Survey Technician

Actalent; Des Moines (IA); On-site; USD 39,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid holidays

Paid time off

Company vehicle for field work

Job summary

Actalent in Des Moines, IA is seeking a Survey Technician to support boundary, topographic, and construction surveying projects. You will work with a crew chief and professional surveyors on transportation, municipal, and public-building projects, with growth toward leadership and ownership responsibilities.

The role is based in a Des Moines-area office, primarily field-based with travel, and involves using Trimble equipment and Robotic Total Stations.

Qualifications

• 2+ years surveying experience in boundary/topographic/construction staking.
• Ability to read and interpret construction plans and topographic drawings.
• Experience leading a crew or coordinating projects.
• Proficient with field data collection and layout using surveying instruments.

Responsibilities

• Perform boundary surveys to establish property lines and project limits.
• Conduct topographic surveys to capture site conditions for design and planning.
• Carry out construction staking for transportation, municipal, and public building projects.
• Work with a 12-person crew including a crew chief and professional surveyors.
• Use Trimble equipment and Robotic Total Stations to collect data and document plots.
• Interpret plans and maps to guide field work and ensure accuracy.
• Coordinate with contractors and project partners on-site.
• Lead survey crews and projects with at least 2 years of leadership experience.
• Ensure survey work meets standards and project specifications.
• Document conditions and report findings to project teams.

Skills

Surveying experience

Crew leadership

Reading construction plans

Team communication

Trimble equipment

Robotic Total Stations

Construction staking

Interpreting topographic maps

Tools

Trimble equipment

Robotic Total Stations

Topcon equipment

Job description

Job Description

The Survey Technician supports a wide range of boundary, topographic, and construction surveying projects, working closely with a crew chief and professional surveyors. This role focuses on accurate data collection, construction staking, and effective communication with project stakeholders on transportation, municipal, and public building projects. The position offers strong growth potential, including leadership opportunities and a path to a director-level role with ownership responsibilities.

Job Title: Survey Technician

Job Description

The Survey Technician supports a wide range of boundary, topographic, and construction surveying projects, working closely with a crew chief and professional surveyors. This role focuses on accurate data collection, construction staking, and effective communication with project stakeholders on transportation, municipal, and public building projects. The position offers strong growth potential, including leadership opportunities and a path to a director-level role with ownership responsibilities.

Responsibilities

• Perform boundary surveying to establish and verify property lines and project limits.
• Conduct topographic surveys to capture existing site conditions and features for design and construction planning.
• Carry out construction staking for transportation, municipal, and public building projects to guide contractors in the field.
• Work alongside a crew chief and professional surveyor as part of a 12 person crew to complete field survey tasks.
• Utilize Trimble equipment and Robotic Total Stations to collect survey data, including taking pictures and documenting plots.
• Accurately interpret and apply construction plans, topographic maps, and other related documents to field work.
• Support land surveying activities, including topographic surveys and boundary surveys, in accordance with project requirements.
• Coordinate with other contractors and project partners on-site to clarify survey stakes, boundaries, and layout.
• Communicate professionally with adjacent landowners, community members, and other stakeholders regarding project impacts and survey activities.
• Assist in leading survey crews and projects, applying at least two years of experience in crew leadership and project coordination.
• Ensure all survey work meets applicable standards, project specifications, and quality expectations.
• Document field conditions, maintain accurate records of survey measurements, and report findings to project teams.
• Contribute to a positive team environment and support the growth of the local office through reliable performance and collaboration.

Essential Skills

• At least 2+ years of relevant surveying experience, including boundary, topographic, and construction staking work.
• Experience working in 12 person survey crews in the field.
• Demonstrated ability to read and interpret construction plans, topographic drawings, and related project documents.
• Hands-on experience with land surveying and topographic surveys.
• Proficiency using Trimble equipment and Robotic Total Stations for data collection and layout.
• Experience in construction staking for various types of projects.
• At least 2+ years of experience leading a crew or managing survey projects.
• Strong communication skills for interacting with contractors, adjacent landowners, and community members.
• Ability to work on transportation, municipal, and public building projects.
• Knowledge of topography and land survey principles and practices.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience with Topcon equipment or similar surveying instruments.
• Exposure to public site plans, transportation projects, and land development surveys..
• Interest in leadership development, with the potential to grow into a director role and build a team.
• Understanding of professional land surveyor (PLS) practices and standards.
• Desire to contribute to an established firm expanding into the Des Moines area.

Work Environment

The role is based out of a Des Moines-area office and supports projects typically located within approximately two hours of Des Moines, extending into surrounding states. Typical assignments involve public site plans, transportation corridors, and land surveying for municipal and public building projects. The team includes professional engineers, licensed land surveyors, multiple field survey crews, and drafting staff, providing a collaborative and technically focused environment. The firm has a strong base of recurring customers and is growing, which creates opportunities for advancement and leadership. Benefits include paid holidays, paid time off, and access to a company vehicle when needed for field work. Work is primarily field-based with regular travel to project sites, combined with office collaboration for planning and documentation.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Des Moines, IA.

Pay And Benefits

The pay range for this position is $28.00 - $40.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: Medical, dental & vision Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital 401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) Short and long-term disability Health Spending Account (HSA) Transportation benefits Employee Assistance Program Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Des Moines, IA.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Nov 3, 2026.

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Des Moines,IA.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance:

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector:

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI):

We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.