Surveyor onboarding at a glance

Week one covers orientation, safety and shadowing. Days 1–30 build vocabulary and supervised practice on core procedures; days 31–60 move to independent work with competency sign-offs; days 61–90 focus on full productivity, cross-training and a credential plan.

Before day one

Confirm start date, schedule, pay and supervisor in writing
Verify required credentials: Professional Land Surveyor (PLS), Fundamentals of Surveying (FS) exam (as applicable)
Prepare equipment and access: GNSS receivers; total stations; data collectors; drones and LiDAR
Assign a buddy or preceptor
Enroll the new hire in Surveyor training so foundations are covered before or during week one

Week one: orient and protect

Workplace tour, emergency procedures and incident reporting
Watch for traffic on roadside surveys
Prepare for terrain and wildlife
Wear high-visibility gear
Follow drone rules
Shadow an experienced surveyor through a full shift
Training modules 1–3: role foundations, a day on the job and essential vocabulary (15 terms)

Days 1–30: learn

Goal: perform core tasks safely under supervision.

Supervised practice: search for a property corner
Supervised practice: run a closed traverse
Supervised practice: write a legal description
Training modules 4–7: duties, step-by-step tasks, tools and safety
30-day check-in: confidence, questions and early wins

Days 31–60: contribute

Goal: handle a regular workload independently.

Research deeds and records: independently
Measure land with GPS and total stations: independently
Set boundary markers: independently
Prepare plats and legal descriptions: independently
Competency sign-offs completed (see checklist below)
Training final knowledge check and certificate of completion
60-day check-in

Days 61–90: own

Goal: full productivity and a growth plan.

Meet productivity and quality targets for the role
Begin cross-training on a secondary task
Agree on a credential goal (for example, Professional Land Surveyor (PLS))
Discuss the career path: Survey Technician → Party Chief → Licensed Surveyor
90-day review

Competency checklist

Skill or task	Trained	Observed	Signed off
Search for a Property Corner
Run a Closed Traverse
Write a Legal Description
Boundary law
GPS and total stations
CAD
Deed research

How to measure onboarding success

Time to independent work on instruments or projects
Documentation or data corrections required
Rework, out-of-spec results or failed audits
90-day retention

How Surveyor training maps to this plan

Introduction to the Surveyor Role
A Day on the Job
Essential Surveyor Vocabulary
Core Duties and Responsibilities
Common Tasks, Step by Step
Tools, Equipment and Technology
Safety, Compliance and Professional Standards
Skills Employers Look For
Launching Your Surveyor Career
Final Knowledge Check

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Surveyor Onboarding Plan (30-60-90 Days)