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Surveying & Mapping Technician

Engineering

Perform surveying and mapping duties, usually under the direction of an engineer, surveyor, cartographer, or photogrammetrist, to obtain data used for construction, mapmaking, boundary location, mining, or other purposes. May calculate mapmaking information and create maps from source data, such as surveying notes, aerial photography, satellite data, or other maps to show topographical features, political boundaries, and other features. May verify accuracy and completeness of maps.

You can enter this career straight after SPM. A degree is optional, not required.

Architecture & Built Environment

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Position and hold the vertical rods, or targets, that theodolite operators use for sighting to measure angles, distances, and elevations.
  2. 2Check all layers of maps to ensure accuracy, identifying and marking errors and making corrections.
  3. 3Design or develop information databases that include geographic or topographic data.
  4. 4Monitor mapping work or the updating of maps to ensure accuracy, inclusion of new or changed information, or compliance with rules and regulations.
  5. 5Produce or update overlay maps to show information boundaries, water locations, or topographic features on various base maps or at different scales.
  6. 6Determine scales, line sizes, or colors to be used for hard copies of computerized maps, using plotters.
  7. 7Compile information necessary to stake projects for construction, using engineering plans.
  8. 8Identify and compile database information to create requested maps.
  9. 9Operate and manage land-information computer systems, performing tasks such as storing data, making inquiries, and producing plots and reports.
  10. 10Compare survey computations with applicable standards to determine adequacy of data.
  11. 11Analyze aerial photographs to detect and interpret significant military, industrial, resource, or topographical data.
  12. 12Answer questions and provide information to the public or to staff members regarding assessment maps, surveys, boundaries, easements, property ownership, roads, zoning, or similar matters.
  13. 13Research and combine existing property information to describe property boundaries in relation to adjacent properties, taking into account parcel splits, combinations, or land boundary adjustments.
  14. 14Calculate latitudes, longitudes, angles, areas, or other information for mapmaking, using survey field notes or reference tables.
  15. 15Compare topographical features or contour lines with images from aerial photographs, old maps, or other reference materials to verify the accuracy of their identification.
  16. 16Trace contours or topographic details to generate maps that denote specific land or property locations or geographic attributes.
  17. 17Provide assistance in the development of methods and procedures for conducting field surveys.
  18. 18Trim, align, and join prints to form photographic mosaics, maintaining scaled distances between reference points.
  19. 19Complete detailed source and method notes describing the location of routine or complex land parcels.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • I-Man
  • Rodman
  • Staker
  • Chainman
  • Levelman
  • Surveyor
  • Draftsman
  • Mosaicist
  • Field Tech
  • Map Editor

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. 2

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. Typical entry

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. 4

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. 5

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

Computer Science / ICTDraws directly on Computers and Electronics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Electrical & Electronic Eng. StudiesDraws directly on Computers and Electronics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
GeographyDraws directly on Geography — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Additional MathematicsDraws directly on Mathematics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
MathematicsDraws directly on Mathematics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Computers and Electronics83%

    Computer Science / ICTElectrical & Electronic Eng. Studies

  • Geography77%

    Geography

  • Mathematics73%

    Additional MathematicsMathematics

  • English Language72%

    English

  • Engineering and Technology70%

    PhysicsAdditional MathematicsDesign & Technology (RBT)

  • Design66%

    Visual Art (PSV)Technical Comm. GraphicsEngineering Drawing

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsAlmost never
  • Contact with other peopleNo contact
  • Dealing with customers or the publicNot at all
  • Leading or coordinating othersNot at all
  • Handling conflict situationsAlmost never
  • Indoors, air-conditionedAlmost never
  • Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
  • Noisy environmentAlmost never

Where this job is heading

Newer tasks O*NET has flagged for this occupation, a hint at how the role is changing.

  • Use drone technology to capture aerial images or videos for creating detailed and accurate maps.

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

11%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

Growing role in the US

US Bureau of Labor Statistics data, not Malaysian. Shown because it's the only forward-looking demand estimate we have for this job.

Pay in Malaysia

We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.

Where to check:

  • JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
  • DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
  • SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Asasi / Foundation

One-year runway into a specific university: public via UPU or private direct entry.

12 months

Diploma

Skill-first qualification. Work after, or enter degree Year 2. Polytechnics keep it affordable.

2.5–3 years

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About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Surveying and Mapping Technicians

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org

Programmes that lead here

Programmes from the official UPU (KPT) and MQA catalogues whose field of study typically leads to this career. Matched by field, not a job guarantee.

Public universities (UPU)

Private institutions (MQA-accredited)

Search the programme catalogue