Professional Land Surveyor I - Grand Junction

Salary: $86,544.00 - $88,572.00 Annually
Location : Grand Junction, CO
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number:
Department: Department of Transportation
Division: CDOT Region 3
Opening Date: 09/21/2026
Closing Date: 11/30/2026 11:59 PM Mountain
FLSA: Determined by Position
Primary Physical Work Address: 222 S 6th Street, Grand Junction, Colorado 81501
FLSA Status: Exempt; position is not eligible for overtime compensation.
Department Contact Information: eleshia.carpenter@state.co.us
Type of Announcement: The primary duties of this position are located within 30 miles of the state border; therefore, this position is exempt from the residency requirements. Applications will be considered from residents and non-residents of Colorado.
Hiring Pay Rate: The 2026 Step Pay Program may increase the salary range for employees with time in the class series.
How To Apply: Please submit an online application for this position at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/colorado. Reach out to the Department Contact to apply using a paper application, including any supplemental questions. Failure to submit a complete and timely application may result in the rejection of your application. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that application materials are received by the appropriate Human Resources office before the closing date and time listed.

Department Information

Applications will be considered from residents and non-residents of Colorado.

This announcement is posted until the position is filled. Applications will be considered as they are received. It's in your best interest to apply early.

• New employees to the State will be paid biweekly. There are 26 biweekly pay periods in a year.

Description of Job
About the Unit:
The Professional Land Surveyor works in The Colorado Department of Transportation's (CDOT's) Region 3 Right of Way Unit. Region 3 encompasses 15 counties in Western Colorado.

The Unit researches, appraises, acquires, oversees and surveys real estate (property), known Highway Right of Way (ROW) and Engineering and Maintenance facilities by 1) creating ROW plans, plats and property descriptions, 2) researching and developing property title history, 3) negotiating with property owners to acquire property and relocate occupants, 4) overseeing the property after acquisition, 5) appraising those real estate rights to conclude relevant opinions of value in compliance with applicable statutory requirements and guidelines and 6) responding to the needs of the public relative to this work unit.

About the Position:
The Professional Land Surveyor I is In "responsible charge" of the creation of plans (drawings) showing State Highway ROW, boundaries and dimensions of property parcels and easements. The position creates legal descriptions and calculates the area of parcels and easements to be acquired or sold, and provides plans and information regarding State Highway ROW to Department of Transportation employees and the public.

Major duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Perform field surveys to determine location of ROW and other land boundaries.
• Evaluate survey field notes, evidence and researched information by using mathematics, computer software and knowledge of laws pertaining to land surveying.
• Restore and upgrade land survey corners to State and Federal standards.
• Prepare, stamp, and file plats, monument records, documents as required by State Law, and setting of final ROW monumentation.
• Create ROW plans by drawing, labeling and annotating ROW lines, property lines, highway centerlines, topography and other features using a computer aided drafting package.
• Calculate areas of land parcels and easements to be acquired or sold using mathematics and computer software.
• Create legal descriptions of those parcels and easements from research and computations.
• Stamp and sign ROW plans as required by State Law.
• Gather information about location and ownership of existing State Highway ROW and adjoining property by researching survey plats, ROW plans, county records, title commitments and field notes of governmental agencies.
• Provide ROW plans and information to CDOT employees and the public.
• Train field crews in the use of surveying equipment and proper techniques for collecting and analyzing data.
• Provide guidance and oversight of less experienced team members to teach proper survey methods and assist them with applying state laws to all facets of the ROW plan process.
• Abide by all safety regulations, policies, and procedures and wear all required personal protective equipment.
• Attend and complete all required safety training.
• Other job duties as assigned.

Work Environment:

• Primarily 7:00 AM - 5:30 PM work hours, Monday-Thursday, and off on Friday
• Approximately 40% spent in the field, 60% spent in the office
• Travel required during work hours throughout the Western slope to project meetings, field inspections and trainings
• Occasional overnight travel throughout Colorado
• Required to perform field investigations over variable terrain and to work in proximity to heavy traffic
• Required to operate CDOT vehicles

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights
Minimum Qualifications

• Current, valid licensure as a Professional Land Surveyor from the Colorado State Board of Licensure for Architects, Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors.

OR

• Current, valid licensure as a Professional Land Surveyor from a state other than Colorado. If you are qualifying with a non-Colorado PLS license, it is a condition of employment that you obtain your Colorado license within 12 months of starting.

