Surveyors are CEOs of firms, expert witnesses in curt, business owners, researchers, computer specialists, mapmakers. and even crime and accident investigators to name a few.

They work outdoors and indoors, in mountainous terrain and cities, and even map land under water. Sometimes surveyors work in the field and then hand the collected data to and office-based surveyor who analyzes the data and creates the maps.

Surveyors can choose from a number of paths in this exciting field, specifically construction, boundary, hydrographic, geodesy, photogrammetry, GIS, and forensic surveying.

CAREER PATHS

a-)Constrution Surveyor;




Think about what we build: bridges, houses, skyscrapers, underground tunnels, pipelines, utility networks, refineries, shopping centers, and offshore oil rigs. The list is endless. Construction surveyors make architects, other professionals, and contractors at all stages of construction projects.

Construction surveyors get involved at many stages of a project. They are the first on the job. They verify construction as structures are being built or modified. When the job is done, they make sure that construction is in line with original plans.

Construction projects--- especially for major structures---require a great deal of precision. In building a bridge, for example, construction surveyors make sure that, as the bridge is being built across a river, it is properly placed on each side. Small measurement errors across the span of a bridge can mean significant deviations once the builders reach the other side of the river. The same precision applies to underground construction for train tunnels, underground pipelines, and in mining. Surveyors who specialize in underground construction have to make sure that tunnels begin and end at the correct locations.
Another type of construction surveying that also requires extreme precision is at a factory or refinery. A refinery’s maze of pipelines is on a fixed piece of property, often with little room for movement. If a new pipeline has to be added, surveyors are the first on the job to make measurements and recommendations about where the new pipeline can be placed without damaging nearby structures.
Other construction surveyors work on large housing developments, business office parks, and shopping centers because they find great pride in taking a piece of untouched land and seeing it through to completion of something new.
b-)Boundary Surveyor;

Boundary, or cadastral, surveyors measure, mark, and map the boundary lines of land ownership. Cadastre is a Latin word that means a public record or map for tax purposes. Anyone who owns property will work with a boundary surveyor.
These surveyors trace deeds and other public records to verify the measurements of a piece of property for which the original survey could date back hundreds of years. Nearly every piece of property has been surveyed in the United States, except in some parts of Alaska.
Boundary surveyors have to verify the previous survey while collecting data to draw a current map for the piece of property. Each land parcel has several markers on it—often called monuments’ by surveyors—to show the property corners, or the delineation from a neighboring piece of property. Many markers have detailed information to assist future surveyors. Other property markers may be carved in tree trunks, be noted by a specific pile of rock, or consist of metal spikes buried in the ground. For this reason, as a surveyor retraces a previous surveyor’s work, he or she essentially is walking in a previous surveyor’s footsteps and will wear several hats. For each project, a surveyor may need to be an historian, detective, and mathematician. He may also need knowledge of geology, forestry, hydrology, or botany. Every project is different.
Boundary surveyors can also serve as expert witnesses for court cases involving boundary disputes.
c-)Topographic/Hydrographic Surveyor;

Another area often overlooked when thinking about land surveying is hydrographic surveying. The land under bodies of water also must be surveyed.
Topographic surveyors measure and map the shape, contour, and location of land features such as valleys, mountains, and man-made objects on the surface of the land and below bodies of water. Underwater topographic surveying is known as hydrography.
Hydrographic surveying requires training with different types of high-tech equipment and is used to measure erosion, guide dredging projects, explore for oil, or mark underwater hazards. The shipping industry, government researchers, oil companies, and utility networks rely heavily on these types of surveys.

The demand for surveyors who have training in hydrographic surveying is high. Land under water constantly changes due to currents and storms, so waterways are often surveyed and re-surveyed to record changes. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, only 5 percent of the Earth’s oceans have been mapped.
d-)Geodesist;

These surveyors determine the size and shape of the Earth and the precise location of points on its surface. Geodesy is closely connected to astronomy and has been used to guide the old great sailing ships and today’s water traffic.
With the recent creation of GPS, or global positioning systems, geodesists can tell the exact position of an object on the Earth’s surface—usually within a centimeter. GPS is also used for guiding space satellites and airplanes, to track the movement of trucks and trains, and to help locate people who need assistance.
GPS is possible because 24 satellites circle the earth. Using a transmitter on the ground that can connect with at least three of these satellites, geodesists get a series of coordinates that can tell the exact position of the GPS equipment. This coordinate reference system is the backbone of a mapping project.
e-)GIS Analyst;

Surveyors who use geographic information systems, or GIS, use sophisticated software that maps data relative to a physical location. Developing a map or visual representation of data helps people solve problems and make decisions. For example, city planners may use a GIS study to determine where a new roadway should be built. This field is growing quickly, mostly due to high-tech computer software and hardware that stores, displays, analyzes, and maps information. Large companies and commercial developers also use GIS studies.
GIS involves layering data about a particular site. In a GIS study, the land survey is the first layer, creating the framework for additional layers that give more detail, such as the exact positions of street signs, traffic lights, telephone poles, and fire hydrants in a city. City planners use this type of GIS study.
Another example where GIS can be helpful is in tracking the extent of the existing and potential damage after an area of hazardous waste is discovered. A GIS analyst will layer sets of data about the area where the hazardous waste is located. Surveyors provide the data that describes and defines the limits of the polluted site. The data layers could be the slope of the land, the groundwater and surface water sources, vegetation, location of cities and roadways. By layering these data sets on one map, a GIS analyst can provide information to those responsible for cleaning up the pollution.

g-)Forensic Surveyor / Expert Witness;
Federal, state, and local laws play a large part in surveyors’ careers. A licensed surveyor can clarify and add credibility to a court case about aspects of an industrial accident or an automobile accident. Surveyors who build reputations in the forensics field and serve as expert witnesses are in high demand. Being an expert witness and forensic surveyor requires extensive knowledge about surveying and many years of experience.
The data this specialist collects, analyzes, and maps is typically included as evidence at a trial, hearing, or lawsuit. As in all court cases, all parties carefully scrutinize evidence, especially opposing counsel. It often hires their own forensic surveyor to contradict the surveying evidence. Therefore, it takes a great deal of precision to do forensic surveying. In addition, professionals who want to specialize in forensic surveying or serve as expert witnesses must be good communicators. They have to convey technical information in a way that people who do not have a background in surveying can easily understand in order to make decisions.