{"id":59200,"date":"2026-05-29T14:30:48","date_gmt":"2026-05-29T11:30:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/shorts\/surveyor-who-is-this-in-simple-words-and-what-does-he-do\/"},"modified":"2026-05-29T14:30:48","modified_gmt":"2026-05-29T11:30:48","slug":"surveyor-who-is-this-in-simple-words-and-what-does-he-do","status":"publish","type":"shorts","link":"https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/en\/shorts\/surveyor-who-is-this-in-simple-words-and-what-does-he-do\/","title":{"rendered":"Surveyor: who is this in simple words and what does he do?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You open the list of specialties on the website of a mining university and come across \u201cmine surveying.\u201d It sounds solid, but what it is is unclear. Meanwhile, every mine and every quarry in Russia works only because there is a surveyor there. Without it, not a single miner will go underground. We looked into <a href=\"https:\/\/www.consultant.ru\/document\/cons_doc_LAW_491202\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">professional standard<\/a> and industry sources to figure out what a surveyor does, how much he earns, and how to become one.<\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Surveyor &#8211; what kind of profession is it?<\/h2>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A surveyor is a mining engineer who accurately measures the space underground and on the surface, and then transfers it all onto maps and plans. Simply put, he is an underground navigator: he makes sure that <a href=\"https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/chto-meshaet-otkryvat-novye-mestorozhdeniya\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">production<\/a> We went exactly according to the project, and not where we had to.<\/p>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What does a surveyor do?<\/h3>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We will explain through situations that can happen without his control. Here <a href=\"https:\/\/www.consultant.ru\/document\/cons_doc_LAW_491202\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">main tasks of a surveyor<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Filming of quarries and mines<\/strong> &#8211; record where exactly the workings are located. Without this data, it is impossible to understand whether the mining is proceeding correctly and whether the crew is moving away from the ore body.<\/li>\n\n\n<li><strong>Measurements of production volumes<\/strong> \u2014 calculate how much ore or coal was actually extracted in order to send this figure to official reporting, on the basis of which extraction taxes are calculated.<\/li>\n\n\n<li><strong>Setting direction of workings<\/strong> &#8211; transfer the project from the drawing underground. An error of one meter at the beginning of the tunnel turns into tens of meters of deviation at depth.<\/li>\n\n\n<li><strong>Rock movement control<\/strong> \u2014 monitor whether the roof of the mine is deformed. If the data is alarming, you need to convey the information to management.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-midnight-gradient-background has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-elements-079180994c358cf37bd373dd84b0bd4c wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>Read more about other professions in the industry:<\/em><\/strong><br\/>\u2014 <strong><em><a href=\"https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/kak-stat-geomehanikom-i-kuda-rasti-v-professii\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">How to become a geomechanic and where to grow in the profession<\/a><\/em><\/strong><br\/>\u2014 <strong><em><a href=\"https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/shorts\/professiya-geolog-chem-zanimaetsya\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Profession geologist: what he does, the essence of the work, career<\/a><\/em><\/strong><br\/>\u2014 <strong><em><a href=\"https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/ne-byvaet-zhenskih-i-muzhskih-professij\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Women in oil and gas: there are no male and female professions<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How does a surveyor differ from a surveyor?<\/h3>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Related professions: both are about precise measurements of space. The difference is where the specialist works. The surveyor is on the surface, and the surveyor takes measurements underground &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/geomekhanika-monitoring\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">into mines and workings<\/a>. It performs a separate engineering task with its own instruments and standards.<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A specialist has no longer had a tape measure or a theodolite in his hands. A modern mining surveyor uses laser instruments, GNSS satellite equipment, drones and specialized software.<\/p>\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt is difficult to imagine surveying in the future without unmanned technologies, and the fact that drones today significantly facilitate the work of surveyors and make it safer is an indisputable fact,\u201d &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/mining-media.ru\/ru\/article\/geoinformsys\/15628-markshejderiya-vysokogo-poleta\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">speaks<\/a> Vladimir Zimich, President of the Union of Surveyors of Russia.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ris.-1.webp\"><img data-dominant-color=\"6b6a64\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #6b6a64;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"671\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" alt=\"Rice. 1\" class=\"wp-image-58952 not-transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ris.