Survey Party Chief

KERAMIDA Inc.; Carnegie (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

KERAMIDA Inc. is seeking a Survey Party Chief to lead field survey crews on environmental, civil, and infrastructure projects. The role focuses on construction staking, boundary/topographic surveys, and regulatory delineations in a field setting with emphasis on accuracy and safety.

Responsibilities include coordinating daily field operations, calibrating equipment, and ensuring data integrity while collaborating with project managers and engineers to meet deadlines.

Qualifications

• Strong technical proficiency in surveying methods and instruments.
• Leadership capability and ability to manage field crews.
• Regulatory awareness and commitment to safety and quality.

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 and communicate issues to the PLS/Project Manager promptly.
• Ensure crew compliance with 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 safety standards, OSHA regulations, and company policies.
• Promote a culture of accountability, professionalism, and continuous improvement.

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.