Chief, Survey and Geomatics Unit, MIII

WHO WE ARE

Montgomery County Department of Transportation’s (MCDOT) mission is to move people and connect places with seamless, equitable transportation options that are safe, environmentally responsible, and support economic growth and vibrancy in Montgomery County. MCDOT supports its residents, commuters, and visitors with transit options and infrastructure that provide seamless public transportation.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

MCDOT is seeking an experienced Professional Land Surveyor and manager to serve as Chief of the Survey and Geomatics Unit, with a focus on directing the County's comprehensive land surveying operations. This includes overseeing subordinate supervisors who direct field survey parties, managing external consultants, and evaluating and certifying complex survey work for right-of-way design and construction. The Chief hires, trains, and manages staff in technical and professional positions in the Division of Transportation Engineering (DTE).

The selected candidate is:

• Detail-oriented, organized, timely, and reliable.
• Highly motivated, self-sufficient, and a problem solver.
• Professional, can convey information efficiently, and work well with people at all job levels from field personnel to executive management.
• Effective in communicating complex technical surveying data to project managers, engineers, and non-technical stakeholders.
• A collaborator who excels at developing partnerships and can manage survey projects and tasks professionally, effectively, and equitably with managers, staff, consultants, and stakeholders.
• The County's highest-level technical expert in land surveying, responsible for the ultimate accuracy of baselines and right-of-way lines to avoid excess expenditures for the County.
• Responsible for the executive review, approval, and certification of complex plats, deeds, and legal descriptions prepared for right-of-way acquisitions.
• Proficient in advanced CAD systems and GIS systems, and knowledgeable with modern remote scanning technology (such as LiDAR and 3D laser scanning) to keep abreast of new technologies and improve operational efficiency.
• Required to hold and maintain an active certification as a Professional Land Surveyor by the State of Maryland.

The selected applicant will provide technical direction, strategic leadership, and management oversight for all County land surveying operations supporting transportation infrastructure, planning, and engineering design. The Chief of the Survey and Geomatics Unit ensures the high quality and accuracy of all survey data, property boundaries, and topographical information as projects transition from planning to design. The Chief is critical to providing continuity and legal compliance as a project moves to the property acquisition and construction phases.

The position will oversee the day-to-day operations of the Survey and Geomatics Unit, which consists of County staff, subordinate supervisors, and consultant teams. The position is responsible for:

Leadership & Staff Management

• Providing supervision and management of subordinate land survey supervisors, survey crews, and technical staff executing complex land surveys for Capital Improvement Program (CIP) transportation projects.
• Responsible for hiring, directing, mentoring, and reviewing the performance of Professional Land Surveyors, Survey Supervisors, CAD/GIS Technicians, and union/non-union field crew personnel.
• Managing the Division’s Survey Unit by scheduling workloads, directing daily operations, and prioritizing project demands.

Technical Operations & Technology Management

• Responsible for staffing, advanced technical training, and the procurement of highly technical survey equipment, including remote scanning technology (such as LiDAR and 3D laser scanners), GPS/GNSS systems, and specialized vehicles for the Survey Unit.
• Overseeing the implementation and standardization of advanced CAD systems and surveying software across the unit.
• Responsible for the management and integration of survey data into the County's GIS systems; managing the activities of the Survey Unit and consultants to develop, enhance, and maintain accurate geospatial databases.
• Serving as the ultimate technical authority in reviewing, approving, and certifying complex plats, metes and bounds, deeds, and legal descriptions for right-of-way acquisitions.

Project & Contract Management

• Developing the scope, budget, and schedule for the comprehensive survey phases of various transportation and right-of-way projects.
• Procuring and directing the activities of consultant survey teams and mapping professionals.
• Negotiating task orders and processing procurement actions related to contracts for advanced surveying, remote scanning, and mapping services, ensuring all legal and technical requirements are met.
• Managing the operational budget for the Survey Unit and the survey-specific Capital budget, ensuring CIP survey phases are delivered within schedule, scope, and budget.
• Responsible for the review and processing of consultant invoices.

