Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Geodesist

🎯 Role Definition

We are seeking a highly skilled Geodesist to design, implement, and maintain geodetic control systems and analysis workflows for engineering, scientific, and operational programs. The ideal candidate combines deep theoretical knowledge of geodesy (reference frames, datums, geoid modelling, gravity) with hands-on experience in GNSS processing, precision levelling, deformation monitoring, and geospatial data integration. This role requires strong programming and data-processing skills to automate workflows, validate high-accuracy geospatial products, and deliver clear technical reports to internal stakeholders and external partners. Keywords: geodesist, geodesy, GNSS, datum transformation, geoid modelling, deformation monitoring, geospatial.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Survey Technician / Field Surveyor with GNSS experience
GIS/Geomatics Analyst or Remote Sensing Technician
Graduate in Geodesy, Geomatics, Civil Engineering, Geophysics

Advancement To:

Senior Geodesist / Lead Geodesist
Principal Geodetic Scientist or Geomatics Manager
Technical Director — Geospatial Infrastructure

Lateral Moves:

Geospatial Data Scientist / GIS Product Manager
Remote Sensing / InSAR Specialist
Survey Project Manager / Construction Survey Lead

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Design, establish, and maintain national or regional geodetic reference frameworks and control networks, including horizontal and vertical control, to support surveying, mapping, and engineering projects; plan campaign schedules, coordinate field logistics, and ensure traceability to ITRF, IGS, or local datums.
Process raw GNSS observations (static, kinematic, RTK, PPP) using industry-standard software (e.g., Bernese, GAMIT/GLOBK, GIPSY-OASIS, RTKLIB), apply precise satellite orbits and clock products, and generate epoch-wise station coordinates with full covariance and metadata for downstream use.
Develop, calibrate, and validate high-precision geoid and quasi-geoid models using gravimetric, leveling, GNSS/levelling, and satellite gravity data; compute orthometric heights and provide uncertainty estimates and transformation parameters to users.
Plan and execute deformation and crustal motion monitoring programs using continuous GNSS networks, campaign-style observations, and integration with InSAR and leveling datasets; perform time-series analysis, velocity field estimation, and identify transient events.
Lead gravity survey campaigns (absolute and relative) and integrate gravity data with topography and satellite gravity missions (e.g., GRACE, GOCE) to improve local geoid solutions and support geophysical interpretations.
Implement rigorous least-squares adjustment methods for network adjustments (e.g., Helmert, rigorous geodetic adjustments) including stochastic modelling, datum realization, and assessment of correlations and residuals to ensure network consistency and quality control.
Configure, operate, and maintain continuously operating reference station (CORS) infrastructure and real-time GNSS services (RTK/Network RTK/CORS), ensuring uptime, data integrity, receiver firmware management, and adherence to service level agreements.
Perform datum transformations, coordinate reference system conversions, and provide guidance on EPSG codes, projection selection, and best practices for vertical datum unification and multi-datum interoperability.
Integrate LiDAR, photogrammetry, bathymetry, and sonar-derived datasets with geodetic control to produce georeferenced orthophotos, DEMs/DTMs, and point clouds with centimeter-to-submeter accuracy, including quality assessment and metadata generation.
Validate satellite-based remote sensing products (e.g., altimetry, InSAR deformation maps) against ground-truth geodetic measurements and provide correction models or bias estimates for operational services.
Develop and maintain automated GNSS processing pipelines, QA/QC routines, and reproducible workflows using scripting languages (Python, MATLAB, Bash) and containerization or workflow managers for scalable cloud or HPC execution.
Author technical reports, scientific publications, and operational documentation that clearly communicate geodetic methodologies, uncertainty budgets, transformation parameters, and recommendations to engineers, scientists, and decision-makers.
Collaborate with multi-disciplinary teams (civil engineering, oceanography, seismology, GIS) to translate geodetic requirements into project specifications, deliverables, and acceptance criteria while balancing cost, schedule, and precision needs.
Provide expert input on survey specifications, tender documents, and procurement of geodetic instrumentation (GNSS receivers, antennas, gravimeters, total stations) to ensure compliance with accuracy and traceability requirements.
Perform network and station metadata management, maintain RINEX archives, implement standardized file naming and retention policies, and ensure data stewardship consistent with national/international geodetic data standards.
Carry out instrument calibration, antenna phase-center variation (PCV) characterization, and multipath assessment; apply receiver and antenna models to mitigate systematic errors in coordinate solutions.
Design and implement quality assurance frameworks including uncertainty propagation, error budgets, internal and external validation, competency matrices, and continuous improvement processes for geodetic deliverables.
Provide technical leadership for emergency surveying and geodetic support during natural hazards (e.g., earthquakes, landslides, floods), rapidly deploying field teams and integrating GNSS/InSAR data to inform response efforts.
Supervise and mentor junior geodesists, survey technicians, and interns; develop training materials and run hands-on workshops covering GNSS processing, datum transformations, and geodetic best practices.
Manage project budgets, schedule milestones, and vendor relationships for geodetic projects; prepare cost estimates, track expenditures, and ensure deliverables meet contractual and regulatory obligations.
Ensure compliance with national and international standards (IAG, IGS, ISO) and legal metadata requirements for geospatial and geodetic data; participate in standards committees and working groups when required.
Perform sensitivity and error propagation studies to quantify the impact of measurement design choices (baseline geometry, session length, observation strategy) on final coordinate and height accuracy.
Customize and extend open-source geodetic libraries and tools (PROJ, GDAL, PyProj) or develop in-house modules for specialized tasks such as datum realization, time-series analysis, or multi-sensor fusion.
Engage with stakeholders and external partners (universities, national mapping agencies, research consortia) to coordinate baseline re-observations, share data, and harmonize reference frames across jurisdictions.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis.
Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap.
Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements.
Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering team.
Assist in developing public-facing geodetic web services and APIs for coordinate conversion, datum transformation, and metadata search.
Maintain training records, safety procedures, and field deployment checklists for surveying operations.
Monitor and evaluate new geodetic technologies and vendors to improve efficiency and data quality.
Provide peer review for geodetic deliverables and cross-check external survey submissions for conformity with project standards.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Expert GNSS processing and modeling (static, kinematic, RTK, PPP) using tools such as Bernese, GAMIT/GLOBK, GIPSY-OASIS, RTKLIB, or equivalent.
Deep understanding of reference frames (ITRF, IGS), datum transformations, coordinate reference systems (CRS/EPSG) and vertical datums.
Geoid and gravity field modelling experience, including gravimetric data processing, geoid/quasi-geoid computation, and orthometric height determination.
Network adjustment and least-squares estimation techniques; stochastic modeling and propagation of uncertainties.
Proficiency in scripting and automation (Python, MATLAB, R, Bash) and experience with libraries like pyproj, pandas, numpy, and GDAL/OGR.
Practical experience with CORS/RTK network deployment, monitoring, real-time data streams, and receiver/antenna hardware management.
Familiarity with remote sensing integration (InSAR, LiDAR, photogrammetry) and geospatial data formats (RINEX, LAS/LAZ, GeoTIFF).
GIS competence (ArcGIS, QGIS), spatial databases (PostGIS), and ability to create geoprocessing workflows and metadata documentation.
Experience with precise time and tidal corrections, atmospheric modelling (troposphere, ionosphere), and application of precise orbit/clock products.
Ability to use version control and collaborative tools (Git, CI/CD, Docker) to maintain reproducible processing pipelines and documentation.
Knowledge of industry-standard surveying instruments (Trimble, Leica, Topcon) and gravimeters for field operations and instrument calibration.
Strong statistical analysis skills for time-series processing, trend detection, and hypothesis testing relevant to deformation monitoring.

