LiDAR-Survey Field Technician d Tech

Topographic, Inc.; Benbrook (TX); On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Topographic, Inc. is seeking a field data acquisition and office processing professional to support surveying, LiDAR, photogrammetry, and mapping projects across diverse facilities. The role involves operating GNSS/GPS equipment, setting ground control, planning UAS missions, and maintaining field data.

You will also process datasets, perform QA/QC, and contribute to deliverables. The position requires outdoor work, travel as needed, and the ability to collaborate with project teams to meet

Qualifications

• Valid driver's license and acceptable driving record.
• Willingness to learn specialized software.
• Mechanical and technical aptitude.
• Ability to work outdoors and in an office environment.
• Attention to detail and organizational skills.
• Ability to follow procedures and work independently when needed.
• Ability to troubleshoot equipment and technical issues.
• Ability to read maps, aerial imagery, and basic survey drawings.
• Effective communication and teamwork skills.
• Ability to travel, including overnight/multi-day assignments.
• Ability to work outdoors in varying weather and terrain.
• Safely carry, set up, and operate survey, scanning, and UAS equipment.
• Work around active construction sites and roadways.

Responsibilities

• Perform field data acquisition for surveying, LiDAR, photogrammetry, and mapping.
• Operate GNSS/GPS survey equipment for control and verification.
• Set and collect aerial targets and ground control points.
• Assist with planning UAS LiDAR and photogrammetry missions.
• Operate and maintain enterprise UAS/drone equipment.
• Operate terrestrial laser scanners to collect 3D data at facilities.
• Assist with mobile LiDAR and mobile mapping operations.
• Collect survey data along roads, utilities, pipelines, and facilities.
• Perform field quality checks before leaving sites.
• Identify data acquisition issues and equipment problems.
• Download, organize, back up, and transfer field data.
• Maintain field notes and project documentation.
• Perform routine equipment maintenance and calibrations.
• Follow safety procedures, FAA regulations, and project requirements.
• Coordinate field activities with Geospatial Manager and project teams.
• Process UAS LiDAR and photogrammetry datasets in office.
• Register, georeference, and combine point clouds; review classifications.
• Create 3D features and breaklines; generate DTMs and contours.
• Prepare survey-quality mapping deliverables; QA/QC data.

Skills

Field data collection

GNSS/GPS operation

QA/QC data

Teamwork

Communication

Willingness to travel

Tools

DJI enterprise UAS platforms

UAS LiDAR systems

UAS photogrammetry systems

RIEGL LiDAR sensors

Mobile LiDAR systems

360-degree mobile mapping

Trimble terrestrial laser scanners

GNSS/GPS survey equipment

Conventional survey equipment

High-resolution imaging systems

TopoDOT

TerraSolid

MicroStation

Trimble Business Center

Global Mapper

DJI Terra

Pix4Dmatic

Virtual Surveyor

CloudCompare

AutoCAD / Civil 3D

Other survey/ GIS software

Job description

JOB SUMMARY

This position combines field data acquisition with office-based processing, mapping, and quality control.

INTER-RELATIONSHIPS

Employees, Managers, and Supervisors throughout the corporation.

MAJOR TASKS

• Perform field data acquisition for surveying, LiDAR, photogrammetry, and mapping projects.
• Operate GNSS/GPS survey equipment to establish, locate, and verify survey control.
• Set and collect aerial targets, ground control points, and independent checkpoints.
• Assist with planning and executing UAS LiDAR and photogrammetry missions.
• Operate and maintain enterprise UAS/drone equipment.
• Operate terrestrial laser scanners to collect 3D data at industrial, commercial, and infrastructure facilities.
• Assist with mobile LiDAR and mobile mapping operations.
• Collect survey and mapping data along roadways, utility corridors, pipelines, industrial facilities, and development sites.
• Perform field quality checks to verify data coverage, completeness, and accuracy before leaving a project site.
• Identify potential acquisition problems, including obstructions, data gaps, poor scan coverage, and equipment issues.
• Download, organize, back up, and transfer field data.
• Maintain accurate field notes, equipment records, and project documentation.
• Perform routine equipment maintenance, inspections, calibrations, firmware updates, and troubleshooting.
• Follow company safety procedures, FAA regulations, and project-specific requirements.
• Coordinate field activities with the Geospatial Manager, Survey Project Managers, and other team members.

