Senior Laser Scan Technician

NV5•Los Angeles, CA

9h•Remote

About The Position

The Senior Scan Technician is the technical lead for the scanning team and the highest level of field and point cloud expertise within the practice. This role leads day-to-day scanning operations, ensures quality of field capture and registration, and provides direction to junior scan technicians. The Sr. Scan Technician functions as team lead for the scanning team, owns equipment management, and serves as the primary escalation point for technical scanning decisions on active projects.

Requirements

Minimum 4 years of laser scanning field experience, including TLS and SLAM operations across varied building types and environments.
FAA Part 107 certification required
Demonstrated experience with survey control integration and accuracy validation.
Proficiency in point cloud processing tools (e.g., Leica Cyclone, Trimble RealWorks, Autodesk ReCap, or equivalent).
Working knowledge of Revit and AutoCAD sufficient to understand and support modeling team requirements.

Nice To Haves

minimum 200 hours of flight time strongly preferred.
Experience with photogrammetric processing tools (e.g., Pix4D, Metashape) preferred.
Secondary skills in Revit-based BIM modeling (Architectural or MEP) a significant hiring preference when all else is equal.

Responsibilities

Provide day-to-day direction and technical guidance to Scan Technician I and II staff.
Support onboarding of new scanning team members; build their technical skills and field readiness.
Identify capability gaps on the scanning team; surface development needs to the Practice Lead.
Coordinate directly with client site contacts on access requirements, scheduling, safety protocols, and on-site logistics before and during scanning operations.
Represent NV5 professionally on all client sites; maintain clear, proactive communication with building managers, facilities staff, and client project contacts throughout field operations.
Manage and maintain all laser scanning hardware and software — calibration, updates, storage, and field readiness.
Track equipment condition; escalate repair or replacement needs to the Practice Lead.
Stay current on scanning technology, software updates, and emerging field methodologies; bring recommendations to the Practice Lead.
Contribute to or review SOPs and field procedures for scanning operations.
Provide technical input to Project Leads and Practice Lead on scanning feasibility, approach, and estimation.
Plan all aspects of scanning operations: site assessment, equipment selection, scan setup strategy, crew coordination, and schedule.
Lead and direct scanning crews in the field; set expectations for data quality, site safety, and site conduct.
Operate TLS (terrestrial laser scanning) and SLAM devices in complex environments including exterior, interior, above-ceiling, and confined spaces.
Integrate survey control into scanning workflows; ensure positional accuracy requirements are met for each project.
Perform and direct drone operations including flight planning, data capture, and photogrammetric processing where applicable — FAA Part 107 certification required.
Perform and oversee scan registration, point cloud assembly, segmentation, cleanup, and file output.
Conduct quality control checks on scan data and registration results before handoff to modeling teams.
Ensure point cloud deliverables meet project-specified accuracy, density, and formatting requirements.
Troubleshoot registration issues and make technical decisions on scan re-acquisition when data does not meet standards.
Coordinate directly with modeling team leads on scan-to-BIM handoffs; ensure data is structured and documented to support modeling efficiency.
Participate in project kickoffs to align on scan scope, coverage requirements, and intended downstream use of deliverables.