Land Surveyor

US-Bureau-of-Land-Management; Phoenix (AZ); On-site; USD 65,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

The Bureau of Land Management seeks a qualified Land Surveyor GS-7/9/11/12 in one of several locations, including Phoenix, AZ. The role requires meeting education and experience requirements and includes tasks like traverse computations and compiling survey data.

Candidates must demonstrate specialized experience and education per the listed qualifications. Closing date is 08/14/2026, with emphasis on proper hours reporting for crediting experience.

Qualifications

• At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-5.
• Experience performing traverse computations and coordinate calculations.
• Ability to prepare routine legal descriptions, plats, and survey reports.

Responsibilities

• Perform traverse closure computations and related mathematics.
• Utilize software to compute geographic coordinates from survey records.
• Compile field survey data into formal records.
• Prepare preliminary and final survey plats, reports, and legal descriptions.

Skills

Mathematics for traverse closures

Geographic coordinates computation

Field survey data compilation

Survey data analysis

Routine survey reports and plats

Education

One year graduate-level education in land surveying

Civil engineering with surveying emphasis

Tools

Survey software

Job description

This position is a Land Surveyor GS-1373-7/9/11/12 at the Bureau of Land Management in one of the following locations:

• Lakewood, CO
• Phoenix, AZ
• Roseburg, OR
• Salt Lake City, UT

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-08/14/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience. Failure to adequately provide information needed to determine number of hours worked in each position may result in that time not being credited when evaluating qualifying experience. For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the full and/or part-time hours requirement as the service dates will be reflected.

To qualify for this position, you must meet the Individual Occupational Requirement (see education section) AND the specialized experience for the grade level to which you are applying:

Minimum Qualifications GS-1373-7:

A. Experience:

In addition to meeting the Individual Occupational Requirement (see education section), you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors).

Specialized experience may include:

• 1) Perform appropriate mathematical computations for traverse closures
• 2) Utilize software and automation tools to compute geographic coordinates from various survey records
• 3) Compile field survey data
• 4) Work closely with higher graded professionals and technicians to conduct routine analysis
• 5) prepare routine legal descriptions, plats, and/or survey reports

-OR-

B. Education:

Successful completion of at least One year of graduate-level education (18 semester hours) in land surveying; or civil engineering with a surveying option/emphasis that included at least 6 semester hours of surveying, 3 semester hours of land law, and 21 additional semester hours in any combination of the following: surveying, photogrammetry, geodetic surveying, geodesy, route surveying, remote sensing, cartography, survey astronomy, land information systems, computer-aided mapping, aerial photo interpretation, and survey analysis and adjustments. You must include transcripts.

-OR-

C. Combination of education and experience:

A combination of qualifying education and experience. Only graduate level education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be combined with experience. This experience is described in my resume/application, and I will submit copies of my college transcripts. To combine education and experience, first take education and divide total credits earned by total needed to graduate. Then take the number of months of full-time experience and divide by 12 months. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include transcripts.

-OR-

D. Superior Academic Achievement (SAA):

Successfully completed a bachelor's degree in a directly related field AND meet one of the following: (1) Class Standing: rank in the upper 3rd of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, based on the completed courses; OR (2) Grad-Point Average (GPA): earn a GPA of (a) 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) based on 4 years of education, or based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum -or- (b) 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field, or the required courses completed during the final two years. Note: GPA will be rounded to one decimal place, for example, 2.95 = 3.0, 2.94 = 2.9; OR (3) Membership in a National Scholastic Honor Society.

Minimum Qualifications GS-1373-9:

A. Experience:

In addition to meeting the Individual Occupational Requirement (see education section), you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors).

Specialized experience may include:

• 1) Perform the necessary mathematical calculations involved in traverse closure, azimuth determination, state plane coordinate transformation, section subdivision, route alignment, and location.
• 2) Prepare preliminary and final survey plats, drawings, reports, legal records, and title descriptions for review and approval.
• 3) Utilize software and automation tools to compute geographic coordinates from various survey records.

-OR-

B. Education:

Successful completion of at least 2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree in land surveying; or civil engineering with a surveying option/emphasis that included at least 6 semester hours of surveying, 3 semester hours of land law, and 21 additional semester hours from any combination of the following: surveying, photogrammetry, geodetic surveying, geodesy, route surveying, remote sensing, cartography, survey astronomy, land information systems, computer-aided mapping, aerial photo interpretation, and survey analysis and adjustments. You must include transcripts.

-OR-

C. Education:

Successful completion of at least 4 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree; or a Ph.D., or equivalent doctoral degree in land surveying; or civil engineering with a surveying option/emphasis that included at least 6 semester hours of surveying, 3 semester hours of land law, and 21 additional semester hours in any combination of the following: surveying, photogrammetry, geodetic surveying, geodesy, route surveying, remote sensing, cartography, survey astronomy, land information systems, computer-aided mapping, aerial photo interpretation, and survey analysis and adjustments. You must include transcripts.

Minimum Qualification GS-1373-11:

A. Experience:

In addition to meeting the Individual Occupational Requirement (see education section), you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors).

Specialized experience may include:

• 1) Plan and conduct land surveys, prepare written survey documents or notes, and coordinate with interested parties or project managers.
• 2) Manage or lead cadastral survey or resurvey projects using a variety of survey equipment including total stations, data collectors, handheld calculators, and GPS receivers.
• 3) Conduct survey computation and adjustments to produce final geographic coordinates.
• 4) Research and analyze ancient and modern survey records.

-OR-

B. Education:

Successful completion of at least three (3) years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree, or a Ph.D., or equivalent doctoral degree in land surveying; or civil engineering with a surveying option/emphasis that included at least 6 semester hours of surveying, 3 semester hours of land law, and 21 additional semester hours in any combination of the following: surveying, photogrammetry, geodetic surveying, geodesy, route surveying, remote sensing, cartography, survey astronomy, land information systems, computer-aided mapping, aerial photo interpretation, and survey analysis and adjustments. You must include transcripts.

-OR-

C. Combination of education and experience:

To combine education and experience, first take A and B above. Add the percentages together. The total must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. You must include transcripts.

Minimum Qualification GS-1373-12:

A. Experience: See education section for GS-12 Minimum qualifications requirements.

Volunteer Experience:

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.