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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Underground Inspector Supervisor

💰 $ - $

ConstructionUtilitiesInspectionSupervision

🎯 Role Definition

The Underground Inspector Supervisor is a hands-on supervisory role that leads and coordinates field inspection teams responsible for the condition assessment, acceptance testing, and regulatory compliance of underground utilities and pipelines. This position combines technical inspection expertise (CCTV, NDT, manhole inspection), field safety leadership (confined space entry, trench safety), contract and stakeholder coordination, and data-driven reporting for asset management and lifecycle planning. The ideal candidate ensures inspections are executed to standard, defects are accurately documented, corrective actions are tracked, and city/utility specifications and permit requirements are strictly followed.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Senior Underground Inspector / CCTV Technician
  • Field Inspector (utilities, sewer, stormwater)
  • Construction/Utilities Foreman with inspection responsibilities

Advancement To:

  • Inspection Manager / Utilities Inspection Program Manager
  • Asset Management Supervisor / Underground Programs Manager
  • Director of Field Operations (Utilities & Underground Infrastructure)

Lateral Moves:

  • Construction Quality Assurance Supervisor
  • Trenchless Rehabilitation Supervisor
  • Permit and Compliance Coordinator

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Lead and supervise multi-disciplinary field inspection crews conducting CCTV pipeline inspections, smoke testing, pressure/leak testing, and manhole inspections across sewer, stormwater, potable water, and telecom conduits, ensuring work meets municipal, state, and industry standards.
  • Develop, assign, and monitor daily work schedules and inspection routes for teams, optimizing resource allocation to maximize coverage, minimize down-time, and meet project milestones for underground infrastructure inspection programs.
  • Provide technical oversight and hands-on review of CCTV footage, defect coding (e.g., NASSCO PACP/LACP), and condition assessment reports to ensure accurate defect identification, severity grading, and recommended remediation actions for asset management systems.
  • Enforce strict confined space and excavation entry procedures on site, serve as the competent person for trenching/shoring activities when applicable, and ensure all lockout/tagout, atmospheric monitoring, and PPE requirements are followed to maintain zero-incident safety performance.
  • Coordinate with permit authorities, utility owners, traffic control teams, and stakeholders to secure necessary permits, lane closures, access agreements, and utility locates prior to inspection or excavation operations to reduce project delays and liabilities.
  • Prepare, review, and approve formal inspection deliverables including inspection reports, photographic and video evidence, as-built annotation, GPS-tagged defect points, and final acceptance documentation aligned to client contract and regulatory requirements.
  • Conduct field acceptance testing and final inspections for new underground installations and rehabilitated sections, verifying workmanship, installation tolerances, material specifications, and compliance with contract drawings and municipal standards.
  • Oversee contractor performance and subcontractor inspection teams, conducting periodic quality assurance audits, site walkthroughs, and corrective action follow-ups to ensure contract compliance and continuous improvement of field inspection quality.
  • Use and administer inspection and asset management software (e.g., PACP/LACP/MACP databases, CMMS, GIS platforms) to input inspection data, generate dashboards and summary metrics, and drive data-driven decisions for maintenance and capital planning.
  • Lead incident and non-conformance investigations related to underground works (e.g., utility strikes, confined space events, contractor defects), prepare root cause analyses, recommend corrective actions, and document lessons learned to prevent recurrence.
  • Train, mentor, and certify inspection staff in CCTV operation, condition assessment protocols, safety procedures, and defect coding standards to raise team competency and ensure consistent, defensible inspection outcomes.
  • Manage field QA/QC processes including daily field checklists, calibration of inspection equipment (cameras, sondes, gas monitors), and verification of data integrity before finalizing inspection reports.
  • Communicate inspection findings and technical recommendations to project managers, engineers, municipal clients, and stakeholders through clear written reports and presentations, translating technical defects into prioritized remediation tasks and cost implications.
  • Maintain up-to-date knowledge of applicable codes, standards, and best practices (e.g., OSHA, MSHA where relevant, NASSCO, ASTM), incorporate regulatory changes into inspection procedures, and update standard operating procedures accordingly.
  • Coordinate emergency response inspection support for urgent underground failures, sinkholes, or service interruptions, mobilizing teams rapidly to assess risk, stabilize sites, and provide immediate technical guidance to restoration crews.
  • Monitor and control inspection program budgets and procurement for field supplies, equipment maintenance, rental CCTV units, and subcontractor services, providing input to capital planning and vendor selection where needed.

