Survey Technician

Full Job Description

Explore a new career with the BLM - where our people are our most precious resource. We expect to fill many vacancies.

This is a temporary seasonal appointment, defined as employment in a position performing annually recurring work lasting less than six months per year, not to exceed 1,039 hours per service year.

In order to be rated as qualified for this position, we must be able to determine that you meet the qualification requirements - please be sure to include this information in your resume.

No assumptions will be made about your experience. GS-04: Six (6) months of general experience and six (6) months of specialized experience.

Examples of general experience may include working in any professional, technical, or other responsible field that provided you with a familiarity of land surveying techniques.

Examples of specialized experience: serving as rodman on surveys requiring special rodding procedures, using any of various types of rods, and selecting measuring or turning points in consideration of terrain and demands of the type of survey involved; and serving as pacer of a leveling party, going ahead of the party and determining in advance the positions the road crew will occupy so that shots will be balanced and instruments can be kept level; OR successful completion of 2 years of postsecondary education that included at least 12 semester hours in any combination of courses such as surveying, engineering, industrial technology, construction, physics, drafting, forestry, geography, navigation, cartography, physical science, or mathematics; OR a combination of experience and education to meet the total experience.

GS-05: One (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-4 level.

Examples of specialized experience may include conducting surveys, typically with an assistant, using hand instruments such as hand levels and compasses, making simple traverse surveys using compass and tape, measuring small land areas, using rod, tape and hand level, to obtain rough estimates of yardage to be excavated; and performing recording assignments which require concentration and specialized skill such as that required in making manual computations that involve elementary arithmetic processes made complex by virtue of the number and variety of manipulations involved and the speed with which successive readings are called; OR successful completion of a full four year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with major study in an appropriate field such as surveying, engineering, construction, or that included at least 24 semester hours in any combination of courses such as surveying, engineering, industrial technology, construction, physics, drafting, forestry, geography, navigation, cartography, physical science or mathematics; OR a combination of experience and education to meet the total experience.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social).

Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.

You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

Physical Demands/Work Environments: Work may be performed indoors or outdoors.

Work may occur in steep, wet and muddy terrain, in campgrounds, recreation sites, visitor centers, offices, fee booths, bathrooms, trails or remote areas requiring extended camping.

Positions may require physical exertions such as extended walking/standing, driving, stooping/crouching, digging, or lifting/carrying.

Individuals should be able to work alone or with people; during day/night/weekend/holiday hours. Major Duties:

• Survey Technicians assist professional land surveyors in the measurement or determination of distances, elevations, areas, angles, land boundaries, and other features of the earth's surface.
• Assists Land Surveyors in setting survey monuments; this requires digging holes with shovels and rock bars for prolonged periods.
• Surveying work requires highly proficient operation of instruments and application of techniques to obtain the required skill and accuracy.
• Surveying duties frequently include physically demanding tasks such as prolonged walking with heavy packs of instruments and equipment, clearing timber and undergrowth, and driving vehicles over rough terrain.
• Positions may require frequent travel during the workday to and from geographically dispersed work sites.