Surveyor - Associate

Placer County is comprised of over 1,400 square miles of beautiful and diverse geography, ranging from the residential and commercial areas of South Placer, through the historic foothill areas of Auburn, Foresthill, and Colfax, and to the County's jewel of the North Lake Tahoe basin. Placer is a great place to live, work, play, and learn! For more information about Placer County, please visit www.placer.ca.gov.

This classification is scheduled to receive general wage increases of 4% in July 2023 and 4% in July 2024. 

Placer County's Community Development Resource Agency is currently accepting applications for Associate Surveyor.

Placer County offers a comprehensive benefits package to employees, including:

• Holidays: 14 paid holidays per year, 2 of which are floating holidays*
• Vacation leave: 10 days/year with ability to accrue 25 days/year
• Sick leave: 12 days/year*
• Cafeteria plan: 6% of employee’s salary will be contributed towards employee to use towards 401(k), dependent care, medical co-insurance, or cash
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance available for employees and dependents
• $50,000 life insurance policy at no cost to employee
• CalPERS retirement plans
• Retiree medical insurance
• Deferred compensation
• Education allowance: up to $1,200 per year
• Bilingual incentive: incumbents may be eligible for bilingual incentive pay depending upon operational needs and certification of proficiency.

*Amounts will be prorated for part-time employees and employees hired after the first of the year.

The information above represents benefits currently available to permanent Placer County employees and may be subject to change. Applicants should inquire about the most current benefit package during hiring interviews or by contacting the Human Resources Department. For a detailed listing of benefits, please click here to view Professional benefits.

For more information regarding the benefits Placer County has to offer please visit Placer County's Human Resources website.

To plan, supervise, coordinate and participate in complex, difficult, and sensitive professional surveying activities, including map certification and election mapping; and to exercise direct supervision over professional and technical staff.

This is the advanced journey level class in the Surveyor series.  Positions at this level are distinguished from other classes within the series by the level of responsibility assumed, complexity of duties assigned, independence of action taken, by the amount of time spent performing assigned duties, and by the nature of the public contact made.  Employees perform the most difficult and responsible types of duties assigned to classes within this series including providing expert testimony with regard to boundary/survey information and exercising direct supervision over technical and professional staff.  Employees at this level are required to be fully trained in all procedures related to assigned area of responsibility.

Receives general direction from supervisory or management staff as assigned.

Exercises direct supervision over technical and professional staff.

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

• Recommend and assist in the implementation of goals and objectives for surveying activities; establish schedules and methods for achieving survey Unit's work objectives; implement  policies and procedures within areas of responsibility.
• Evaluate operations and activities of assigned responsibilities; recommend improvements and modifications; prepare various reports on operations and activities.
• Plan, prioritize, assign, supervise and review the work of professional and technical staff assigned to areas of responsibility; participate in the selection of staff; provide or coordinate staff training; conduct performance evaluations; recommend discipline; implement discipline procedures as directed.
• Participate in budget preparation and administration; prepare cost estimates for budget recommendations; submit justifications for staff, supplies, and equipment; monitor and control expenditure.
• Research, calculate and prepare legal descriptions for County road projects, LAFCO annexations, special districts, or as requested by other County departments.
• Provide information regarding survey data, County right-of-way, easements, record maps, status of various projects, to the public and private sector representatives.
• Administer the County's map certification and election mapping programs including oversight of review/approval of legal descriptions submitted to the County for annexation, easements, and  property transfers. 
• Build and maintain positive working relationships with co-workers, other County employees and the public using principles of good customer service.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

It is the responsibility of applicants to identify in their application materials how they meet the minimum qualifications listed below.

Experience: Two years of responsible professional surveying experience performing duties similar to an Assistant Surveyor with Placer County.

Training: Equivalent to a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college with major course work in engineering technology or a related field.

