SENIOR SURVEY MANAGER / ASSOCIATE - Irvine, CA
What we're looking for?
The Senior Land Survey Manager serves as the highest-level technical and operational leader within the Survey/Mapping department. This role oversees multiple project teams, manages a substantial portfolio of work, and acts as the Surveyor of Record for the firm. The Senior Land Survey Manager provides strategic direction, ensures technical excellence, drives quality assurance/quality control, and strengthens client relationships. This position requires deep expertise in all facets of land surveying, proven leadership experience, and the professional judgment necessary to guide department-level decisions.
What you will do
Project Management
- Lead multiple, concurrent survey projects with full responsibility for scope, schedule, budget, and performance metrics (KPIs).
- Oversee and enforce project management standards across all Survey/Mapping teams.
- Direct and review work on high-complexity deliverables, including boundary surveys, ALTA/NSPS surveys, topographic mapping, subdivision maps, legal descriptions, and Records of Survey.
- Expert level knowledge and experience in all phases of project management. Oversee project initiation, planning, staffing, schedule development, and project closeout.
- Ensure compliance with state and local laws, agency standards, professional practice guidelines, and internal quality procedures.
- Serve as technical escalation point for boundary disputes, high-risk surveys, or nonstandard conditions.
Technical
- Manages a large book of business - in excess of 1.5 million
- Serve as the Surveyor of Record responsible for signing and sealing survey documents.
- Apply advanced methods for control network adjustment, GPS processing, coordinate transformations, and geodetic evaluation.
- Develop and maintain department-wide technical standards and QA/QC procedures.
- Oversee the integration of new technologies, equipment, and workflows.
- Ensure technical accuracy of all deliverables produced by the department.
Coordination & Communication
- Serve as primary point of contact for key clients, municipalities, public agencies, and major development partners.
- Respond to complex client questions and provide expert guidance on survey requirements and best practices.
- Ensure consistent, proactive communication from project start through delivery.
- Strengthen client trust and maintain longstanding relationships.
Leadership & Mentoring
- Lead and manage Survey/Mapping staff, including Project Surveyors, Senior Survey Technicians, and Drafting Technicians.
- Conduct performance evaluations and provide coaching, feedback, and professional development plans.
- Support succession planning by identifying skill gaps and creating development pathways.
- Provide training and mentorship on boundary law, advanced computation, mapping standards, and professional practice.
- Foster a collaborative, accountable, and growth-oriented team culture.
Business Development & Marketing
- Manage a significant book of business (typically exceeding $1.5M annually).
- Identify new opportunities, add-on services, and long-term clients.
- Prepare proposals, scopes, project approaches, fee estimates, and staffing plans.
- Participate in interviews, industry events, and strategic marketing initiatives.
- Contribute to departmental and firm-wide operational planning.
- Other duties as assigned.
What you have
Education + Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in Geomatics Engineering, Civil Engineering, or equivalent years of experience in Land Surveying
- 15+ years’ relevant experience in Land Surveying
- Professional Land Surveyor License (LS) in California
- Experience managing staff
- Experience with Project Management
- General knowledge of computers, Microsoft office, Adobe, Internet, Bluebeam, etc.
- Proficient knowledge of AutoCAD Civil 3D
- Proven ability to manage workload, staffing, and resource allocation.
Physical Requirements and/or Working Conditions
This role requires a combination of office-based work and occasional travel to field locations.
- Ability to sit or stand for extended periods at a desk and operate a computer.
- Manual dexterity to operate standard office equipment, including computers, phones, printers, and scanners.
- Visual ability to read documents, spreadsheets, and computer screens.
- Ability to occasionally walk or stand on uneven or unpaved surfaces, including construction zones and undeveloped land.
- Ability to occasionally stoop, kneel, bend, or climb during site visits or inspections.
- Ability to lift and carry equipment or documents weighing up to 25 pounds.
- Ability to communicate clearly and effectively in person, over the phone, and via digital platforms.
- Ability to drive to project sites and spend time outdoors in various weather conditions.
- Ability to visually observe site features and interpret plans, diagrams, and environmental conditions.
- Must be able to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) as required by the job.
Why Join Us?
- Great culture – Team Collaboration, Innovative problem solving, Responsive to clients, Passionate about work
- Competitive Pay ($170,000 - $200,00 DOE + location)
- Paid Holidays
- Free office snacks
- Much more!
We welcome the opportunity to partner with recruitment agencies when additional support is needed. To ensure a consistent hiring process, all inquiries, including partnership opportunities and candidate submissions, must be directed to hiring@kierwright.com. In addition, Kier + Wright does not accept unsolicited candidate submissions from agencies that do not have an executed agreement in place or have not been specifically engaged for a particular search. Any unsolicited candidate information submitted outside of this process may be considered the property of Kier + Wright, and no placement fee or other financial obligation will be incurred.
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