Soft Skills

Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to produce clear technical reports and present complex geodetic results to non-specialists.
Strong analytical thinking and problem-solving skills, with attention to detail and commitment to data quality and traceability.
Project management and organizational skills: able to balance multiple projects, timelines, and stakeholder priorities.
Collaborative mindset: proven ability to work cross-functionally with surveyors, engineers, scientists, and IT teams.
Mentorship and leadership: experience training junior staff and leading field crews during complex deployments.
Adaptability and continuous learning orientation to stay current with evolving geodetic techniques and technologies.
Customer service focus: translate technical constraints into practical recommendations for clients and stakeholders.
Cultural sensitivity and diplomacy when coordinating multi-jurisdictional reference frame activities.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Geodesy, Geomatics, Surveying, Geospatial Engineering, Civil Engineering with emphasis in surveying, or Geophysics.

Preferred Education:

Master’s or PhD in Geodesy, Geomatics, Geophysics, or related discipline with specialization in reference frames, gravity, or GNSS time-series analysis.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Geodesy / Geomatics / Surveying
Geophysics / Earth Sciences
Civil Engineering (Surveying specialization)
Remote Sensing / Spatial Information Science

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 3–8 years of professional experience in geodesy, surveying, or geomatics; 5+ years preferred for senior or lead roles.

Preferred:

Demonstrated experience delivering geodetic solutions for national mapping, infrastructure monitoring, or scientific research.
Track record of implementing GNSS processing pipelines, maintaining CORS networks, and producing peer-reviewed reports or publications.
Experience working with national or international geodetic organizations (IGS, IAG) and applying best practices for data stewardship and standardization.