Land Survey Technician

Come work at a place where you have a direct impact on the quality of life for Kent residents, business owners and visitors alike!Join our Public Works team as a Land Survey Technician, where you’ll play an essential role in delivering accurate, high‑quality survey data for city projects. Working under the direction of the City Land Surveyor, you will perform hands‑on fieldwork, prepare technical calculations and maps, operate leading‑edge survey equipment, and collaborate with engineering and project teams. The incumbent in this position will be contributing to projects that shape streets, utilities, public facilities, and more.This position is ideal for someone who enjoys both outdoor fieldwork and office‑based analysis and thrives in a team environment. The successful candidate will have graduated from an accredited two-year college with a degree in Surveying Technology or a related field, along with two (2) years or more of progressively responsible experience in Land Surveying. If you bring strong technical capabilities, experience with survey tools and software, and a commitment to accuracy, this is an excellent opportunity to support the community’s infrastructure and future growth.This is a full-time, benefited position that is not represented by a union. All City of Kent employees and external candidates are eligible to apply.**Please note that you must attach your cover letter and resume to your application for your application to be considered complete. Incomplete applications will not be considered for this position. If you experience technical difficulties, please contact our office Monday-Friday, between 8:00 AM- 5:00 PM at View phone number on click.appcast.io and we will do our best to assist you.**The selection process for this position will include at least one (1) panel interview. Applications will be accepted through Friday, October 23.SALARY:$7,631.00- $9,275.00 per month, depending on experienceFor a listing of benefits, please use the following link: Employee Benefits | City of Kent (kentwa.gov)GENERAL PURPOSE:Under the direction of the City Land Surveyor or designee, the incumbent performs routine to technical land survey duties alone or on a survey party; makes advanced mathematical computations in the performance of assigned field and office work.Work is characterized by technical duties related to surveying and calculation of land survey projects. The incumbent is responsible for collecting field data that is provided to the Survey Party Chief or Assistant City Surveyor as required. The incumbent will assist other survey crews in the department or provide backup support when the work unit is short-handed. The incumbent may work as an instrument person or head chainperson as required. The work of the Survey Technician requires the incumbent to be proficient with surveying and drafting and familiar with engineering applications and computer survey programs. The incumbent ensures that acceptable field methods are used so that work is completed and recorded in an accurate manner.Work is performed under general supervision. Supervisor defines objectives, priorities, and deadlines; and assists the incumbent with unusual situations which do not have clear objectives or precedents. Incumbent plans and carries out assignments and handles problems and deviations in accordance with instructions, policies, procedures and/or accepted practices. Work is evaluated for technical soundness, timeliness, accuracy, and conformity to departmental practice and policy.ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:Operate a variety of Land Survey Field equipment such as Data Collectors, Robotic Total Stations, Digital Levels, GNSS devices, Drones, and associated softwareRecord legible, accurate and complete survey notes for all field surveys according to departmental proceduresManage Data Collector file information with Cloud storage for assigned daily tasksProcess, analyze, and identify errors in daily work through current office survey softwareDetermine the source of errors and correct them to provide a current standard Survey deliverable to internal/external customersPerform accurate, technical engineering calculations including, but not limited to distances, ties, angles, areas and elevations using geometric and trigonometric equations and formulas, calculate proper closure of field equipment traverses and level loops including verification of calculations performed by others, perform necessary calculations in order to set stakes and hubs for public works projects such as street, utility, and building locations along with proper grades and profiles. Prepare respective cut sheets using office software to construction project managers and contractorsLocate and set survey monuments according to state regulations. Update and maintain the City Survey Monument Control network through mobile applications and current office database softwareSetup/takedown and provide traffic control according to federal guidelinesWork with Engineering; calculate and verify results of engineering plans for layout activities such as street improvements, traffic channelization and signalization, sanitary sewers, water mains, storm sewers, flood control, and erosion/sediment controlRead and interpret Legal Descriptions. Draft exhibit maps such as tract and parcel, property line, land ownership, right-of-way, and easements using current computer aided design and drafting (CADD) programs, aerial imagery, and GIS dataResearch boundary, easement, and right-of-way information from a variety of internal/external sources to complete assigned tasksCollect, process and provide location data to be included in the City Geographic Information System (GIS)Work independently with other sections of the Public