THE ROLE
The Survey Supervisor supports the Chief Surveyor in the delivery of all construction survey activities on behalf of the Owner’s team during the Project’s Construction phase. The role is responsible for the day-to-day execution, verification, and supervision of survey works across all project facilities, ensuring survey accuracy, compliance with design tolerances, and alignment with statutory and project requirements.
The Survey Supervisor acts as the primary technical lead in the field, coordinating closely with Survey Contractors and construction teams, and deputises for the Chief Surveyor when offsite or absent.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES
Survey Execution & Supervision
- Support the Chief Surveyor in supervising all construction survey activities across the project.
- Oversee daily survey operations, task allocation, and field execution by the survey team.
- Provide technical guidance, coaching, and mentoring to surveyors and assistants.
- Ensure survey equipment, software, and systems are correctly used and maintained.
Survey Control & Benchmarks
- Assist in the establishment, maintenance, and auditing of survey control networks and benchmarks.
- Carry out routine checks of control points and report any discrepancies or degradation.
- Ensure all survey works are referenced to approved project datums and coordinate systems.
- Manage survey resources, equipment, and software to ensure continuous availability and accuracy.
- Implement and enforce survey standards, procedures, and quality control measures across the project.
Verification & Quality Control
- Independently verify Contractor survey data, set-outs, and as-built surveys against approved drawings, tolerances, and specifications.
- Conduct spot checks and audits of critical set-outs and alignment works.
- Review and endorse survey-related inspection checklists, method statements, and ITPs prior to submission to the Chief Surveyor.
- Identify non-conformances and support timely resolution with Contractors and Engineers.
Technical Execution Across Project Areas
- Earthworks, Roads, and Drainage
- Confirm cut/fill, lines, levels, and grades for bulk earthworks, drainage, and access roads.
- Civil & Structural
- Verify formwork, reinforcement, concrete placement, and structural steel erection to specified lines, levels, and tolerances.
- Perform verticality and alignment checks on large civil and structural elements (e.g., CIL tanks, mills, crusher foundations, and buildings).
- Mechanical
- Confirm accurate placement, alignment, and levelling of major rotating equipment (e.g., mills, crushers, pumps, agitators).
- Check compliance with installation tolerances for equipment bases and mounting points.
Piping & Underground Services
- Verify pipeline routes, slopes, and alignments, including underground services (water, tailings, electrical conduits, cables).
Electrical & Instrumentation
- Support tolerance verification for E&I installations, trays, and cabling runs where survey accuracy is required.
Process Plant Interfaces
- Undertake complex setouts for SMP (Structural, Mechanical, Piping) contractors, including mill grids, transfer towers, conveyor galleries, and tanks.
Data Management & Reporting
- Prepare and review survey drawings, mark-ups, and reports using AutoCAD or equivalent software.
- Maintain accurate and up-to-date survey records, field notes, and electronic data.
- Provide timely survey inputs to support construction progress reporting and handover.
- Assist in the compilation of final as-built survey documentation.
Interface & Coordination
- Liaise daily with Contractor surveyors to coordinate works and resolve discrepancies.
- Provide technical survey support to Engineers, Superintendents, and Supervisors.
- Conduct regular survey pickups of active construction areas and escalate deviations.
- Support monitoring of land tenure boundaries and permit constraints as required.
Health, Safety & Environment
- Demonstrate strong safety leadership in all survey activities.
- Ensure survey works are planned and executed in accordance with site HSE requirements.
- Participate in toolbox talks, safety meetings, and audits.
- Promptly report hazards, incidents, and near misses.
KEY REQUIREMENTS
Education:
- Degree or diploma in Surveying, Geomatics, or Civil Engineering.
- Professional accreditation preferred.
Relevant experience:
- Minimum 7–10 years’ survey experience in mining, infrastructure, or process plant construction projects.
- Proven experience supervising survey teams in active construction environments.
- Strong proficiency with modern survey equipment (GPS, Total Station, digital levels).
- Competent user of AutoCAD and survey data processing software.
- Sound understanding of survey tolerances for civil, structural, mechanical, and piping works.
- Strong coordination and communication skills across multicultural project teams.
Authority
The Surveyor Supervisor has authority to direct daily survey activities and verify survey works within approved procedures and escalates critical technical or compliance issues to the Chief Surveyor.