NOTE: Relevant, equivalent experience (performing the same or similar job requiring similar knowledge, skills, and abilities) may be substituted for the required education as determined by the Human Resources Department. Applicants receiving their degree outside the United States must submit proof of accreditation by a recognized evaluation agency.

Required License or Certificate:

• Possession of registration as a Licensed Land Surveyor in the State of California.
• May need to possess a valid driver's license as required depending on the position.  Proof of adequate vehicle insurance and medical clearance may also be required.

Knowledge of:

• Public Works Department policies and procedures relative to surveying activities.
• Pertinent local, State, and Federal rules, regulations, laws and codes, including the Land Surveyors Act and the Subdivision Map Act.
• Principles and practices of land surveying, including  application to the review of maps and legal descriptions.
• Computer software as used in technical computation/analysis and drafting/mapping/surveying applications.
• Principles of budget monitoring.
• Principles of supervision, training and performance evaluations.
• Principles and practices of work safety.

Ability to:

• Organize, implement, and direct survey activities.
• On a continuous basis, know and understand all aspects of the job; intermittently analyze work papers and special projects; identify and interpret technical and numerical information; observe and problem solve operational situations and technical policies and procedures; and understand, interpret, and explain applicable ordinances and statutes and County policies and procedures.
• On a continuous basis, sit at desk or stand at counter for long periods of time; intermittently twist to reach equipment surrounding desk; walk, stand, bend, squat, kneel, or twist while perform field work; perform simple grasping and fine manipulation; use telephone, and write or use a keyboard to communicate through written means or enter/retrieve data from computer; regularly lift heavy weight.
• Apply the principles and practices of professional surveying in the performance of professional surveying duties on multiple, diverse, and complex projects.
• Supervise, train, and evaluate assigned staff.
• Assist in the development and monitoring of assigned budget areas.
• Develop and recommend policies and procedures related to assigned activities.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
• Work with various cultural and ethnic groups in a tactful and effective manner.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.

Training & Experience Rating (100%)

Based upon responses to the supplemental questionnaire, the applicant’s education, training, and experience will be evaluated using a pre-determined formula. Scores from this evaluation will determine applicant ranking and placement on the eligible list.

Prior to the date of hire, applicants must undergo a fingerprint test by the Department of Justice, pass a medical examination (which may include a drug screening and possibly a psychological evaluation), sign a constitutional oath, and submit proof of U.S. citizenship or legal right to remain and work in the U.S.  For some positions, applicants may also be required to submit proof of age, undergo a background investigation (which may include a voice stress analysis and/or a polygraph), and/or be bonded. Additionally, positions in law enforcement classifications and those supporting law enforcement functions will be required to complete a conviction history questionnaire prior to or during the interview process. Applicants for positions with access to Medi-Cal billing software or who are licensed providers must clear the Federal Exclusion List, credentialing, and social security verification. Failure to clear these requirements may result in an employment offer being withdrawn.

The eligible list resulting from this recruitment may be certified as a substitute list for a substantially similar classification. For this purpose, a substantially similar classification is one at a lower level in the same classification (example: entry level vs. journey level) and/or a similar classification (similar work performed, similar training and experience qualifications required). If you are contacted for an interview by a County department, you will be informed of the classification and other relevant information. If you choose not to interview for a substantially similar classification, you will remain on the eligible list for which you originally applied.

Placer County offers an expedited process for qualifying certain applicants for interviews. Candidates currently employed, or employed within the last year, by a public agency operating under a personnel civil service or merit system may be eligible to be placed on a Public Agency Eligible List and certified as eligible for appointment to a similar job assignment without going through the examination process. For more information on the Public Agency Eligible List, to download forms, or to apply, please click here.

Placer County offers an expedited process for qualifying certain applicants for interviews. Candidates currently employed, or employed within the last year, by a public agency operating under a personnel civil service or merit system may be eligible to be placed on a Public Agency Eligible List and certified as eligible for appointment to a similar job assignment without going through the examination process. For more information on the Public Agency Eligible List, to download forms, or to apply, please click here.