Trainee Hydrographic Surveyor

There is a great and growing demand for hydrographic surveyors in the United States. The majority of the demand is by energy firms that specialize in energy exploration. As a trainee hydrographic surveyor there are a number of skills you will need in addition to your degree in surveying. The thing you need to keep in mind is that unlike probably all types of surveying this is the most physically taxing and difficult, it can also be life threatening in certain cases.

The job of a trainee hydrographic surveyor

The job of a trainee will be to start off with assisting the chief hydrographic surveyor. This is easier said than done because 80% of the work needs to be done underwater in the sea, lakes or warm water canals. With bubbles rising all around you this can be the most difficult of surveying jobs in the world. As a trainee you will be expected to learn about underwater features as well as familiar objects. If working for an energy company, you will be responsible for surveying undersea for oil and gas. If you are working for a treasure hunting company you will help with locating sunken ship wreaks and also track erosion.

In order to become a successful hydrographic surveyor you will need the following skills:

• You should know how to dive
• You should not be hydrophobic
• You should be able to use instruments under water
• You should also have a natural flair for exploration

Trainee hydrographic surveyor and the latest software

The latest software is meant to make the job of a hydrographic surveyor easier and much more accurate. Software helps a surveyor to achieve a number of feats which would have been impossible just a few years ago without this software. One of the most common of uses is with sonar technology which helps to determine the depth below water as well as major features underneath amazingly unlike a few decades ago this is achieved without a dive. The measurements are 100% precise so there is no margin of error here to play with; this is why almost all trainee hydrographic surveyors need to know the ins and outs of the most common software.

Using equipment as a trainee hydrographic surveyor

The equipment used by a hydrographic surveyor can cost several thousand dollars and so learning how to use it correctly is imperative. In the beginning a trainee may not be allowed to touch the equipment prior to getting a run down by the chief surveyor or without his supervision, the reason being that the slightest tweak to the software without reason or proper calibration can result in false readings which can throw off the entire project. In addition it can also ruin the equipment which is hooked up to the computer.

A trainee hydrographic surveyor can be a very rewarding job provided that you can get through your first year on the job. The majority of trainees are offered comparatively better financial packages which later translate into excellent financial incentives once they are fully fledged surveyors.