Survey Instrument Rod Person
Salary
Depends on Qualifications
Location
Houston, TX
Job Type
Regular Full-time
Job Number
17236
Department
Flood Control District
Opening Date
09/17/2026
Closing Date
10/17/2026 11:59 PM Central
Max Number of Applicants
100
Position Description
Job Summary
The Harris County Flood Control District is searching for qualified candidates for the position of Instrument Rod Person.
The Harris County Flood Control District has a mission to reduce the risk of flooding in Harris County, the third most populous county in the United States, with a population exceeding 4.7 million, including the City of Houston, the nation's fourth-largest city. The District has jurisdiction over the countys primary stormwater facilities, which consist of approximately 1,500 channels totaling nearly 2,500 miles in length, as well as more than 60 regional stormwater detention basins covering over 10,000 acres, and several wetlands mitigation banks.
The District is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Instrument Rod Person, who is responsible for performing technical survey work
of average difficulty as part of a field survey crew, including operating electronic measuring and data-collection devices and other survey instruments for the Surveying Department.
Essential Functions & Duties:
Survey Instrument Operation & Measurement
distances and collect data, elevations, and distances.
Make cross-section, profile, location, topographic, and construction layout surveys.
Locate and establish lines, critical points, and angles.
Comply with instructional notes for level circuits, traverse closures, precise levels, property corners, topography, horizontal and vertical
curves, cross-sections for earthwork calculations, and building grades.
Field Support & Site Preparation
Dig ground using a pick, shovel, and other hand tools to search for and locate survey monuments.
Cut and remove brush and undergrowth for the line of sight.
Drive stakes to set grades on construction projects.
Operational Improvement & Problem Solving
jointly to provide quality, seamless customer service.
Additional Responsibilities and Duties
Prepare correspondence, complete forms, and maintain records and files related to work activities.
Assume additional responsibilities as required, adapting to the Districts evolving demands, responsibilities, needs, and objectives.
Harris County is an Equal Opportunity Employer
https://hrrm.harriscountytx.gov/Pages/EqualEmploymentOpportunityPlan.aspx
If you need special services or accommodations, please call (713) 274-5445 or email ADACoordinator@bmd.hctx.net.
This position is subject to a criminal history check. Only relevant convictions will be considered and, even when considered, may not automatically disqualify the candidate.
Requirements
Education and Experience:
Requires a high school graduate or equivalent.
Requires a minimum of one year of experience in survey work or a similar field, including field survey engineering methods and/or other survey techniques.
Licensure:
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Some analytical skills in applying guidelines, policies, and precedents and in adapting standard methods to fit facts and conditions.
Ability to prepare accurate sketches of conditions found in the field.
Be a self-starter; work well independently and as a team; assume ownership in completing assigned tasks.
Work cooperatively with other District employees, craftsmen, property owners, contractors, and the public.
Work well with a team in a field environment, under pressure, adhering to tight deadlines and accuracy/quality standards.
Utilize good organizational skills and effectively prioritize and schedule multiple tasks/initiatives.
Effectively communicate with coworkers, the general public, industry, and/or governmental representatives.
Read/comprehend written materials, use proper grammar, correct spelling and punctuation, phone etiquette, problem solving, simple formats, and filing systems.
NOTE: Qualifying education, experience, knowledge and skills must be documented on your job application. You may attach a resume to the application as supporting documentation but ONLY information stated on the application will be used for consideration. "See Resume" will not be accepted for qualifications.
Preferences
Prefer some college or an associate or technical degree in civil engineering, survey technology, or equivalent curriculum.
Prefer experience using complex optical equipment, electronic instruments, and various instruments used in survey engineering, specifically Leica GPS and total stations.
Prefer experience using Auto CAD, Carlson Land Surveying, and Leica software.
General Information
Position Type:
Hours:
Salary:
Physical Demands & Environmental Exposure:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions:
Frequent walking up and down steep slopes of ditches or on rough and uneven surfaces or ground such as sloping terrain, plowed or furrowed areas, or construction sites.
Frequent stooping, bending, reaching, lifting, and carrying items up to 20 pounds and occasional lifting of up to 50 pounds.
Frequent driving of a vehicle with automatic controls.
Occasional sorting, filing, shelving, and handling documents, books, files, file drawers, and related materials and equipment required for clerical operations.
Approximately 90% of duties are performed outdoors, where there will be routine exposure to significant levels of heat, cold, moisture, air pollution, wind, and dust.
Routine exposure to vegetation retardants, herbicides, and/or fertilizers, petroleum products, including but not limited to gasoline, oil, grease, diesel, and other fuels and lubricants.
May be exposed to snakes, wildlife, wasps, bees, and other flying/walking insects, aquatic bacteria, viruses, and other micro-organisms, vibration and/or noise in excess of 85 decibels.
Approximately 10% of duties are performed indoors in a normal office environment with acceptable lighting, temperature, air conditions, and noise levels.
Employment may be contingent on passing a drug screen and meeting other standards.
Due to a high volume of applications positions may close prior to the advertised closing date or at the discretion of the Hiring Department.
HARRIS COUNTY EMPLOYEE BENEFITS
Harris County offers a highly competitive benefits program, featuring a comprehensive group health plan and defined benefit retirement plan.
The following benefits are offered only to Harris County employees in regular (full-time) positions:
Health & Wellness Benefits
Paid Time Off (PTO)
Retirement Savings Benefit
The following benefits are available to Harris County employees in full-time and select part-time positions:
In accordance with the Harris County Personnel Regulations, group health and related benefits are subject to amendment or discontinuance at any time. Harris County Commissioners Court reserves the right to make benefit modifications on the Countys behalf as needed.
For plan details, visit the Harris County Benefits & Wellness website:
www.benefitsathctx.com
01
Which of the following best describes your highest level of education completed as it relates to this position? Qualifying information must be documented in the Education section of your application.
02
If you selected a college degree in response to the previous question, which of the following best describes your major?
03
Please describe your educational background including level of education completed, area of study and completed major and minor programs.
04
Which of the following best describes your verifiable experience in survey work or a similar field, including field survey engineering methods and/or other survey techniques? (To be considered, qualifying experience must be documented in your applications employment history)
05
Please provide the dates of employment during which you obtained experience working in survey work or a similar field, including field survey engineering methods and/or other survey techniques. Provide the month and year that began and ended the experience. Example: "January 2020 - December 2025" If this experience is not clearly documented in the Work Experience section, your application will be disqualified. If you do not have this experience, type "N/A" in the space provided.
06
Do you have experience using complex optical equipment, electronic instruments, and various instruments used in survey engineering, specifically Leica GPS and total stations?
07
Do you have experience using Auto CAD, Carlson Land Surveying, and Leica software?
08
For this position, a valid Texas Drivers License is necessary. Do you meet the above requirement? (Please be sure to include all related details in the Certificates and Licenses section of your application.)
Required Question
Employer Harris County
Address 1111 Fannin St
Ste. 600
Houston, Texas, 77002
Phone 713-274-5445
Website https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/harriscountytx
| Location | Houston, TX |
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