Working Conditions for Surveyors and surveying technicians


Surveyors usually work an 8-hour day, 5 days a week, and may spend a lot of time outdoors. Sometimes they work longer hours during the summer, when weather and light conditions are most suitable for fieldwork. Seasonal demands for longer hours are related to demand for specific surveying services. Home purchases traditionally are related to the start and end of the school year; construction is related to the materials to be used (unlike wood framing, concrete and asphalt are restricted by outside temperatures); and aerial photography is most effective when the leaves are off the trees.
Land surveyors and technicians engage in active, sometimes strenuous, work. They often stand for long periods, walk considerable distances, and climb hills with heavy packs of instruments and other equipment. They also can be exposed to all types of weather. Traveling often is part of the job, and land surveyors and technicians may commute long distances, stay away from home overnight, or temporarily relocate near a survey site.
Although surveyors can spend considerable time indoors, planning surveys, analyzing data, and preparing reports and maps, cartographers and photogrammetrists spend virtually all of their time in offices and seldom visit the sites they are mapping.




More information on Surveyors and surveying technicians from The U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook
Overview of Surveyors and surveying technicians occupation
Number of Surveyors and surveying technicians in the U.S.
Salary and earnings for Surveyors and surveying technicians
Working conditions for Surveyors and surveying technicians
Significant points for Surveyors and surveying technicians
Training requirements for Surveyors and surveying technicians




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