Published

November 11, 2026

Expires

December 11, 2026

Location

De Winton

Job Type

Full-time Permanent

Description

Survey Technician

Employer: Harco Developments Inc.

Job Location: Based at 242144 112 St, De Winton, AB, T0L 0X0, but required to work in various locations in Calgary and surrounding areas (Airdrie, Crossfield, Chestermere, Okotoks, etc.)

Wage: $37.40 - $39.00 / hour (based on skills and experience, salary increases per company policy)

Benefits: Extended health benefits plan and life insurance (employee contribution applies)

Employment terms and conditions:

Permanent
Full-Time, hours vary based on seasonal construction workload:
- High-season/summer (April – November): 7:00 a.m. – 6 p.m. (5 hours per day), Monday to Friday, and every other Saturday (52.5 – 63 hours per week)
- Off-Season/Winter (December – March): 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (8 hours per day), Monday to Friday (40 hours per week)

Vacancies: 1

Anticipated start date: Spring 2027

Job requirements:

Language: English

Education/experiece: Post-secondary education in civil engineering, geomatics, surveying, or a related field, with some practical experience

Areas of specialization: Land/topographic surveying, Construction site layout

Work setting: Landscape Contractor (Parks, green spaces, sports fields, environmental reserves, retention ponds, maintenance, etc.)

Worksite environment: Outdoor, in all kinds of weather conditions (heat, cold, rain, snow, wind), Working around heavy equipment

Technology used: GNSS/GPS survey equipment, data collectors (Trimble TSC7/Spectra), survey-processing and design software (Trimble Business Center, AutoCAD Civil 3D), Machine-control systems (CAT Grade), RPAS/drone operation with LiDAR for site Survey

Own tools/equipment: Steel-toed safety boots and High-visibility vest required when working on site

Physical Capabilities: Physically demanding, Ability to lift up to 9 kg/20 lbs, Attention to detail, Walking long distances in a day, Walking on uneven ground and slopes

Personal Suitability: Analytical, Numeracy, Accuracy, Dependability, Reliability, Judgement, Efficient interpersonal skills, Organized, Team player

Certifications: Must be able and willing to obtain Transport Canada RPAS pilot certification (Advanced Operations) for the drone-survey duties, and a valid Class 5 licence, before commencing employment

Duties:

Conducting precise field surveys using a Trimble TSC7 data collector with a Trimble Spectra (Hover) GNSS system to capture accurate measurements of distances, angles, elevations, and site contours.
Setting out (staking) grades, alignments, and elevations by installing stakes and hubs so that construction crews build parks, storm-water retention ponds, and green spaces to the correct design specifications.
Establishing survey control points and checkpoints across each site to maintain measurement accuracy throughout construction.
Calculating and verifying grades and slopes, and resolving drainage and water-management issues in the field through precise grading adjustments.
Checking property lines and boundaries in the field to confirm that construction stays within the approved design limits (design verification; legal boundary determination is carried out by licensed land surveyors).
Laying out landscaping features, including trees, shrubs, asphalt pathways, and concrete pads - and marking out all elements of a park so that field crews can execute the design.
Measuring and setting out required distances for street and avenue tree planting in accordance with municipal (City) standards and bylaws .
Performing fine-grade adjustments and resolving on-site layout and elevation problems as they arise, working on projects such as Municipal Reserve (MR) and Environmental Reserve (ER) lands.
Receiving design projects from architects and civil engineers in AutoCAD Civil 3D, then cleaning, reviewing, and standardizing the drawings according to company standards.
Reading and interpreting physical drawings and digital site plans.
Applying design elevations and preparing the data in Trimble Business Center (TBC), where he builds digital surfaces and terrain models.
Generating machine-specific control files for the CAT Grade system used on the company's heavy equipment.
Loading and configuring the digital design models onto GPS-connected machines (excavators and dozers) so operators can grade automatically to design.
Installing and uninstalling physical GPS hardware / components, and updating, maintaining and calibrating GPS software used in survey tools and GPS monitors in our equipment.
Operating as a certified Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) pilot -Transport Canada Advanced Operations, flying a DJI Matrice 400 equipped with a Zenmuse L3 Li DAR sensor to survey project sites.
Producing point-cloud data from LiDAR flights and processing it into existing-ground surface models of each site.
Comparing the existing-ground surface against the final project design to calculate earthwork requirements.
Generating detailed earthwork reports with precise cut-and-fill volumes to support project planning and progress tracking.
Working on CAD Files (converting and formatting files, prepping for data conversions and correcting conversion errors, adjusting points so they are read and interpreted correctly by equipment, etc.).
December to March: Landscape construction projects planning for the upcoming season (approximately 20%-40% of time):
- Known projects: Organizing requests for Utility Locates, familiarizing teams with projects, devising a schedule for projects to be completed, scheduling subcontractors, ordering new plant material, overseeing equipment and vehicle repairs to be done in the off season, etc.
- Acquiring new work: Preparing bids, building estimates, getting quotes and organizing new subcontractors, pricing new plant material and placing orders, etc.