Survey Technician

This is a Direct Hire Authority (DHA) solicitation utilizing the DHA for Certain Personnel of the DoD Workforce to recruit and appoint qualified candidates to positions in the competitive service. About the Position: Serves as a Survey Technician conducting various types of field surveys utilizing multiple equipment platforms, processing collected data, and presenting data in the required formats for delivery to end users.

Duties

• Provide field surveys, troubleshoot systems/equipment and a variety of complex problems, interfacing with internal and external stakeholders.
• Develop scopes of work and estimate level of effort to collect surveys, schedule field work, organize/maintain survey related data.
• Utilize analytical and diagnostic techniques, qualitative and quantitative techniques, and related emerging practices and methods to provide advice on technical services.
• Survey field conditions to obtain topographic/hydrographic information for project incorporation into plans.
• Produce and review survey data processing, survey data quality control checks, mapping, modeling, and metadata.
• Develop detailed government estimates including labor rates, hours of effort, per diem, supplies, and vehicle costs.
• Utilize historical data research, geodetic control questions, logistics, supplies, travel, standard operating procedures (SOPs), estimates, and scope of work questions to deliver field surveys.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: US Citizens In order to qualify, you must meet the education and /or experience requirements described below. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document. GS-5 Specialized Experience: I have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-04 grade level in the Federal service which includes meeting one of the following: 1)Work on a survey team; 2)Utilize survey equipment such as Global Positioning Systems (GPS), Real Time Kinematic Systems (RTK) and/or other survey equipment; 3)Utilize Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and/or other specialized systems such as Terrestrial Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR), etc.; 4)review survey field data for accuracy; 5)Conducting various types of field surveys utilizing multiple equipment platforms; 6) Apply knowledge of mapping and/or survey techniques; and 7)review contractor submittals and/or survey data. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-04). OR Education: I have completed a full 4-yr course of study leading to a bachelor's degree from an accredited/pre-accredited institution (a) with major study in an appropriate field of surveying, eng., const., or industrial tech.; OR (b)that included at least 24 semester hours in any combination of the following courses: surveying, engineering, industrial technology, construction, physics, drafting, forestry, geography, navigation, cartography, physical science, or mathematics. Transcripts must be attached. OR Combination of Education and Experience: I have the specialized exp. as described in A, but less than one year; and I have some edu. leading to a bachelor's degree but less than required in B. I have computed the % of the requirements that I meet, and the total is at least 100% (To compute the percentage, divide your total months of qualifying exp. by 12. Then, divide your semester hours of edu. beyond two years (total semester hours minus 60) by 60. Add the two percentages. The total % must equal at least 100% to qualify.). Transcripts must be attached. GS-6 Specialized Experience: I have one year of specialized exp. equivalent to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service which includes meeting two of the following: 1) Work on a survey team; 2) Utilize survey equipment such as Global Positioning Systems (GPS), Real Time Kinematic Systems (RTK) and/or other survey equipment; 3) Utilize Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and/or other specialized systems such as Terrestrial Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR), etc.; 4) Certified Survey Tech Level 1; 5) Conducting various types of field surveys utilizing multiple equipment platforms; 6) Apply knowledge of mapping and/or survey techniques; and 7)reviewing contractor submittals and/or survey data. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-05). OR Education: I have successfully completed one semester (9 semester credits) of graduate level education in a field directly related to the work of the position, such as surveying technology. Transcripts must be attached. OR Combination of Education and Experience: I have the specialized exp. as described in A, but less than one year; and I have some graduate level edu. as described in B, but less than the required one year. I have computed the % of the requirements that I meet, and the total is at least 100% (To compute the %, divide your total months of qualifying exp. by 12., divide your semester hours of graduate edu. by 18. Add the two percentages. The total % must equal at least 100% to qualify.). Transcripts must be attached. GS-7 Specialized Experience: I have one year of specialized exp. equivalent to the GS-06 grade level in the Federal service which includes meeting three of the following and Certified Survey Tech Level 1: 1)Work on a survey team; 2)Utilize survey equipment such as Global Positioning Systems (GPS), Real Time Kinematic Systems (RTK) and/or other survey equipment; 3)Utilize Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and/or other specialized systems such as Terrestrial Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR), etc.; 4)Certified Survey Tech Level 1; 5)Conducting various types of field surveys utilizing multiple equipment platforms; 6)Apply knowledge of mapping and/or survey techniques; and 7)reviewing contractor submittals and/or survey data. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-06). OR Education: I have successfully completed one full academic year of graduate level education in a field directly related to the work of the position, such as surveying technology. Transcripts must be attached. OR Combination of Education and Experience: I have the specialized exp. as described in A, but less than one year; and I have some graduate level edu. as described in B, but less than the required one year. I have computed the % of the requirements that I meet, and the total is at least 100% (To compute the %, divide your total months of qualifying exp. by 12. Then, divide your semester hours of graduate education by 18. Add the two percentages. The total % must equal at least 100% to qualify.). Transcripts must be attached. GS-8 Specialized Experience: I have one year of specialized exp. equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service which includes four of the following and Certified Survey Tech Level 1: 1)Work on a survey team; 2)Utilize survey equipment such as Global Positioning Systems (GPS), Real Time Kinematic Systems (RTK) and/or other survey equipment; 3)Utilize Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and/or other specialized systems such as Terrestrial Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR), etc.; 4)Certified Survey Tech Level 1; 5) Conducting various types of field surveys utilizing multiple equipment platforms; 6)Apply knowledge of mapping and/or survey techniques; and 7)reviewing contractor submittals and/or survey data. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-07). OR Education: I have successfully completed one and a half years (i.e., 27 semester hours) of graduate level education in a field directly related to the work of the position, such as surveying technology. Transcripts must be attached. OR

Announcement details

• Agency: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Department of the Army)
• Announcement number: CEDC-27-13098722-DHA
• Series: 0817 Survey Technical
• Pay plan and grade: GS 5–11
• Pay: $40,736 – $97,087 Per Year
• Open to: Open to the public
• Open period: October 23, 2026 to November 6, 2026 (US Eastern)

Apply on the official USAJOBS announcement. Application instructions on USAJOBS take precedence over this summary.