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Surveying engineers are some of the most versatile and sought-after professionals in the geospatial industry!
Surveying engineers are some of the most versatile and sought-after professionals in the geospatial industry! They play a crucial role in unraveling the dynamics and intricacies of landscapes and objects, both natural and man-made. If you're someone who enjoys learning about the complexities of topography and our spatial environment, and have an analytical mind, then you may enjoy the work of a surveying engineer!
Considered one of the oldest professions in the world, surveyors work in a wide range of fields, including architecture, railroads, construction, geodesy, photogrammetry, GIS, and more. More specifically, surveyors are involved in the inspection, evaluation and design management of projects.
Read on to discover exciting opportunities in the field of surveying engineering and find your dream job on GoGeoGo.
Surveying engineers, also known as land surveyors or civil engineers, are primarily concerned with collecting, analysing, and mapping spatial information about the Earth and its features such as oceans, mountains, plateaus, etc. Surveyors answer critical questions such as: How can accurate coordinates be determined for GPS to support navigation systems? How can remote sensing technologies support disaster response and recovery efforts?
Broadly and simply, surveying is about analysing and recording the features and characteristics of an area of land with the intent of creating a map or plan for construction purposes. Surveying is done using various techniques such as triangulation, levelling, and radiation, to name a few.
Surveying is divided into several different categories, such as photogrammetric surveying (using photographs from elevated surfaces), geodetic surveying (using control networks over long distances), and topographic surveying (using specialised surveying equipment).
Now let's take a closer look at the profile of a surveying engineer! They are responsible for collecting spatial data about the earth's various surfaces, mapping them in geographic information systems, and planning projects ranging from construction to environmental research. They use a variety of specialised measuring equipment such as GPS, electronic theodolites, aerial photography, and radar and infrared imaging.
Surveyors are in high demand in the 21st century, and their employers are primarily in the government sector, but also in the private sector. In the public sector, surveyors are employed in offices such as cadastral, forestry, land management, mining, and geological surveys, among others.
For all of these jobs, surveyors need a variety of skills. In addition to surveying expertise, land surveyors often require knowledge and skills in at least one of the following areas
Success in this industry also requires certain soft skills such as precision, quick comprehension, analytical thinking, problem solving, project management, and general spatial imagination. While the day-to-day duties of a surveying engineer may vary depending on the industry and the exact scope of work, typical responsibilities include the following
Whenever a project involving geospatial data needs to be started, one question that often arises is who is the right professional to contact - a (civil) surveyor or a survey technician? Let's compare the two to be better informed in this situation.
Surveyors are generally civil or structural engineers who focus on the construction, maintenance, or alteration of large structures. A surveyor's focus is always on the land, property, and surrounding area to make critical decisions that have a huge direct impact on society.
The primary responsibilities of a surveyor are to conduct surveys to measure, collect, and analyze data using sophisticated tools and methods. They are also responsible for ensuring regulatory compliance and communicating results to clients.
Surveying technicians, on the other hand, are responsible for creating an accurate map of a property or structure, detailing its natural features, appurtenances, boundaries, and other relevant information. Some primary responsibilities of surveying technicians include field mapping and inspection, preparing field boundaries, performing calculations, and maintaining survey records and site plans.
Let's look at another term that is very important in the surveying industry in Germany. A publicly appointed surveyor is a state-approved freelancer who is responsible for certifying land-related facts based on pre-determined surveying calculations. In simple terms, they are authorised by the state to carry out official surveying tasks such as ordnance surveying and cadastral surveying.
They can also act as consultants or advisors in this field, helping their clients to find tailor-made solutions to property, construction and planning issues.
In line with its popularity in industry, surveying is also widely studied at university level in Germany, both at the bachelor and master level. Most universities offer the opportunity to study surveying either as an independent major or in combination with other sub-disciplines of geodesy.
Most of these courses cover topics such as cartography, geodesy, bioinformatics, physics, etc. and focus on the measurement, organisation and analysis of data about the Earth's landscapes.
The Hochschule für Technik in Stuttgart, for example, stands out for its highly competitive Master's in Engineering Surveying, which prepares students for careers in surveying engineering and higher administrative surveying.
The general requirements for a surveying master's program are
The language of instruction in most of these programs is usually German, so an appropriate certificate is also required, especially for international students.
Another lucrative entry point into the industry is the dual degree program at the bachelor's level. Offered under various titles such as Geospatial Data Management (B. Eng.) and Civil Engineering (B.Sc.), these programs are slightly longer than the average bachelor's degree (8-9 semesters) and offer an integrated apprenticeship with direct practical relevance as part of the program.
They are designed for students who are interested in combining academic knowledge of their subject with practical skills through on-the-job training in industry. Some German universities that offer such a program are Bochum University of Applied Sciences, FH Münster University of Applied Sciences, and Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences.
Another way to build a career in the surveying industry is through a surveying engineer training or apprenticeship program. An apprenticeship program typically lasts three years and is designed to provide real-world, hands-on training through theoretical classroom work and practical on-the-job training.
To be eligible for a surveying apprenticeship, you must have completed secondary school, which is equivalent to the German Abitur. In terms of specific knowledge, they must have a good understanding of mathematics, physics and geometry.
As these training programs are conducted entirely in German and some clients speak English, language skills are also a must. Finally, these apprenticeship programs look for excellent soft skills such as a strong work ethic, communication skills, and the ability to work independently and in a team.
Now that we've covered the topic of education, let's take a look at the salaries of common surveying titles.
The average salary across all expertise levels of a surveying engineer is about 54,100 € and can go up to around 77,000 € on the higher end, making them one of the highest-paid professionals in the sector.
Surveying technicians are another set of professionals in the surveying niche and are also well-paid. Their salaries start from about 28,000 € on the lower end and go up to about 46,000 € on the upper end.
Lastly, we have publicly appointed surveying engineers. Unfortunately, there isn’t enough data available to put together a simple range of salaries for publicly appointed surveying engineers across different regions in Germany.
In this article, we talked about surveying engineers, who are vital professionals in various fields from architecture to geodesy. Their main responsibilities include the collection, analysis, and mapping of spatial data using surveying and technical equipment. Surveying engineers differ from surveying technicians in that the former focus on construction and maintenance, while the latter focus on mapping properties with precision.
There are several educational paths to a career as a surveyor, including a bachelor's degree, a master's degree, a dual degree with integrated apprenticeship, and a full-time apprenticeship program. Finally, surveying engineers are mostly employed in the public sector, including as publicly appointed land surveyors, but they also work in the private sector.
If this has been interesting reading and you're curious about jobs in this niche, head over to GoGeoGo now and choose from a wide range of opportunities!
Do surveying engineers focus only on land-based projects?
No, surveying engineering is the study of spatial data that extends beyond land. For example, it can be applied to projects related to underwater surveying, navigation, resource exploration, and mapping.
What is cadastral surveying?
Cadastral surveying is a subset of surveying that is specifically concerned with mapping and demarcating parcels of land for legal and tax purposes. This is most relevant in matters related to land administration and property ownership.
What are some of the ethical considerations related to surveying engineering?
Surveyors, like any other professionals who work with data, must adhere to certain ethical standards that ensure the accurate collection and presentation of data while respecting confidentiality and property rights.
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