Principal Surveyor Jobs
Principal Surveyor jobs are open across land development, construction, and infrastructure firms, with specializations in boundary, topographic, and construction surveying, at every level from project surveyor to principal and survey manager. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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See related jobsCompany Description:
Joseph C. Truxaw and Associates, Inc. is an established firm specializing in civil engineering and land surveying projects. With a strong reputation for delivering innovative and high-quality design solutions, the company offers diverse services to meet the unique needs of its clients. Located in Orange, CA, the organization is committed to fostering a collaborative work environment that encourages professional growth and development. Join a team that values expertise, precision, and client satisfaction.
Role Description:
This is a full-time on-site position based in Orange, CA, for a Principal Land Surveyor. The Principal Land Surveyor will be responsible for the operational management of the Survey Department. Reporting directly to the President, this executive role oversees surveying operations, technical quality, and business development.
Qualifications:
- Current California Professional Land Surveyor (PLS) license in good standing.
- Thorough knowledge of California surveying laws, ALTA/NSPS standards, subdivision mapping, and boundary analysis.
- Proficient with AutoCAD Civil 3D and survey drafting workflows.
- Leadership, business development, budgeting, and project management skills.
- Excellent communication, organizational, and client relationship skills.
- Detail-oriented with an ability to contribute to a positive work environment
Full job description available upon request.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: From $160,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Flexible spending account
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Professional development assistance
- Vision insurance
Experience:
- Land surveying: 7 years (Required)
Language:
- English (Required)
License/Certification:
- Surveyor License (Required)
Work Location: In person
Company Description:
Joseph C. Truxaw and Associates, Inc. is an established firm specializing in civil engineering and land surveying projects. With a strong reputation for delivering innovative and high-quality design solutions, the company offers diverse services to meet the unique needs of its clients. Located in Orange, CA, the organization is committed to fostering a collaborative work environment that encourages professional growth and development. Join a team that values expertise, precision, and client satisfaction.
Role Description:
This is a full-time on-site position based in Orange, CA, for a Principal Land Surveyor. The Principal Land Surveyor will be responsible for the operational management of the Survey Department. Reporting directly to the President, this executive role oversees surveying operations, technical quality, and business development.
Qualifications:
- Current California Professional Land Surveyor (PLS) license in good standing.
- Thorough knowledge of California surveying laws, ALTA/NSPS standards, subdivision mapping, and boundary analysis.
- Proficient with AutoCAD Civil 3D and survey drafting workflows.
- Leadership, business development, budgeting, and project management skills.
- Excellent communication, organizational, and client relationship skills.
- Detail-oriented with an ability to contribute to a positive work environment
Full job description available upon request.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: From $160,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Flexible spending account
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Professional development assistance
- Vision insurance
Experience:
- Land surveying: 7 years (Required)
Language:
- English (Required)
License/Certification:
- Surveyor License (Required)
Work Location: In person
See All 5 Principal Surveyor Jobs
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Find Principal Surveyor JobsPrincipal Surveyor Job Market
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Consulting & Professional Services
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in principal surveyor jobs.
- Professional Land Surveyor (PLS) license in at least one state
- 7 or more years of experience in boundary, topographic, or construction surveying
- Proficiency in Trimble or Leica total stations, GNSS receivers, and data collectors
- Experience with CAD platforms such as AutoCAD Civil 3D or Microstation for survey drafting
- Demonstrated experience managing field crews and reviewing survey deliverables for accuracy
- Familiarity with ALTA/NSPS standards, federal survey requirements, or state plane coordinate systems
Tips for Your Principal Surveyor Job Search
Tailor your resume to survey deliverables
List the specific deliverable types you've produced, boundary plats, topographic surveys, ALTA/NSPS land title surveys, and construction stakeout packages. Hiring managers scan for deliverable fluency, not just years of experience or generic project management language.
Highlight your state licensure and reciprocity
Lead your credentials section with your PLS license and every state where you hold reciprocity. Multi-state licensure is a genuine differentiator for principal-level roles, especially at firms with regional offices or multi-state infrastructure contracts.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists principal surveyor openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing. Applying early keeps your application visible before a shortlist forms.
Target firms by project pipeline, not just size
A smaller firm winning a large FEMA mapping contract or a DOT corridor project may need a principal surveyor immediately. Search for firms active in your target project type, infrastructure, right-of-way, oil and gas, and prioritize openings at those practices.
Prepare a technical walkthrough for your interview
Principal surveyor interviews frequently include a scenario where you're asked to walk through how you'd handle a boundary dispute, a conflicting record of survey, or a construction control challenge. Rehearse a real example with the problem, your analysis, and the resolution.
Negotiate scope of authority, not just compensation
At the principal level, your ability to sign and seal survey documents, approve field crews, and represent the firm with clients is as important as pay. Clarify signing authority, project autonomy, and client relationship ownership before you accept an offer.
Principal Surveyor Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most principal surveyors?
EXP, ABL, and American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) are hiring the most principal surveyors right now, with openings concentrated in California, Texas, and Ohio, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Demand is highest at civil engineering and land development firms with active infrastructure and right-of-way project pipelines.
How many principal surveyor jobs are remote?
About 0% of principal surveyor openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting the hands-on nature of most survey work. The roles most likely to offer remote flexibility are those focused on office-side deliverable review, GIS analysis, project coordination, and client reporting rather than active field supervision.
How do you become a principal surveyor?
Start by earning a degree in surveying, geomatics, or civil engineering and completing the experience hours required for PLS licensure in your state. After passing your licensing exams, build a portfolio of progressively complex projects covering boundary, topographic, and construction work. Take on crew leadership and client-facing responsibilities early, as most firms expect a principal surveyor to manage projects and sign deliverables independently.
Can you get hired as a principal surveyor with limited experience?
Most principal surveyor postings require PLS licensure and substantial field and office experience, so candidates without a license face a real barrier. The practical path is to pursue licensure while working as a party chief or project surveyor, volunteering for boundary research and legal description work that principal surveyors typically own. Some smaller firms promote licensed surveyors into principal roles faster when there is a business need to add signing authority.
What does the principal surveyor interview process look like?
Most firms begin with a phone screen focused on your license status, project types, and software proficiency. A technical interview follows, where you may be asked to walk through a past boundary conflict, explain your approach to a complex ALTA survey, or describe how you manage field crew quality control. Final rounds often involve meeting the project management team and sometimes a client introduction, since principal surveyors are expected to represent the firm directly.
Where can I find and apply to principal surveyor jobs?
You can find and apply to principal surveyor jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States. Search for roles that match your license state, project specialization, and experience level, then apply directly to each listing that fits. The openings on this page are updated regularly so you can see what is actively hiring.
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