Survey Manager

Merrick & Company•Greenwood Village, CO

About The Position

Merrick & Company is seeking a Western Region Survey Manager for its Geomatics business unit. Based at the corporate headquarters in Greenwood Village, Colorado, the manager leads Colorado-based survey operations and supports the broader Western Region. The team includes Professional Land Surveyors, Project Managers, a Chief of Party, field survey crews, and CAD technicians. Its markets include transmission-line construction, municipal utilities and utility locates, federal and commercial boundary work, mobile scanning, sUAS surveys, land development, and ground control surveying for aerial mapping. The position combines team leadership, project delivery and oversight, operational and financial management, quality assurance, technology planning, and business development. The manager works from the Greenwood Village office at least three days per week and maintains regular direct engagement with office and field staff. They lead Colorado operations, review projects and financial performance, oversee utilization and billing processes, and serve as Surveyor in Responsible Charge and/or Project Manager on selected projects. During the first 6–12 months, the manager will assess staffing, workload, project controls, procedures, technology, and delivery risks; establish monthly project and financial reviews; communicate expectations; and prepare business development plans for priority submarkets. Success includes timely project and financial reviews, meeting utilization targets, consistent application of quality plans and procedures, and actionable annual submarket plans.

Requirements

Active Colorado Professional Land Surveyor license.
At least 10 years of experience in diverse surveying environments.
At least 5 years leading technical production and administrative controls.
Experience establishing ground control for aerial mapping projects.
Experience incorporating mobile lidar, terrestrial lidar, and aerial lidar into survey workflows and deliverables.
Demonstrated success integrating sUAS technology into survey processes.
Experience leading remote employees and contract personnel.
Ability and willingness to travel when necessary.
Must be eligible to work in the United States without sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

Professional Land Surveyor license in one or more of Nebraska, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Missouri, California, Kansas, New Mexico, Nevada, or Arizona.
FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate. Routine sUAS collections are not expected, but the manager will oversee the team’s use of sUAS technology.
Established relationships with relevant professional societies, conferences, economic development organizations, clients, or teaming partners that can support Merrick’s market presence.

Responsibilities

Lead Colorado-based survey operations and support the broader Western Region, setting expectations for office presence, utilization, project management, quality, and collaboration.
Maintain visible leadership through work at the Greenwood Village office at least three days each week and regular direct engagement with office and field staff.
Review active projects with Project Managers at least monthly, covering budget, schedule, staffing, scope, quality, safety, client commitments, and material risks; require recovery plans when projects are off target.
Monitor team utilization against annual targets established by GEO leadership and adjust staffing, assignments, or workload plans when targets are at risk.
Ensure project financial forecasts and revenue recognition reporting are updated monthly, and that invoice inputs, reviews, and approvals meet monthly billing deadlines.
Serve as Surveyor in Responsible Charge and/or Project Manager on selected projects while overseeing delivery by other Project Managers.
Support project teams with defensible scopes, staffing plans, schedules, and cost estimates; participate in proposal writing, pricing, contract review, and negotiations as needed.
Maintain consistent operating procedures for Colorado survey work and ensure applicable projects have documented and monitored Project Management Plans and quality assurance plans, as well as safety plans when contractually required.
Develop and maintain a technology roadmap evaluating safety, quality, productivity, training, adoption cost, and return on investment for surveying tools and methods.
Build and maintain relationships with clients, teaming partners, and influencers in the surveying, geospatial, and engineering communities.
Prepare annual sales and marketing plans for each priority submarket, including energy, transportation, water resources, and utilities.
Assess staffing, workload, project controls, operating procedures, technology use, and key delivery risks during the first 6–12 months.
Establish a consistent monthly project and financial review cadence and communicate expectations for office presence, utilization, project management, quality, and accountability.
Identify near-term client and teaming opportunities and prepare annual business development plans for priority submarkets.
Make risk-based decisions considering profitability, staffing capacity, schedule, contractual exposure, safety, quality, and strategic value.
Make staffing, promotion, and compensation recommendations with consideration of labor costs, billing rates, utilization, project budgets, and long-term team needs.