic data collectors.