Office Processing & Mapping

• Process UAS LiDAR and photogrammetry datasets.
• Assist with processing mobile LiDAR and terrestrial laser scanning data.
• Register, georeference, and combine point-cloud datasets.
• Review, classify, and clean LiDAR point clouds.
• Perform 3D feature extraction from LiDAR, photogrammetry, and terrestrial scanning datasets.
• Extract topographic and planimetric features, including roads, pavement, curbs, sidewalks, ditches, drainage features, buildings, fences, utilities, structures, and other visible improvements.
• Develop major and minor breaklines for terrain modeling and surface generation.
• Generate and review point grids, Digital Terrain Models (DTMs), surfaces, and contours.
• Assist with preparing survey-quality mapping deliverables.
• Review collected data for completeness, accuracy, and consistency with project requirements.
• Perform quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) of point clouds, extracted features, surfaces, and mapping deliverables.
• Identify potential data issues, including noise, registration errors, trajectory problems, missing coverage, and questionable elevations.
• Organize and maintain project files and processing documentation.
• Work with Project Managers and office production personnel to resolve data issues and meet project deadlines.
• Assist with improving field acquisition and office processing workflows.

JOB SKILL REQUIREMENTS

Equipment and System

• DJI enterprise UAS platforms
• UAS LiDAR systems
• UAS photogrammetry systems
• RIEGL LiDAR sensors
• Mobile LiDAR systems
• 360-degree mobile mapping camera systems
• Trimble terrestrial laser scanners
• GNSS/GPS survey equipment
• Conventional survey equipment
• High-resolution digital imaging systems

Software

• TopoDOT
• TerraSolid
• MicroStation
• Trimble Business Center (TBC)
• Global Mapper
• DJI Terra
• DJI Modify
• Pix4Dmatic
• Virtual Surveyor
• CloudCompare
• AutoCAD / Civil 3D
• Other survey, CAD, GIS, LiDAR, photogrammetry, or point-cloud processing software

JOB QUALIFICATIONS

• Valid driver's license and acceptable driving record.
• Strong computer skills and willingness to learn specialized software.
• Mechanical and technical aptitude.
• Ability to work both outdoors and in an office environment.
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills.
• Ability to follow established procedures and work independently when necessary.
• Ability to troubleshoot equipment and technical issues.
• Ability to read and interpret maps, aerial imagery, and basic survey or engineering drawings.
• Effective communication and teamwork skills.
• Ability and willingness to travel, including overnight and multi-day assignments.
• Ability to work outdoors in varying weather conditions and terrain.
• Ability to safely carry, set up, and operate survey, scanning, and UAS equipment.
• Ability to work around active construction sites, industrial facilities, roadways, and other project environments.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job, dealing effectively and reasonably with stress in the workplace without lost time or undue strain. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, walk, and talk or hear. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. Employee may be asked to walk on uneven surfaces, lift and carry up to 50 pounds, hike up and down steep slopes carrying up to 50 pounds of survey equipment, bend, squat, dig monument holes, pound in stakes and rebar monuments, carry and use brush cutting equipment, drive a four-wheeler or snowmobile, climb stairs, sit for extended periods of time, work at a computer terminal for extended periods of time, type/key-in data, and answer telephones frequently as needed.

MENTAL DEMANDS

The following mental demands are required to perform the essential functions of this job: concentrate, conceptualize, cooperative work with others/teamwork, detailed work, frequent task changes, irregular schedule as needed, learn new tasks, interruptive /distractive environment, perform multiple tasks simultaneously, reasoning, problem-solving, time pressures.

Work Authorization/Security Clearance

Must be authorized to work in the United States.

Travel

Travel to worksites may be required.

E-Verify

This employer participates in E-Verify.

Drug-Free Workplace

This position is subject to initial and random Drug and Alcohol programs as directed by Company Policy.

AAP/EEO Statement

Topographic, Inc. provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.