-1-1024x671.webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ris.-1-1024x671.webp 1024w, https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ris.-1-300x197.webp 300w, https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ris.-1-150x98.webp 150w, https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ris.-1-768x504.webp 768w, https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ris.-1-600x393.webp 600w, https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ris.-1.webp 1092w\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A surveyor processes aerial photography data at a mining and processing plant. Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/mining-media.ru\/images\/2020\/01_2020\/014_2.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">&#8220;AZOTTECH&#8221;<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Surveyor&#8217;s salary<\/h2>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The main practical question is how much a surveyor earns. According to job aggregator GorodRabot.ru, the average salary of a surveyor in Russia in April 2026 is approx.<a href=\"https:\/\/russia.gorodrabot.ru\/salaries\/marksheyder\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> 127,775 rubles<\/a>, but the fork is wide. <\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On shift and in remote regions, the numbers look completely different: district surveyor <a href=\"https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/junior-mining-investment-russia\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">in geological exploration<\/a> in Krasnoyarsk <a href=\"https:\/\/russia.gorodrabot.ru\/salaries\/marksheyder\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">receives<\/a> from 250,000 rubles, in gold mining &#8211; up to 262,000 rubles.<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">More examples for comparison. A local geologist on shift with 1\u20133 years of experience earns<a href=\"https:\/\/hh.ru\/vacancy\/133604547\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> 200,000\u2013380,000 rubles<\/a>, surveyor &#8211;<a href=\"https:\/\/hh.ru\/vacancy\/133538273\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> from 310,000 rubles<\/a>. Simply put, the specialty of a surveyor today is stable demand and high pay.<\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Where to study to become a surveyor<\/h2>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Training to become a surveyor can be completed in two ways:<\/p>\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>College or technical school (SPO)<\/strong> in the direction of \u201cMine Surveying\u201d leads to working and technical positions. Graduates enter production faster.<\/li>\n\n\n<li><strong>University<\/strong> \u2014 specialty in \u201cMining\u201d, profile \u201cMine surveying\u201d. Next comes the position of mining engineer-surveyor.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are specialized education programs in <a href=\"https:\/\/misis.ru\/applicants\/admission\/baccalaureate-and-specialty\/faculties\/gorndelo\/marksheider\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">NUST MISIS<\/a> And <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rudn.ru\/education\/educational-programs\/7e07a91e-f0ed-11e9-80e1-00155d6c1c04\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">RUDN University<\/a>. Their graduates go to mining and oil and gas companies, as well as government agencies, including Rostechnadzor. A career, as a rule, begins with the position of a local surveyor and continues in the role of a leading specialist and chief surveyor of a field.<\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-midnight-gradient-background has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-elements-5dab64d84de519c488535c86460bcb98 wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>We wrote about how to get an education in order to get a good salary in the mining industry in the article \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/geo-obrazovanie\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Where to study to become a geologist: how to choose a university and not make a mistake<\/a>\u00bb<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is it worth becoming a surveyor: what do they say?<\/h2>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nikolay Mogilenskikh, chief surveyor of Russia\u2019s northernmost mainland oil field, <a href=\"https:\/\/e-plus.media\/people\/izuchaya-geometriyu-podzemnogo-mira-kto-takoj-markshejder\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">admits<\/a>, that he got into the profession by accident: \u201cI remember we also laughed with my comrades at the wonderful name of the specialty.\u201d He laughed and did it anyway, if only out of curiosity. And then I couldn\u2019t leave.<\/p>\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cEnterprises and design institutes now interact more actively with universities and begin to hire students while they are still studying,\u201d says Mogilenskikh, who now teaches at the Tyumen Industrial University and observes this from the inside.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The demand for surveyors is growing, but it\u2019s not just about money. Those who remain say that the profession constantly throws up something new.<\/p>\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt seems that quite recently we have mastered satellite navigation, and now more and more scanning devices and software systems are used in our professional activities,\u201d says Mogilenskikh.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ris.-2-1.webp\"><img data-dominant-color=\"666d6d\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #666d6d;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"681\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" alt=\"Rice. 2\" class=\"wp-image-58953 not-transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ris.