Please Note: The required experience must be substantiated within the work experience section of your application. "See Resume" statements on the application or resumes in lieu of a complete application may not be accepted. Additional information submitted after the closing date of this announcement will not be considered in the review of your application. In addition, part-time work will be prorated.
Conditions of Employment

• Must pass a pre-employment screening which may include social security number trace, criminal records check, public court records check, educational records, and driving records checks. More information in the supplemental information section.
• If qualifying for this position with a Professional Land Surveyor license from a state other than Colorado, you must obtain your Colorado PLS license within 12 months of starting in this position.
• A current valid driver license is required for all Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) positions which require operating a state or personal motor vehicle to perform one or more essential functions of the position.

Stronger candidates will be those that demonstrate depth and breadth of skill and ability, through a combination of professional experience and formal training, to successfully perform the duties and responsibilities of this position.

Preferred Qualifications:
TheExceptional Applicantwill be an experienced Professional Land Surveyor and will possess the proven ability or accomplishment in the following:

• Demonstrated success with the duties listed in the Description of the Job section;
• Highest work/personal ethics and integrity;
• Years of State service experience related to the duties of this position;
• Comprehensive knowledge and experience in Land Surveying and right of way plans preparation;
• Experience in plan review and current survey technologies, such as GPS, CAD, Trimble Business Center, Trimble survey equipment;
• Familiarity with NGS Website for researching control;
• Ability to train and oversee survey and support staff;
• Knowledge of the CDOT Survey Manual and CDOT ROW Manual;
• Experience with, or interest in learning how to utilize Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) for aerial photographs and LIDAR;
• Experience with survey monuments set by private land surveyors and Public Land Surveying System (PLSS) monuments set by the Federal Government;
• Experience researching ownership history and other necessary documents related to surveys;
• Leadership and vision across multidisciplinary groups;
• Proven ability to manage multiple assignments, priorities, and projects in a demanding environment;
• Ability to work under tight deadlines and be adaptable to changing assignments;
• Ability to take initiative to solve problems in an innovative manner;
• Ability to partner with public and private organizations, special interest groups, elected and appointed officials, in situations which may be politically sensitive;
• Ability to work with general public, professional, consultants, and staff, with sensitivity to their needs, priorities, promises made and commitments;
• Ability to negotiate mutually acceptable solutions and build consensus through give and take;
• Effective interpersonal and relationship building skills;
• Strong time and project management skills, including prioritization and multi-tasking ability;
• Excellent reasoning, investigative, analytical, and problem solving ability;
• Excellent facilitation, presentation, and communication skills, both written and oral;
• Strong attention to technical detail and accuracy;
• Passion for safety;
• Ability to work effectively in both independent and team situations;
• Fluency in, or the ability to quicklylearn software systems including but not limited to Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Access), Gmail, SAP, ProjectWise, MicroStation/InRoads/OpenRoads.

Supplemental Information
Complete Applications must include the following documents:

1. A complete CDOT Application for Announced Vacancy (please submit online using the green 'APPLY' button at the top of this announcement)
2. A complete Supplemental Questionnaire (The questionnaire is part of the online application. You will be prompted to answer them as you are completing your online application.)
3. If you are a veteran, a copy of your DD214. Please submit this as an attachment to your online application.

Please note that you may redact information on your attachments that identifies your age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution.
Only complete applications submitted by the closing date for this announcement will be given consideration. Every effort must be made to submit all application materials by the announcement close date. Where unusual circumstances prevent timely acquisition of transcripts, they must be submitted within five business days of the announcement close date. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed application. Failure to submit properly completed documents by the closing date of this announcement may result in your application being rejected.
Notifications:

All correspondence regarding your status in the selection/examination process will be via email. Include your current working email address on your application and check your email frequently as you could receive time sensitive correspondence regarding this position. We highly recommend that you set up your email to accept messages from "state.co.us" and "info@governmentjobs.com" addresses. It is your responsibility to ensure that your email will accept these notices and/or review your junk mail and spam filtered email. Immediately after you submit your application you should receive an email that confirms that you successfully submitted an application for this position. If you do not, try submitting again until you receive the confirmation email. Be sure to also check your junk folder for email communications from the State of Colorado's website.
The Hiring Process:

1. All applications that are received by the closing of this announcement will be reviewed against the minimum qualifications in this announcement. Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications proceed to the next step.
2. Colorado Revised Statutes require th