Featured Member - David Nielson, PLS

Tell us a bit about yourself. 

I am a resident of Bradford County, PA. I have served on the Geospatial Committee and the Bylaws Committee for PSLS. 

I am a graduate of Penn State Wilkes-Barre with a Bachelor of Science Surveying Engineering degree class of 2021 and a licensed Professional Land Surveyor in Pennsylvania, New York, and Kentucky. Most of the work I have done has been in oil and gas, as well as solar. I am also a proud Eagle Scout.  

In my spare time, I can be found either camping by the Susquehanna River or in the woods at my hunting cabin if the weather is nice. 

Did you have a mentor, if so, how has it affected your career? 

I would not say that I had a specific mentor. With working for a larger size company, I have received guidance from several licensed surveyors that each taught me different aspects of the profession, as well as crew chiefs that helped guide me during my time in the field before becoming licensed. These surveyors encouraged me to learn both the office and field side of the profession and still encourage me to pursue any additional licenses I set my mind to getting. This encouragement is what I credit for being able to obtain licenses in 3 states in 4.5 years.  

What advice can you give to other young surveyors?  

I would advise other young surveyors to be eager to learn new things within the profession and to not be afraid to ask questions. If there is an interesting project happening at work, see if you can sit in on some of the discussions. You never know, you may see something differently than the others that can help.  

I would also tell anyone coming out of school for surveying, start working on everything you need and try to get your licenses early on in your career. Start tracking your work experience early. It is easier to update your experience every so often than it is trying to recall what you did 3-4 years ago. It is also easier to get back into the studying mindset when you are only a few years out of school. 

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