Surveying Assistant

Job Description

Job Description

Job Title: Field Surveying Assistant

Job Description

The Field Surveying Assistant supports survey crews in transferring engineering plans from paper and CAD drawings to active construction sites, with a strong focus on construction staking. This role is primarily field-based and contributes to property surveying, land development engineering, site planning, and construction support for a wide range of commercial, industrial, residential, municipal, and public works projects. The position offers exposure to the full land development process, hands-on experience with modern surveying technology, and a clear path for growth into roles such as Instrument Operator, Survey Technician, Crew Chief, or Professional Surveyor.

Responsibilities

• Perform construction staking by setting and marking points that guide contractors where to build key site features such as building corners, foundations, curbs and sidewalks, storm sewer structures, water and sanitary sewer lines, parking lots, road centerlines, and utility alignments.
• Place stakes, hubs, lath, and flagging accurately according to survey calculations to ensure construction work aligns with engineering plans.
• Assist the Survey Crew Chief by carrying and setting up GPS equipment and robotic total station instruments at job sites.
• Hold prism poles and level rods during field measurements to support precise data collection.
• Record field measurements and detailed notes, ensuring accurate documentation of survey activities.
• Check stake locations and elevations to confirm layout accuracy and identify any discrepancies.
• Help download, organize, and maintain survey data from data collectors and field equipment for use by office and engineering staff.
• Support topographic and boundary survey work by locating existing utilities, structures, drainage features, and property markers.
• Collect field data for future engineering design projects, including ALTA, boundary, topographic, and utility surveys.
• Assist with various types of surveys advertised by the company, including boundary surveys, topographic surveys, utility surveys, and construction staking.
• Perform construction site verification by taking "as-built" shots to confirm work has been constructed according to plans.
• Measure grades and elevations in the field and document any differences between planned designs and actual site conditions.
• Conduct physical field work, including walking active construction sites, carrying equipment, driving stakes with a hammer, and working outdoors in varying weather conditions.
• Safely lift and transport equipment and materials weighing approximately 3050 pounds as needed on job sites.
• Collaborate closely with surveyors and civil engineers during project execution to support accurate layout, grading, utilities, roads, and site development.
• Travel to multiple job sites in a day, set stakes for utilities or building corners, verify grades and elevations, and prepare for subsequent projects by downloading and organizing field data.

Essential Skills

• At least 1 year of professional experience in construction and surveying, with direct involvement in field activities.
• Hands-on experience with construction staking or layout on commercial, residential, industrial, or healthcare projects.
• Previous experience working as part of a surveying crew in a field environment.
• Active drivers license and ability to travel to various job sites.
• Ability to perform physically demanding work, including walking long distances on uneven terrain, lifting 3050 pounds, and working outdoors year-round.
• Basic familiarity with surveying practices such as construction staking, topographic surveys, boundary surveys, utility surveys, and as-built surveys.
• Comfort working in fast-paced, deadline-driven construction environments where contractors depend on accurate and timely layout.
• Attention to detail and accuracy when recording measurements, checking elevations, and documenting field conditions.
• Ability to work safely near construction equipment, excavation activities, and active job sites.

Additional Skills & Qualifications (Nice to have - Not required)

• Previous experience working independently in the field, managing tasks and equipment with minimal supervision.
• Exposure to CAD software and digital plan sets, including working with CAD-generated stakeout files.
• Interest in learning and advancing technical skills in construction staking, GPS surveying, total station operation, and data collection.
• Motivation to grow into roles such as Instrument Operator, Survey Technician, Crew Chief, LSIT, or Professional Surveyor.
• Strong communication skills for coordinating with survey crews, engineering staff, and construction teams.
• Ability to adapt to a variety of project types, including commercial developments, industrial projects, residential subdivisions, multifamily developments, public works, and utility infrastructure.
• Willingness to work in a smaller-firm environment with close interaction between field crews, engineers, and leadership.

Work Environment

This role is primarily outdoors, with most days spent in the field on active commercial and industrial construction sites, residential subdivisions, utility projects, and vacant land being prepared for development. You will work on sites in various stages of construction, often walking long distances on uneven terrain and standing for extended periods. The position involves year-round exposure to Indiana weather, including summer heat and humidity, winter cold, rain, mud, and windy conditions when projects are active. The work is team-oriented, typically performed alongside a Survey Crew Chief, Survey Technician, and occasionally a licensed surveyor, with close interaction between field crews and engineering staff due to integrated surveying and civil engineering services. The environment is fast-paced and deadline-driven, as contractors rely on timely staking and layout to proceed with construction. A typical day may include traveling to one or more job sites, setting stakes for utilities or building corners, verifying grades and elevations, working near construction equipment and excavation activities, and then downloading and organizing field data in preparation for the next day. While physically demanding, the work is highly technical and involves regular use of GPS equipment, robotic total stations, data collectors, and digital plan sets generated from CAD files.

Additional Details

1. Exposure to the Entire Development Process

This company performs surveying, civil engineering, land planning, site development, permitting, and construction support all under one roof. This gives field staff visibility into how a project progresses from initial survey through final construction.

2. Variety of Projects

The company states it works on:

Commercial developments

Industrial projects

Residential developments

Multifamily projects

Public works projects

For a survey professional, that means less repetition and exposure to different types of staking, grading, utilities, roads, and site layouts.

3. Smaller-Firm Environment

- The company describes itself as having surveying and engineering staff working closely together, with "instant communication from the field to the office." Someone who prefers a smaller team environment may appreciate having direct access to engineers, surveyors, and company leadership rather than feeling like one person in a very large organization.

4. Opportunity to Learn Technical Skills

A field surveying assistant would likely gain experience with:

Construction staking

GPS equipment

Total stations

Topographic surveys

Boundary surveys

Utility surveys

As-built surveys

These are foundational skills that can lead to Instrument Operator, Survey Technician, Crew Chief, LSIT, or Professional Surveyor career paths. The company specifically lists surveying services such as construction staking, boundary surveys, topographic surveys, utility surveys, and ALTA surveys.

5. Growing Indianapolis-Area Market

- Being located in Whitestown places the company in one of the fastest-growing development corridors in Central Indiana. Candidates interested in land development and construction are likely to see continued project activity in Boone County and the greater Indianapolis market. (This is an observation about the local market, not a company claim.)

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Whitestown, IN.

The pay range for this position is $23.00 - $30.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: Medical, dental & vision Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital 401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) Short and long-term disability Health Spending Account (HSA) Transportation benefits Employee Assistance Program Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Whitestown, IN.

This position is anticipated to close on Nov 5, 2026.

This is a fully onsite position in Whitestown,IN.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications withoutregard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability,sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protectedby law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification oradjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability,please email View email address on ziprecruiter.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in thecity and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicantswith arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as acondition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this lawshall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process,including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applicationsand qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, youacknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.