-2-1.webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ris.-2-1.webp 1024w, https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ris.-2-1-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ris.-2-1-150x100.webp 150w, https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ris.-2-1-768x511.webp 768w, https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ris.-2-1-600x399.webp 600w\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Experts analyze a 3D model of the geological rock. Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/e-plus.media\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/sv_2021_04_23_0173-kopiya1500-ntcz-1024x681.webp\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Energy+<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Behind all these devices and software systems there are decisions on which the fate of a person depends.<\/p>\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe specialty requires making quick decisions, since the lives of all specialists working at this facility depend on it. There is a huge risk&#8230; But the interest and love for the business is stronger,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/eburg.mk.ru\/articles\/2017\/01\/26\/marksheyder-rasskazyvaet-ob-osobennostyakh-svoey-nelegkoy-professii.html\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">tells<\/a> surveyor Ali Nurlanov.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Are you working as a surveyor? Tell us in the comments how you got into the profession.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right has-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">Cover photo: Energy+<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You open the list of specialties on the website of a mining university and come across \u201cmine surveying.\u201d It sounds solid, but what it is is unclear. Meanwhile, every mine and every quarry in Russia works only because there is a surveyor there. Without it, not a single miner will go underground. We looked into professio<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":58955,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"Surveyor: who is this in simple words and what does he do?","_seopress_titles_desc":"In simple words, we explain who a surveyor is, what he does in mines and quarries, how much he earns and where to study for the profession.","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[399,331],"class_list":["post-59200","shorts","type-shorts","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","category-karera","tag-gornyj-inzhener","tag-razvitie-karery"],"acf":[],"pbg_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/marksheyder-gornyy-inzhener-semka-vyrabotok-kontrol-gornyh-rabot.webp",1600,640,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/marksheyder-gornyy-inzhener-semka-vyrabotok-kontrol-gornyh-rabot-150x60.webp",150,60,true],"medium":["https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/marksheyder-gornyy-inzhener-semka-vyrabotok-kontrol-gornyh-rabot-300x120.webp",300,120,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/marksheyder-gornyy-inzhener-semka-vyrabotok-kontrol-gornyh-rabot-768x307.webp",768,307,true],"large":["https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/marksheyder-gornyy-inzhener-semka-vyrabotok-kontrol-gornyh-rabot-1024x410.webp",1024,410,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/marksheyder-gornyy-inzhener-semka-vyrabotok-kontrol-gornyh-rabot-1536x614.webp",1536,614,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/marksheyder-gornyy-inzhener-semka-vyrabotok-kontrol-gornyh-rabot.webp",1600,640,false],"bricks_large_16x9":["https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/marksheyder-gornyy-inzhener-semka-vyrabotok-kontrol-gornyh-rabot-1200x640.webp",1200,640,true],"bricks_large":["https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/marksheyder-gornyy-inzhener-semka-vyrabotok-kontrol-gornyh-rabot-1200x480.webp",1200,480,true],"bricks_large_square":["https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/marksheyder-gornyy-inzhener-semka-vyrabotok-kontrol-gornyh-rabot-1200x640.webp",1200,640,true],"bricks_medium":["https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/marksheyder-gornyy-inzhener-semka-vyrabotok-kontrol-gornyh-rabot-600x240.webp",600,240,true],"bricks_medium_square":["https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/marksheyder-gornyy-inzhener-semka-vyrabotok-kontrol-gornyh-rabot-600x600.webp",600,600,true]},"pbg_author_info":{"display_name":"Yulia Frolova","author_link":"https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/en\/author\/giulia-nikolaevna\/","author_img":false},"pbg_comment_info":" No Comments","pbg_excerpt":"You open the list of specialties on the website of a mining university and come across \u201cmine surveying.\u201d It sounds solid, but what it is is unclear. Meanwhile, every mine and every quarry in Russia works only because there is a surveyor there. Without it, not a single miner will go underground. We looked into&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/shorts\/59200","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/shorts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/shorts"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=59200"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/shorts\/59200\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/58955"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=59200"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=59200"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/geoconversation.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=59200"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}