Western Region Survey Manager

OVERVIEW

Merrick & Company (Merrick) is seeking a Western Region Survey Manager for its Geomatics (GEO) business unit. Based at Merrick’s corporate headquarters in Greenwood Village, Colorado, this role leads Colorado-based survey operations and supports the broader Western Region. The team includes Professional Land Surveyors, Project Managers, Chief of Party, field survey crews, and CAD technicians. Primary markets include multi-discipline survey projects including, but not limited to, transmission-line construction, municipal utilities (including utility locates), federal and commercial boundary (cadastral) work, mobile scanning (e.g., Scan-to-BIM), sUAS surveys, and land development. The team also supports aerial mapping through ground control surveying. 

This is an opportunity to join a well-established survey department that has a reputation built on successful project execution for over 70 years.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

LEADERSHIP EXPECTATIONS

• Visible leadership: Work from the Greenwood Village office at least three days each week and maintain regular, direct engagement with office and field staff.
• Risk-based decisions: Be bold when evaluating opportunities, using considerations for profitability, staffing capacity, schedule, contractual exposure, safety, quality, and strategic value. Be willing to take on challenging projects and clearly recommend when to accept, mitigate, escalate, or decline risk.
• Business acumen: Make staffing, promotion, and compensation recommendations with an understanding of labor cost, billing rates, utilization, project budgets, and long-term team needs.
• Accountability: Set clear expectations, review performance consistently, address missed commitments promptly, and recognize strong performance.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• People and operations: Lead Colorado-based survey operations; establish expectations for office presence, utilization, project management, quality, and collaboration.
• Project oversight: Review active projects with Project Managers at least monthly, including budget, schedule, staffing, scope, quality, safety, client commitments, and material risks. Require timely recovery plans when performance is off target.
• Utilization: Maintain team utilization at or above the annual targets established by GEO leadership. Monitor results regularly and adjust staffing, assignments, or workload plans when targets are at risk.
• Financial management: Ensure project financial forecasts and revenue recognition reporting is updated monthly. Ensure invoice inputs, reviews, and approvals are completed by the established monthly billing deadline.
• Project delivery: Serve as Surveyor in Responsible Charge and/or Project Manager on selected projects while overseeing delivery by other Project Managers.
• Estimating and proposals: Support project teams with defensible scopes, staffing plans, schedules, and cost estimates. Participate in proposal writing, pricing, review of contract terms and conditions, and contract negotiations as needed.
• Quality and procedures: Maintain consistent operating procedures for Colorado survey work and ensure each applicable project has a documented, monitored Project Management Plan (PMP), quality assurance plan, and if contractually required, safety plan.
• Technology: Develop and maintain a technology roadmap that evaluates safety, quality, productivity, training, adoption cost, and return on investment for surveying tools and methods.
• Business development: Build and maintain relationships with clients, teaming partners, and influencers in the surveying, geospatial, and engineering communities. Prepare an annual sales and marketing plan for each priority submarket, including energy, transportation, water resources, and utilities.

FIRST 6–12 MONTH PRIORITIES

• Assess staffing, workload, project controls, operating procedures, technology use, and key delivery risks.
• Establish a consistent monthly project and financial review cadence.
• Confirm and communicate expectations for office presence, utilization, project management, quality, and individual accountability.
• Prepare annual business development plans for priority submarkets and identify near-term client and teaming opportunities.

MEASURES OF SUCCESS

• Projects are reviewed monthly, and material budget, schedule, quality, staffing, and client risks have documented owners and recovery actions.
• Forecasts, revenue recognition, and billing approvals are completed by established deadlines.
• Team utilization meets annual targets, with corrective actions implemented when performance is below plan.
• Quality assurance plans and operating procedures are consistently applied to applicable projects.
• Annual submarket plans identify target clients, opportunities, responsible leaders, and planned actions.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Active Colorado Professional Land Surveyor license.
• At least ten years of experience in diverse surveying environments, including at least five 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 in integrating sUAS technology into survey processes.
• Experience leading remote employees and contract personnel.
• Capable and willingness for travel when necessary.
• Must be eligible to work in the United States without sponsorship.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Professional Land Surveyor license in one or more of the following states: Nebraska, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Missouri, California, Kansas, New Mexico, Nevada, or Arizona.
• FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate. The manager is not expected to perform routine sUAS collections but 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.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Apply online only. No e-mail, hard copy or third-party resumes accepted.
• At Merrick, every resume is carefully reviewed by our team of experienced human recruiters—never by AI. We are committed to a fully human-centered hiring process, ensuring each candidate receives thoughtful, personalized attention at every stage.
• Merrick & Company offers a competitive compensation and benefits package which includes health insurance, dental and vision coverage, 401(k), and paid time off (PTO).
• Merrick is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/vets.
• Employment with Merrick is contingent upon completion of a pre-employment background check, MVR check, and drug screen.