Job Descriptions

DEFINITION

Under direction of the City Engineer, incumbents are responsible to perform complex professional land surveying work requiring a substantial level of professional training and experience. Assignments are general and of a continuing nature requiring the exercise of independent judgment and initiative in scheduling, assigning and coordinating the work with that of other units or divisions.

This position is assigned to the Management Bargaining Group for Labor Relations purposes and is considered exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED

General supervision is provided by the City Engineer or designee. The Public Works Supervisor / City Surveyor exercises administrative supervision and direction to professional, technical and administrative support personnel. This position is also responsible for the direct supervision of professional and technical level staff assigned to the Engineering Division.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

The Public Works Supervisor / City Surveyor will have a thorough understanding of and experience conducting professional land surveying work; experience supervising technical staff, managing budgets, managing consultant contracts, and preparing right-of-way documents; outstanding interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills; the ability to work cooperatively across section and department lines and a demonstrated commitment to providing superior customer service; and a general working knowledge of datums, horizontal and vertical control networks, and topographic and construction surveying needed for the City's projects.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS - Duties may include, but are not limited to the following:

• Supervise, select, train and evaluate professional and technical staff
• Plan, assign and evaluate the work of survey crews in making a variety of surveys, including surveys to determine locations of property lines, boundaries, easements, and right-of-ways, topographic surveys to determine locations and elevations of existing improvements, structures, and topographic features for project design, construction surveys to establish line and grade for improvement projects, high order control surveys to establish horizontal and vertical control monuments, and surveys to establish and monument street center lines
• Inspect project sites to assist in solution of difficult problems
• Provide scope, schedule and cost estimates for project-specific work of the Survey Section and manage the work based on the agreed scope, schedule and budget
• Coordinate survey and right-of-way related activities with other City departments, divisions and sections and with outside agencies
• Research, interpret and apply the City code and State and Federal laws and regulations related to land surveying activities and right-of-way documents
• Responsible charge of the Survey Section and prepare, sign, and record appropriate record documents pertaining to survey activities, as required by the California Land Surveyors Act
• Direct the taking, interpretation, and reduction of accurate survey field notes
• Compute and adjust angles, distances, bearings, traverses, and elevations
• Perform a variety of complex office surveying duties, including researching existing records, compiling data required for current survey projects, and computing data to be shown on maps
• Develop and manage the annual budget for the assigned Section
• Prepare survey-related and right-of-way-related Requests For Proposals and Project Work Orders, participate in or make the selection, and manage contracts with consulting land surveyors and right-of-way agents
• Oversee survey research and recordkeeping
• Apply computer technology used in survey work
• Prepare and present survey-related agenda items for the City Council, Planning Commission, Board of Public Utilities, other boards and commissions, committees, outside agencies, and property owners on City land surveying matters
• Perform related duties and responsibilities as assigned

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of land surveying as applied to the design and construction of public works facilities, technical inspection services, design review and other areas.
• Modern methods and techniques used in land surveying
• Modern developments, current literature, and sources of information regarding land surveying
• Principles and practices of engineering as related to surveying
• Sources of information concerning previous land surveys and appropriate research methodology
• Applicable laws, regulations and codes related to land surveying, right-of-way, development and construction of public works
• Principles and practices of modern office management
• Design and construction theory and engineering design standards
• Principles of supervision, training, and performance management

Ability to:

• Train City staff on land surveying principles and procedures as they pertain to engineering projects
• Perform complex survey activities and lead survey crews as required
• Understand and interpret legal descriptions and record survey maps
• Understand and interpret complex engineering plans, diagrams, and notes
• Gather, interpret, record and apply field notes in the performance of survey duties.
• Prepare and maintain accurate survey records
• Check and supervise land surveying work for a wide variety of City projects and right-of-way transactions
• Inspect/review development and capital projects for compliance with City standards and City approved improvement plans
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing
• Apply and interpret codes, specification and maps in carrying out duties
• Use algebraic formulas, trigonometry and statistical mathematics to accomplish the level of work described
• Make effective public presentations
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted during the course of work
• Supervising, train, and evaluate professional and technical staff

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION

Experience:

Approximately four years of experience performing increasingly responsible and complex land surveying activities related to the construction of public rights of way, public utilities, roadways or infrastructure, including at least one year in a supervisory capacity preferably in the public sector.

Education:

Equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Engineering or a related field.

LICENSE AND/OR CERTIFICATE

Possession of a Certificate of Registration as a Professional Land Surveyor in the State of California. If licensed in another state, must obtain registration as a Professional Land Surveyor in the State of California within six months of appointment.

Possession of a valid California Class C Driver’s license at the time of appointment to be maintained as a condition of continued employment.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Maintain the following physical abilities: See well enough to operate vehicles and survey equipment, read instructions and follow directions; hear well enough to distinguish mechanical noises, to converse on the radio, telephone and in person; bodily mobility to walk, bend, stand, crouch or climb for extended periods of time; ability to operate survey equipment; use hands and fingers for writing, typing, drafting, manipulating precision tools and equipment and other computer related functions; able to lift equipment as necessary; able to tolerate extreme fluctuations in temperature while performing essential functions and be able to lift equipment as necessary.