Project Surveyors and Construction Inspectors at work at MMSD

Surveying and Inspection Careers

Explore a Career in Project Surveying and Construction Inspection

Are you interested in ensuring accurate construction and helping keep our community safe? Project Surveyors and Contract Inspectors play a vital role in building and maintaining our wastewater infrastructure. These careers have a median pay of $30 per hour, including great benefits, and the opportunity to make a real difference creating reliable, safe infrastructure for our community. meaningful impact on preserving water for our community.

What We Do

Project Surveyors and Construction Inspectors at the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) are essential for the successful construction of our wastewater infrastructure. Project Surveyors conduct field surveys, collect data, and create detailed maps to guide sewer system installations. Contract Inspectors oversee construction sites, ensure top-quality materials and craftsmanship, enforce vital safety standards, and ensure every project meets regulations, keeping everything on track and up to code.

Why It Matters

Working in these roles means directly contributing to:

Ensuring accurate construction by collecting data and verifying that sewer systems are built to exact specifications.
Maintaining safety and quality on construction sites by ensuring that projects meet all standards and protecting workers and the community from potential hazards.
Providing reliable infrastructure that supports wastewater and flood management, ensuring safe and sustainable systems for our communities today and in the future.

Career Pathways for Project Surveyors and Construction Inspectors

Survey Technician

Construction Inspector

Survey Technician

Assist the Project Surveyor in providing, verifying, monitoring, recording, and compiling engineering field data.

Assist in the location and protection of MMSD facilities and the record-drawing data acquisition and boundary survey activities in accordance with MMSD policies and procedures.

View MMSD Job Openings

Key Foundational Competencies

Knowledge of and ability to apply survey skills
Apply OSHA-confined entry procedures
Operate survey equipment

Common Skills

Communication; written and oral
Read and interpret
Establish and maintain effective public and
working relations
Record drawings, specifications, and plans

Education and Training

Required: Associate degree in civil engineering or related program.

Work Experience

Minimum of 3 months of related experience

Median Salary

$30-$34 per hour; $61,838.40-$71,115.20 per year

Work Environment

Stand and walk for a long period of time
Use hands and fingers to handle or feel objects
Required to sit and climb or balance
Ability to reach with hands and arms
Ability to stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl
Ability to travel to construction sites as assigned
Lift and/or move up to 30 pounds regularly and lift and/or move up to 45 pounds frequently
Walk across uneven terrain
Specific Vision Abilities - close, distance, color, peripheral, depth, and ability to adjust focus
Outside weather exposure
Subject to USDOT drug and alcohol Tests

Special Skills, Competencies, and Licenses

Valid Drivers License
Ability to apply knowledge of OSHA confined entry procedures to safe completion of job duties.

Required Technologies

Computers and related software, Calculator, Telephone, Photocopier, Scanner, Microsoft Excel, Email, Word Processing

SURVEY TECHNICIAN PATHWAY

The pathway below represents a typical career pathway in the ever-changing water sector industry. The highlighted circle represents the occupation in the pathway. Click the image below to download it as a PDF.

Construction Inspector

The Construction Inspector is responsible for on-site oversight and monitoring of construction contracts to ensure compliance with contract documents and required quality levels.

Keep and maintain accurate records of construction progress and report activities to others in accordance with MMSD policies and procedures.

View MMSD Job Openings

Key Foundational Competencies

Construction inspection
Record keeping
Detail oriented
Surveying
Field testing
Compliance with safety standards
Civil engineering fundamentals, including
construction codes
Use of blueprints
Technical writing
Apply OSHA-confined entry procedures
Operate survey equipment

Common Skills

Communication: written and oral
Read and interpret
Establish and maintain effective public and
working relations
Record drawings, specifications, and plans

Work Environment

Stand and walk for long periods of time
Sit for a long period of time
Use hands and fingers to handle or feel objects
Reach with hands and arms
Stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl
Ability to travel to construction sites as
assigned
Lift and/or move up to 25 pounds regularly and lift and/or move up to 50 pounds occasionally
Walk across uneven terrain
Specific Vision Abilities - close, distance, color, peripheral, depth, and the ability to adjust focus
Outside weather exposure

Education and Training

Required: Associate degree in civil engineering or related program

Work Experience

2 TO 4 years of job-related experience

Median Salary

$31-$36 per hour
$65,650.80-$75,379.20 per year

Required Technologies

Field testing equipment; survey tools; computer and related software, calculator, telephone
Microsoft Suite

Special Skills, Competencies, and Licenses

Valid driver’s license.
Pass writing intake assessment test - watch a video and write a report on what was observed.
Ability to apply knowledge of OSHA confined entry procedures to safe completion of job duties.

CONSTRUCTION INSPECTOR PATHWAY

Local Training & Education Opportunities

Interested in a Water Career, but not sure where to start?

Get connected to the Water Career Navigator with Employ Milwaukee to find opportunities and next steps for YOU –
whether you’re starting in the workforce or looking for a career change!

Contact a Navigator

The career navigator will reach out to discuss career opportunities and programs.

Explore Career Opportunities & Make an Impact at MMSD

There are many jobs in the water sector that not only offer a rewarding career but also let you make a real difference in the environment.
Find open positions at MMSD and fill out the job interest card.

MMSD Job Openings