Surveyors apply their knowledge and skills for such purposes as field data collection,
statistical analysis, mapping, boundary location, and wetland delineation. They
identify and locate hazardous waste sites and tectonic plate movements, map
areas such as the polar ice cap and deforestation in the Amazon River basin, and
collect and present data used by land planners and environmental agencies. Data
is obtained from digital ground-based surveying equipment, aerial photos, sonar,
radar, and
satellites. Planners and legislators rely on the data generated and analyzed by surveyors for the information they need to make decisions. One well-known use of the technology employed by surveyors is the support mapping for the 911 emergency phone system. More familiar products provided by surveyors include road and city maps, building layouts, maps of the moon and planets, and diagrams showing population growth.
Federal, state, and local government agencies employ almost one-third of all surveyors. Among the federal agencies employing these workers are the Bureau of Land Management, Coast and Geodetic Survey, Army Corps of Engineers, Forest Services, and US Geological Survey. On the state and local levels, surveyors find employment with private land surveyors, highway departments, and urban planning and development agencies. There are also opportunities with construction companies, engineering and architectural firms, crude petroleum or natural gas companies, railroads, and public utilities.
Job growth in the surveying area is expected to be between 10% to 20% in the next ten years. There are jobs for both surveying technicians and surveyors.
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