Works department on projects as assigned.Clean and maintain all field equipment and vehiclesActively support the vision, mission, values and goals of the department and the City.PERIPHERAL DUTIES:Act as a Survey Party Chief as needed and work independentlyTrain and/or direct others in proper surveying techniques to ensure the job is performed per the applicable City of Kent requirements while meeting the desired results.Perform related duties as assigned.KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:KNOWLEDGE OF:Principles and practices of surveying, drafting, engineering design, and constructionState Plane coordinate systems and map projectionsGNSS survey techniques, terminology and equipmentPrinciples and practices of remote sensing applicationsMaintenance and adjustment of surveying equipmentPrinciples of trigonometry, geometry and algebraPrinciples and practices of research and analysisCurrent AutoDesk softwareESRI software desirableCorrect English grammar, spelling, punctuation, and vocabulary as it pertains to the jobSKILLED IN:CADD, and current Survey software to process field work including topography, construction staking, aerial imagery, and point cloudsCloud storage servicesAlgebra, trigonometry, calculus, and statistical analysisReading and interpreting design plansOrganizing and prioritizing work for self and othersWritten and oral communicationResponding to frequently changing work responsibilitiesWorking effectively with the general publicWorking effectively as part of a teamAbility to understand and execute instructionsABILITY TO:Perform field GNSS survey work including Network RTK, Real Time Differential and Static Baseline measurementsPerform manual and technical field survey work; analyze instrument errors; make field adjustments to equipmentRead, interpret, verify, and work from engineering plans, blueprints, construction and shop drawings, maps, and sketchesPrepare accurate and legible field notes, sketches and reportsClean and maintain all field equipment and vehiclesMaintain records and prepare reportsEstablish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers, elected officials, managers, employees and the publicEffectively organize and express ideas through use of oral and written communicationsRead, analyze and interpret operating and procedure manualsSpeak effectively and present information in one-on-one and small group situations to the public and other employees of the organizationAdd, subtract, multiply and divide; compute fractions, ratios, percentages, proportions; draw and interpret graphs and charts; work with mathematical concepts such as fundamentals of plane and solid geometry and trigonometry; apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.Utilize interpersonal skills in daily tasks in a tactful, patient, and courteous mannerSKILLS FOR THE POSITION MAY BE GAINED THROUGH EDUCATION, CERTIFICATION, RELEVANT JOB EXPERIENCE or a COMBINATION, SUCH AS:Education: Graduation from an accredited two-year college with a degree in Surveying Technology or related field, andExperience: Two (2) years or more of progressively responsible experience in Land SurveyingLICENSES AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS:Valid Washington State driver’s license, or ability to obtain within 30 days of employmentMust be able to successfully pass the City’s pre-employment driver’s records check; successfully complete the City’s Defensive Driving Course; and maintain an excellent driving recordFirst Aid Certification or ability to obtain within six (6) months from hire dateFlagger’s Certification or ability to obtain within six (6) months from hire dateNew employees must successfully pass the City's pre-employment substance abuse screeningMust successfully pass a position relevant background inquiryMACHINES, TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT USED:Standard and specialized hand and power machines, tools and equipment used in surveying but not limited to modern Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receivers, digital levels, drones, total stations, data collectors, rods, machetes and calculators.The incumbent is required to operate a City vehicle to conduct fieldwork.The incumbent may also use typical business office machinery and equipment including, but not limited to, personal computer, printers, plotters, paper cutters, cellular phone, pager, telephone, fax and copy machine.PHYSICAL DEMANDS:The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.While performing the duties of this job, the incumbent is regularly required to stand and walk for extended periods; and talk and hear. The incumbent frequently is required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel and reach with hands and arms. The incumbent is occasionally required to sit; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 30 pounds, frequently lift and /or move up to 50 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 80 pounds or more with assistance.Specific vision abilities required by this job include close, distance, color, and peripheral vision; depth perception; and the ability to adjust focus.WORKING CONDITIONS:Work is performed in an office and field environment. While working in the office environment, the incumbent is required to work at a computer terminal for extended periods of time. While working in the field environment, the incumbent is required to walk and stand for extended periods of time. Further, the incumbent is regularly exposed to outside weather conditions and working in heavy traffic. The incumbent is occasionally exposed to fumes or airborne particles and excessive heights. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to loud.The City of Kent is an Equal Opportunity Employer. #J-18808-Ljbffr City-of-Kent,-W