Assistant Land Surveyor

Effective: 7/1/00
Range G-71
Respirator Class: 3

Definition
Plan and organize field and office surveying work; direct the operation of a field party making land and engineering surveys; establish and maintain survey records and maps; provide technical assistance to the Land Surveyor and other members of staff.

Supervision Received and Exercised
Receive direct supervision from the Land Surveyor.

May exercise technical and functional supervision over lower level surveying personnel.

Examples of Essential Duties
Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Direct a survey party in the performance of a variety of engineering and land surveys including property boundary locations, surveys of easements and rights of way, topographic surveys, construction surveys, tunnel surveys, vertical control surveys using precise leveling techniques, and horizontal control surveys utilizing Global Positioning System (GPS) technology.
• Operate survey instruments and instruct other party members in their operation and field adjustment; train others in the proper practices, equipment use, and techniques of field survey work.
• Create and maintain accurate field notes showing lines, angles, distances, benchmarks, calculations and other data pertinent to the field survey; utilize electronic data collection systems supplemented by hand notes and sketches.
• Perform a variety of survey office work, for example: research existing records and compile data required for current survey projects, compute data to be shown on maps, perform coordinate geometry and traverse calculations using office computer and/or programmable calculator, prepare boundary and topographic maps using computer aided drafting software and plotter.
• Review and check survey maps and descriptions for accuracy and conformance with established surveying principles and practices and applicable surveying laws, rules, and regulations and make recommendations for improvement.
• Prepare legal descriptions and maps for easement acquisitions.
• Solve boundary and engineering survey problems.
• Discuss survey regulations, requirements, procedures, maps, and related data with engineers and surveyors.
• Enforce District policies and appropriate state and federal laws, codes, and regulations.
• Assist with the coordination of survey-related activities with other District departments and divisions and with outside agencies.
• Perform related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Knowledge of:

• Principles, practices, equipment, and techniques of land and engineering surveying.
• Surveying equipment and instruments and their maintenance, proper uses and applications.
• Mathematics as it applies to surveying and engineering calculations, including algebra, geometry, linear algebra and trigonometry.
• Grant deeds, easements, and legal descriptions of property.
• Federal, state, and local laws, rules, and policies relating to surveying practices.
• Use of computers for survey applications.
• Safety hazards and appropriate precautions applicable to work assignments.

Ability to:

• On a continuous basis analyze maps, identify survey data, interpret legal descriptions and maps, solve survey problems, understand survey laws, learn and utilize new survey technology.
• Sit at desk and in meetings for long periods of time on a continuous basis, twist to reach equipment surrounding desk, and perform simple and power grasping, pushing, pulling, and fine manipulation; use telephone, and write or use keyboard to communicate through written means, and lift or carry weight of 50 pounds or less.
• Drive or ride in a vehicle for long periods of time on a continuous basis; hike over a variety of terrain while carrying survey equipment; stand, climb, bend, squat, kneel or twist while performing survey tasks; use axes, hatchets, brush hooks, machetes, picks, shovels, probes, digging bars, and sledge hammers; set up and operate survey instruments; take field notes, work outside in inclement weather; and hear traffic noise and observe oncoming traffic for safety.
• Review maps, plans, and documents for conformance to appropriate regulations.
• Interpret laws, regulations, and policies properly and make decisions accordingly.
• Use personal computer and associated software; use the Internet (World Wide Web) for technical and legal research.
• Perform difficult survey office work using a computer with coordinate geometry and computer aided drafting software. Perform computations necessary to design the horizontal and vertical alignment of piping. Search county and state records for evidence to be used in boundary resolutions. Prepare the plats for Corner Records, Records of Survey, Parcel Maps, and other legal maps. Write or check legal descriptions of real property. Prepare plats that are made part of a legal description.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Build and maintain positive working relationships with employees and the public by providing high levels of customer service.
• Learn and observe all appropriate safety precautions as required by the District including, but not limited to, Cal/OSHA General Industry Safety Orders, the District's Respiratory Protection Program, and District Safety Directives.

Experience and Education
Any combination equivalent to experience and education that could likely provide the required knowledge and abilities would be qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Experience:

• Four years of surveying experience including two years of progressively responsible land surveying experience.

Education:

• Equivalent to completion of two years of college in an engineering-related field.

Licenses and Certificates

• Possession of a California Land-Surveyor-in-Training Certificate (California Professional Land Surveyor's License desirable)
• Possession of a valid California Driver's License.