Surveyors

Surveyors typically perform the following 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. • Testify as an expert witness in court cases on land survey issues, such as property boundaries. • Adjust surveying instruments to maintain their accuracy. • Develop criteria for survey methods and procedures. • Survey bodies of water to determine navigable channels and to secure data for construction of breakwaters, piers, and other marine structures. • Direct aerial surveys of specified geographical areas.