Stakeholder Engagement & Communication

• Working collaboratively with local, state, and federal regulatory agencies, other County Departments, MCDOT’s other divisions, utility companies, and developers to resolve complex boundary issues or property disputes.
• Preparing and providing expert presentations for the M-NCPPC Planning Board, Council’s Transportation and Environment committee, and the public regarding land acquisition, property impacts, and survey data.
• Participating in public meetings and hearings (in person and/or virtually) to provide expert testimony and technical explanations regarding property lines and right-of-way acquisitions.
• Guiding community and stakeholder engagement as it pertains to property impacts for infrastructure plans, projects, and programs.
• Preparing and reviewing complex written correspondence, executive reports, and technical survey documents.

Experience: Five (5) years of progressively responsible professional experience in land surveying and survey management supporting capital infrastructure and right-of-way projects. Experience must include directing comprehensive survey operations, resolving complex boundary and right-of-way issues, reviewing and certifying plats and legal descriptions, and implementing advanced surveying technologies (including CAD, GIS, and remote scanning/LiDAR systems).

Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's Degree.

Equivalency: An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted. 

License and Certification Requirements:

Driver's License: Possession and maintenance at all times of a valid Class "C" (or equivalent) driver’s license from the applicant's state of residence.

Preferred Criteria:

The applications of those individuals meeting the minimum qualifications will be reviewed to determine the extent, relevance of training, and experience in the following areas:

• Candidates who possess an active certification as a Professional Land Surveyor (PLS) by the State of Maryland

• Preference will be given to candidates who have a Bachelor's Degree in Land Surveying, Geomatics, Civil Engineering, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), or a closely related technical discipline.

• Experience in comprehensive land surveying and geomatics disciplines supporting transportation capital projects, including right-of-way acquisition, boundary resolution, topographic mapping, and the preparation and review of complex plats and legal descriptions.

• Experience providing strategic leadership, mentorship, and supervision of professional surveying staff, including subordinate survey supervisors, technicians, and field crews.

• Demonstrated understanding of advanced surveying technologies and data management, including the integration of CAD systems, GIS databases, and remote scanning technology (e.g., LiDAR and 3D laser scanning) to optimize survey operations.

• Project leadership that demonstrates profound knowledge of relevant Federal, State, and County laws, regulations, and statutes pertaining to land surveying, property boundaries, and right-of-way engineering.

• Experience ensuring the accomplishment of a survey unit's annual work program by developing project schedules, reviewing the progress of major survey milestones, and taking decisive action to resolve complex boundary, property, or operational issues that impede project delivery.

• Development, implementation, and maintenance of surveying standards, CAD drafting protocols, geospatial data management, and industry best practices.

• Experience communicating highly technical survey information effectively, both orally and in writing, to advise Project Managers, Section Chiefs, Division Chiefs, and inter-agency partners to resolve complex survey and property-related issues.

• Licensed Professional Land Surveyor (PLS) in the State of Maryland, and/or the ability to obtain by reciprocity within 1 year.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

The Office of Human Resources (OHR) reviews the minimum qualifications of all applicants, irrespective of whether the candidate has previously been found to have met the minimum requirements for the job or been temporarily promoted to the same position. This evaluation is based solely on the information contained in the application/resume submitted for this specific position.

Montgomery County Government(MCG)  is an equal opportunity employer, committed to workforce diversity. Accordingly, as it relates to employment opportunities, the County will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, in accordance with the law. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should email OHR at Hiring@montgomerycountymd.gov. Individual determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made in accordance with all applicable laws.

MCG also provides hiring preference to certain categories of veterans and veterans/persons with a disability. For more information and to claim employment preference, refer to the Careers webpage on Hiring Preference.

All applicants will respond to a series of questions related to their education, relevant experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities required to minimally perform the job. The applicant's responses in conjunction with their resume and all other information provided in the employment application process will be evaluated to determine the minimum qualifications and preferred criteria or interview preference status. Based on the results, the highest qualified applicants will be placed on an Eligible List and may be considered for an interview. Employees meeting minimum qualifications who are the same grade will be placed on the Eligible List as a "Lateral Transfer" candidate and may be considered for an interview.

This will establish an Eligible List that may be used to fill both current and future vacancies.

If selected for consideration for this position, you may be required to provide evidence that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities indicated on your resume.

Montgomery County Ethics Law: Except as provided by law or regulation, the County's "Public Employees" (which does not include employees of the Sheriff's office) are subject to the County's ethics law including the requirements to obtain advanced approval of any outside employment and the prohibitions on certain outside employment. The outside employment requirements of the ethics law can be found at 19A-12 of the County Code. Additional information about outside employment can be obtained from the Ethics Commission website.