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Engineering & Architecture · Updated Aug 2026

Surveying and Mapping Technicians

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.

JVS 2.0.0-phase4b
AI Exposure
73/100
High

How much of this occupation’s work can be materially affected by current AI systems.

Replacement Risk
62/100
High

How likely exposure is to translate into reduced human demand.

Includes provisional estimates for AI adoption pressure and labour-market resilience. How this is measured

Evidence quality
Confidence79/100
Task coverage86%

Confidence reflects task coverage, mapping and capability-evidence quality, and how much of the score rests on provisional inputs.

Task-level evidence

What is driving the score?

Occupation scores are built from the task mix—not a single prediction about a job title.

JVS 2.0.0-phase4b
TaskImportanceAI impactExposure
Check all layers of maps to ensure accuracy, identifying and marking errors and making corrections.High
80
Produce or update overlay maps to show information boundaries, water locations, or topographic features on various base maps or at different scales.High
80
Position and hold the vertical rods, or targets, that theodolite operators use for sighting to measure angles, distances, and elevations.High
78
Compare survey computations with applicable standards to determine adequacy of data.Medium
79
Operate and manage land-information computer systems, performing tasks such as storing data, making inquiries, and producing plots and reports.High
74
Determine scales, line sizes, or colors to be used for hard copies of computerized maps, using plotters.High
78
Compile information necessary to stake projects for construction, using engineering plans.High
78
Analyze aerial photographs to detect and interpret significant military, industrial, resource, or topographical data.Medium
67
Identify and compile database information to create requested maps.High
79
Design or develop information databases that include geographic or topographic data.High
78
Research and combine existing property information to describe property boundaries in relation to adjacent properties, taking into account parcel splits, combinations, or land boundary adjustments.Medium
77
Trace contours or topographic details to generate maps that denote specific land or property locations or geographic attributes.Medium
80
Compare topographical features or contour lines with images from aerial photographs, old maps, or other reference materials to verify the accuracy of their identification.Medium
77
Answer questions and provide information to the public or to staff members regarding assessment maps, surveys, boundaries, easements, property ownership, roads, zoning, or similar matters.Medium
67
Monitor mapping work or the updating of maps to ensure accuracy, inclusion of new or changed information, or compliance with rules and regulations.High
32
Most exposed

Where AI can do more

Routine, digitized, and highly repeatable tasks face the greatest pressure.

  1. Check all layers of maps to ensure accuracy, identifying and marking errors and making corrections.80
  2. Produce or update overlay maps to show information boundaries, water locations, or topographic features on various base maps or at different scales.80
  3. Trace contours or topographic details to generate maps that denote specific land or property locations or geographic attributes.80
  4. Compare survey computations with applicable standards to determine adequacy of data.79
Hardest to automate

Where people still matter

These tasks score lowest on automation feasibility—physical presence, judgement, accountability and real-world variability all resist end-to-end automation.

  1. Monitor mapping work or the updating of maps to ensure accuracy, inclusion of new or changed information, or compliance with rules and regulations.01
  2. Answer questions and provide information to the public or to staff members regarding assessment maps, surveys, boundaries, easements, property ownership, roads, zoning, or similar matters.02
  3. Analyze aerial photographs to detect and interpret significant military, industrial, resource, or topographical data.03
  4. Operate and manage land-information computer systems, performing tasks such as storing data, making inquiries, and producing plots and reports.04
  5. Determine scales, line sizes, or colors to be used for hard copies of computerized maps, using plotters.05
Where else this work leads

Related occupations

Occupations O*NET links to this one. Relatedness reflects shared work, not a claim that these roles are safer.

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Beyond AI capability

Adoption and labour-market outlook

Structural factors are kept separate from raw capability so you can see what actually resists automation. Adoption pressure and labour-market resilience are still provisional models—25% of this occupation’s replacement-risk weight rests on them.

Human dependency64
Physical dependency49
Adoption pressure64
Labour-market resilience57
Methodology & sources

O*NET 30.3 occupational data interpreted through the JobsVsAI capability, automation and structural-constraint models.

Confidence79/100
CalculatedAug 21, 2026
Read methodology →