Land Surveyor

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I've met very few professional land surveyors who regret their career path, and even fewer who are out of work, even during economic slowdowns. 

Mark Mason
Land Surveyor

In A Nutshell

I work directly with rural, urban, and roadway developers to help in their plan developments. 

I use electronic distance measuring equipment and GPS to locate specific land and identify property boundaries. 

I draft plans and records using computer design programs and maintain documents for others to reference as they need.  

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Potential Salary Range

$22.00 - 57.00 Hourly

Which provinces would this job be in?

Alberta AB
Alberta
British Columbia BC
British Columbia
Manitoba MB
Manitoba
New Brunswick NB
New Brunswick
Newfoundland & Labrador NL
Newfoundland & Labrador
Nova Scotia NS
Nova Scotia
Ontario ON
Ontario
Prince Edward Island PEI
Prince Edward Island
Quebec QC
Quebec
Saskwatchewan SK
Saskwatchewan

On a typical day, I review my past records before heading out for the day. I often meet others at a site or location that I will be surveying, so I bring my equipment with me. Off the site, I draft documents and plans that clients can refer to, and then communicate with them directly. 

Workplace

Indoor / Outdoor

Job Requirements & Duties

  • Measure distances and angles between points on and above the Earth’s surface
  • Travel to locations and use known reference points to determine the exact location of important features
  • Research survey records and land titles
  • Look for evidence of previous boundaries to decide where boundary lines are located
  • Record the results of surveying and verify the accuracy of data
  • Prepare maps and reports 

Education & Training

  • Professional land surveyors can either have completed a bachelor’s degree or a college diploma in a closely related field. A bachelor’s degree would typically be in geomatics or surveying engineering, while a diploma might be in survey science or geomatics technology. 
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Job Outlook

    The outlook for this job is considered fair; experts predict that, depending on the province, there will be about the same number of job openings as there are people to fill them. 

Related School Subjects

69 Math
Social Studies
Career Education

What words come to mind when thinking about this career?

Build Technology Land

Important Skills

Computer & Technological icon

Computer & Technological

Modern land surveying uses lots of technology like GPS (Global Positioning System) and GIS (Geographic Information System), so feeling comfortable with computers is important.

Written Communications

I do most of my communicating through written reports and documents.

Negotiating

Sometimes there can be confusion over boundary lines and who owns property, so I need to be able to help customers claim what is theirs.

Independence

I often survey land by myself or with a very small team, so I enjoy independent work.

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The Best Things About This Job Are…

Flexible Work Environment
Opportunity to Travel
Problem Solving
Continuous Learning
Seasonality