Secondary Functions

  • Collaborate with GIS and asset management teams to ensure inspection findings are accurately geolocated, layered into municipal asset inventories, and used to prioritize rehabilitation and replacement projects.
  • Support development and continuous improvement of inspection templates, coding dictionaries, and automated reporting templates to streamline delivery and increase consistency across multiple projects.
  • Participate in pre-construction and design-review meetings to advise on maintainability, inspection accessibility, and acceptance criteria for new underground utility installations.
  • Maintain inventory and lifecycle plans for inspection tools and specialized equipment (CCTV trucks, lateral launchers, sondes), coordinate preventive maintenance, and recommend equipment upgrades based on field performance and technological advances.
  • Assist procurement and contract teams in preparing scopes of work, technical specifications, and performance metrics for inspection services and rehabilitation contracts.
  • Foster strong stakeholder relationships with municipal agencies, utility owners, contractors, and residents; represent the inspection program in public meetings and resolve service-impact issues with sensitivity to community concerns.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Proficient in CCTV pipeline inspection techniques and defect coding standards (NASSCO PACP/LACP/MACP) with demonstrated ability to interpret video and generate defensible condition assessments.
  • Strong knowledge of underground utilities: sewer, stormwater, potable water, gas, and telecommunications installation and common failure modes.
  • Confined space entry competent person and trenching/shoring awareness; familiarity with atmospheric monitoring, ventilation methods, and respiratory protection programs.
  • Experience with lateral and mainline camera systems, sondes, winches, crawler units, and remote CCTV data capture hardware; equipment troubleshooting and basic repair skills.
  • Capable of using GIS, asset management systems (CMMS), and inspection databases to geolocate defects, update asset condition, and produce management-level reports.
  • Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, as-builts, schematics, and specifications to verify installation compliance and acceptance criteria.
  • Skilled in QA/QC processes for field inspections, including calibration of instruments, chain-of-custody for media, and validation of inspection metadata.
  • Knowledgeable about municipal and state permitting processes, utility locate procedures, and contractual acceptance testing requirements.
  • Strong report-writing skills including compiling photographic/video evidence, writing technical findings, recommendations, and estimated scopes for remediation.
  • Competent in Microsoft Office suite (Excel for data summaries, Word for reports, PowerPoint for presentations) and familiar with digital forms and mobile data collection tools.

Soft Skills

  • Proven leadership and team management skills, including training, performance feedback, and crew scheduling in fast-moving field environments.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills to convey technical information to non-technical stakeholders and to prepare executive summaries for municipal clients.
  • Strong problem-solving and decision-making ability in high-pressure situations (e.g., utility outages, safety incidents), with a practical, solution-oriented approach.
  • Meticulous attention to detail and a high standard for documentation accuracy to support compliance, permitting, and legal defensibility.
  • Effective stakeholder management and customer service orientation when coordinating access, addressing community concerns, and working with utility owners.
  • Time management and organizational skills to balance multiple inspection projects, documentation deadlines, and emergent response assignments.
  • Conflict resolution and contractor management skills to enforce contractual obligations while maintaining productive working relationships.
  • Adaptability and continuous learning mindset to adopt new inspection technologies, standards, and data-driven asset management practices.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or GED with relevant technical certifications (Confined Space, NASSCO PACP/LACP fundamentals, OSHA 10/30).

Preferred Education:

  • Associate degree or Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, Environmental Engineering, Geomatics, or related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Civil Engineering
  • Construction Management
  • Environmental/Water Resources Engineering
  • Geomatics / GIS
  • Urban Infrastructure / Utility Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 5–10 years of progressively responsible experience in underground utility inspection, construction inspection, or pipeline condition assessment.

Preferred:

  • 7+ years of hands-on inspection experience including supervisory responsibility, demonstrated expertise in CCTV condition assessment (NASSCO-accredited preferred), confined space leadership, and experience interfacing with municipal clients or utility owners.
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