Survey Party Chief

KERAMIDA Inc.; Carnegie (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

KERAMIDA Inc. is seeking a Survey Party Chief to lead field survey crews on environmental and civil projects in the Carnegie area.

You will manage day-to-day operations, coordinate scheduling, and ensure data quality and safety on site. Responsibilities include setting up and calibrating robotic total stations and GNSS equipment, performing boundary and topographic surveys, and maintaining accurate field notes and documentation for office processing.

Qualifications

• Experience leading field survey crews and projects.
• Ability to interpret legal descriptions and plats.
• Strong safety mindset and PPE adherence.
• Proficient with survey data recording and reporting.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate daily field survey operations, including scheduling, task assignment, and safety briefings.
• Set up, operate, and calibrate survey equipment (robotic total stations, GNSS/RTK receivers, data collectors, levels, drones/UAS where applicable)
• Perform boundary retracement, topographic surveys, construction staking, ALTA/NSPS land title surveys, right-of-way surveys, and control network establishment
• Interpret legal descriptions, plats, deeds, and existing survey records to guide field work
• Locate, recover, and set monuments and control points in accordance with state minimum standards
• Record accurate, complete field notes and ensure data collector files are organized and properly labeled for office processing
• Identify and resolve field discrepancies (bust checks, closures, conflicting evidence) and communicate issues to the PLS/Project Manager promptly
• Ensure crew compliance with all safety protocols, including traffic control, utility awareness, and PPE requirements
• Maintain, inspect, and troubleshoot survey equipment; report damage or malfunction
• Maintain accurate daily logs, timesheets, vehicle maintenance records, and equipment inventories
• Ensure crew adherence to KERAMIDA’s safety standards, OSHA regulations, and company policies.
• Promote a culture of accountability, professionalism, and continuous improvement.

Skills

Leadership

Field survey operations

Regulatory awareness

Safety compliance

Client coordination

Tools

Robotic total stations

GNSS/RTK receivers

Data collectors

Levels

Drones/UAS

Job description

The Survey Party Chief is responsible for leading field survey crews, managing day-to-day survey operations, and ensuring the accuracy, efficiency, and integrity of all field data collected. This position supports KERAMIDA’s environmental, civil, and infrastructure projects through construction staking, boundary and topographic surveys, wetland and OCRM delineations, and related services.

This role requires strong technical proficiency, leadership capability, regulatory awareness, and a commitment to safety and quality.

Key Responsibilities

Field Survey Operations

• Lead and coordinate daily field survey operations, including scheduling, task assignment, and safety briefings
• Set up, operate, and calibrate survey equipment (robotic total stations, GNSS/RTK receivers, data collectors, levels, drones/UAS where applicable)
• Perform boundary retracement, topographic surveys, construction staking, ALTA/NSPS land title surveys, right-of-way surveys, and control network establishment
• Interpret legal descriptions, plats, deeds, and existing survey records to guide field work
• Locate, recover, and set monuments and control points in accordance with state minimum standards
• Record accurate, complete field notes and ensure data collector files are organized and properly labeled for office processing
• Identify and resolve field discrepancies (bust checks, closures, conflicting evidence) and communicate issues to the PLS/Project Manager promptly
• Ensure crew compliance with all safety protocols, including traffic control, utility awareness, and PPE requirements
• Maintain, inspect, and troubleshoot survey equipment; report damage or malfunction
• Maintain accurate daily logs, timesheets, vehicle maintenance records, and equipment inventories
• Ensure crew adherence to KERAMIDA’s safety standards, OSHA regulations, and company policies.
• Promote a culture of accountability, professionalism, and continuous improvement.

Client & Project Coordination

• Serve as a field representative of KERAMIDA when interacting with clients, engineers, contractors, utility companies, public officials, and property owners.
• Collaborate with internal Project Managers and Professional Survey Managers to maintain project timelines and quality standards.
• Complete timely and accurate time and expense reporting.

Equipment & Compliance

• Maintain and oversee daily inspection and calibration of survey equipment and company vehicles.
• Ensure proper documentation and adherence to environmental and regulatory requirements.
• Work independently when necessary to meet client deadlines, including single-person GPS or robotic total station assignments.