Survey Crew Chief

Survey Crew Chief

This role leads field survey operations for a construction-focused survey team, performing a wide range of surveys on commercial, industrial, multifamily residential, institutional, and occasional residential projects across Central Indiana. The Survey Crew Chief works closely with an instrument operator in a two-person crew and may occasionally work independently to deliver accurate construction layouts, as-built surveys, topographic surveys, and boundary surveys during an initial contract period, with the opportunity to expand into ALTA survey work upon permanent hire. This position offers strong project variety, long-term stability, and the ability to return home each night while working with modern Trimble survey technology.

Responsibilities:

• Lead a field survey crew to perform construction layouts, as-built surveys, topographic surveys, and boundary surveys for commercial, industrial, multifamily residential, institutional, and occasional residential projects.
• Coordinate and work closely with an instrument operator as part of a two-person crew, and perform solo field work when project needs require a one-person crew.
• Conduct the field portion of construction layout surveys, ensuring precise staking and layout to support construction activities and post-design survey needs.
• Perform topographic and boundary surveys that support both post-design construction services and pre-design survey work for civil and architectural projects.
• Contribute to ALTA survey work once transitioned from the initial contract period to permanent employment, ensuring compliance with applicable standards.
• Operate Trimble GPS base and rover units, VRS networks, robotic total stations, digital levels, TSC7 data collectors, and TBC processing software to collect and manage survey data.
• Verify the accuracy and completeness of collected field data and communicate any discrepancies or issues to project managers and other team members.
• Travel to job sites throughout Central Indiana, typically commuting from home directly to the field, and return home daily while maintaining punctual start times.
• Collaborate with project managers and other construction team members by attending office meetings as needed to review project requirements, schedules, and deliverables.
• Maintain a safe work environment in the field, follow company policies and procedures, and ensure proper care and use of company vehicles, equipment, and technology.
• Manage daily workload to support an average of 45–50 hours per week, including occasional overtime and participation in a rotating Saturday schedule.
• Support a diverse portfolio of large, mid-size, and small projects by adapting to different site conditions, client expectations, and project timelines.

Essential Skills:

• Minimum of 3 years of professional experience as a Survey Crew Chief.
• Demonstrated experience performing the field portion of construction layout surveys.
• Experience performing the field portion of boundary surveys, topographic surveys, and ALTA surveys (candidates may be considered without all of these, but must have construction layout experience).
• Hands-on experience with civil land surveying, including construction layout, land boundary surveys, and topographic surveys.
• Proficiency with total station and GPS-based survey equipment.
• Ability to operate Trimble GPS base and rover units, VRS networks, robotic total stations, digital levels, TSC7 data collectors, and TBC processing software.
• Strong understanding of route, construction, and stakeout surveys in a construction environment.
• Valid driver's license with a good driving record and ability to pass a Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) check.
• Ability and willingness to pass a drug test and background check.
• Capacity to work in an outdoor field environment for extended periods and manage physically demanding tasks.
• Ability to commute within approximately 60 minutes of the Indianapolis office and travel daily to job sites across Central Indiana.
• Willingness to work an average of 45–50 hours per week and participate in a rotating Saturday schedule (approximately one Saturday per month).

Additional Skills & Qualifications:

• Experience working on commercial, industrial, multifamily residential, institutional, and residential survey projects.
• Background in both post-design construction surveys and pre-design survey work supporting civil and architectural projects.
• Familiarity with ALTA survey standards and deliverables.
• Comfort working with large clients and complex project sites, including healthcare and pharmaceutical facilities.
• Ability to work autonomously in the field with minimal direct supervision while maintaining high-quality results.
• Strong communication skills for coordinating with project managers, construction teams, and other stakeholders.
• Interest in working overtime when available, with overtime compensated at time-and-a-half.
• Desire for long-term stability and a strong backlog of work.
• Capability to adapt to varied project sizes and types without reliance on a single market segment.
• Experience beyond pipeline-only survey work, with a focus on civil survey, topography, total station, GPS, and land survey applications.

Work Environment:

This role is primarily field-based, with most work performed outdoors on active survey and construction sites across Central Indiana. The Survey Crew Chief typically travels directly from home to the job site and does not need to report to the office daily, providing a high level of autonomy. Occasional visits to the office are required to meet with project managers and team members for coordination and planning. The position uses modern Trimble technology, including GPS base and rover units, VRS networks, robotic total stations, digital levels, TSC7 data collectors, and TBC processing software, along with a company-provided vehicle, gas card, cell phone, and laptop. Work generally starts around 7:30 a.m., with earlier start times common during summer months, and continues until the day's project work is complete. The typical workload averages 45–50 hours per week, with occasional increases to around 55 hours during peak summer periods and a rotating schedule of one Saturday per month, posted quarterly to allow flexibility and shift swaps. Projects are concentrated in Central Indiana, allowing the Survey Crew Chief to return home each night, with only minimal overnight travel (approximately 5–7 nights per year, usually one night at a time). The team consists of about 20 construction-focused professionals, and the organization maintains a strong backlog of diverse projects, supporting a stable and engaging work environment.

Job Type & Location:

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

Pay and Benefits:

The pay range for this position is $33.00 - $45.00/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)

Workplace Type:

This is a fully onsite position in Indianapolis, IN.

Application Deadline:

This position is anticipated to close on Sep 24, 2026.

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 without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due