Overview
What is a Land Surveyor?
Land or Geomatics Surveyors are built environment professionals that carry out specialist, topographic, hydrographic and measured building surveys. They make use of specialist equipment and technology, such as robotics and 3D scanners, to collect data that help them map the shape of land. This information then ensures that accurate plans can be made for development.
This role falls under the geomatics term, which is broad and can encompass sub-specialisms like marine surveying, geodetic surveying and engineering surveying.
How much do Land Surveyors earn?
The average salary of a Land Surveyor is usually between: £20,000 – £50,000
Skills
What’s required for the role?
- Communication skills
- The ability to work with others
- Technical skills
- An analytical mindset
- Lateral and logical thinking
- Project management experience
- Numeracy and maths skills
- Digital literacy and IT skills
- Problem-solving and creativity
- Practical skills
- Visual intelligence
- The ability to analyse and interpret data
- Attention to detail
Details
What does a Land Surveyor do?
A land surveying professional will have a wide range of responsibilities in their role. They’ll be expected to:
What is the work environment like?
Land and Geomatics Surveyors split their time between office and site work, and will often have to travel to different sites and locations. Expect to spend a lot of your time outside conducting surveys – regardless of the weather conditions.
Some specialisms in land surveying can see you working further on in the construction process, in building sites, offices and construction projects.
Opportunities
Is land surveying a good career?
Land surveying is a technical, complex profession, making it a well-paid role in the built environment.
However, as with much of the sector, this type of surveying remains short on talent, thanks to an ageing workforce, increasing complexity and, in the UK, the loss of many qualified workers as a result of Brexit.
Land surveying is a role recognised across the globe, meaning professionals in this area have plenty of opportunities to travel and utilise their skills and experience on an international scale.
These factors make this industry an area in high demand, giving land surveying professionals long-term job security and scope for progression and development.
It’s also a discipline that is struggling to shake off outdated stereotypes. While it’s often conflated with rural surveying, land and geomatic surveying is a profession that heavily incorporates data and specialist technology, making it an ideal career path for people who are excited by the chance to work with cutting-edge tools.
How to become a Land Surveyor
Who can work in land surveying?
There are a range of degrees accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) in land and geomatics, including engineering, geographic information science and surveying and mapping subjects.
Some employers may require an RICS-accredited degree. Alternatively, if you have a non-cognate degree, you could undertake an RICS-accredited postgraduate degree and work towards MRICS or Assoc RICS status.
