Surveyor

About Fika

Fika exists to innovate cost-effective rural infrastructural solutions through advocacy, evidence and technical assistance to promote safe access for geographically isolated communities through partnership with governments and donors.

We provide flexible work arrangements, comprehensive mental and physical wellness support, and annual salary reviews aligned with our compensation policy. Additionally, we offer opportunities for professional growth, allowing individuals to shape their own career paths through targeted development programs.

Job Purpose

Fika works with governments and local delivery partners to expand safe rural access through bridge infrastructure, technical assistance, capacity strengthening, and locally led delivery systems. The Surveyor is responsible for producing, managing, and quality-assuring the survey information required for site screening, engineering design, procurement, construction, quality control, and as-built documentation across the Fika Zambia bridge portfolio.

The role is the primary field resource for topographic and construction surveying in the Zambia Program. It supports Fika's government- and private-sector-led delivery model by ensuring that prospective and active bridge sites are surveyed accurately and consistently, that reliable survey controls are maintained throughout construction, and that local partners strengthen their ability to undertake and review rural bridge surveys.

The Surveyor reports administratively to the Zambia Program Manager and works under the technical direction of the Senior Design Engineer and wider Engineering Team. The Surveyor provides technical observations and recommendations within the scope of surveying; final site approval, engineering design decisions, and approval of design changes remain with the responsible engineering authority.

Duties and Responsibilities

Site assessment and survey planning

• Work with the Zambia Program Manager, Engineering Team, and relevant project staff to plan and prioritize survey activities for prospective and active bridge sites.
• Review available site information, bridge requests, maps, aerial imagery, Fika Collect records, and previous field observations before deployment.
• Participate in preliminary technical site assessments and advise on the survey scope, required control, access constraints, and practical bridge alignment options for engineering review.
• Establish and document durable benchmarks and horizontal and vertical control points using appropriate coordinate systems and datums.
• Undertake detailed topographic surveys of bridge crossing sites, including bridge centerline options, river channel and bank geometry, approach profiles, cross-sections, nearby structures, utilities, access constraints, and other features relevant to design.
• Survey and document visible high-water marks, flood evidence, channel geometry, and other field information required to support engineering and hydraulic assessment.

Survey data processing, quality assurance, and records

• Download, back up, process, organize, and quality-check raw survey data from total stations, GNSS/GPS equipment, levels, and approved digital data-collection tools.
• Prepare complete survey packages for engineering review, including coordinate lists, benchmarks, longitudinal profiles, cross-sections, topographic drawings, photographs, field notes, and other required supporting information.
• Check field data for accuracy, completeness, closure, consistency, and suitability for design before submission to the Engineering Team.
• Support technical review and quality assurance of survey outputs produced by councils, consultants, contractors, or other local partners, and clearly flag gaps or discrepancies for correction.
• Maintain accurate site survey files, version-controlled records, coordinates, drawings, instrument logs, and supporting documentation from feasibility through as-built verification.
• Maintain and update relevant geospatial and site-status information in Fika Collect and other approved program data repositories, in coordination with the responsible data and program teams.

Construction setting-out and verification

• Establish, transfer, and protect site control points and benchmarks required for construction.
• Set out bridge centerlines, foundations, abutments, towers or anchorage locations, approach works, and other survey-dependent elements in accordance with approved drawings and instructions from the responsible engineer.
• Check line, level, position, and dimensions at agreed construction hold points and provide timely survey records to the responsible technical lead.
• Verify survey stations and construction control used by contractors or local partners and identify inconsistencies before they affect construction quality.
• Conduct as-built surveys and prepare as-built survey records for completed works.
• Immediately report material deviations from approved drawings or survey controls to the responsible engineer and Zambia Program Manager. The Surveyor shall not independently approve design changes.

Capacity building and stakeholder support

• Support practical training and field coaching for local government engineers, council technical staff, private-sector surveyors and contractors, and Fika staff on rural bridge surveying methods and data-quality requirements.
• Support the Zambia TA Engineer and Engineering Team in preparing survey-related training materials, field checklists, standard operating practices, and demonstration exercises.
• Provide technical support during joint field activities with government and private-sector partners while maintaining clear roles, responsibilities, and quality-assurance boundaries.
• Participate in relevant technical and stakeholder meetings when requested by program leadership and communicate survey findings clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.

Equipment, field operations, and compliance

• Maintain, calibrate, test, and securely manage survey instruments, accessories, and data-storage equipment, with clear equipment and calibration records.
• Plan field survey requirements in advance, including equipment, batteries, control points, transport, field documentation, and data-backup arrangements.
• Carry out survey work in accordance with Fika quality, safety, safeguarding, security, and environmental procedures and any applicable partner or site requirements.
• Provide regular updates on survey progress, completed sites, data quality, field constraints, equipment status, and issues requiring management or engineering decisions.

Qualifications and experience

• Diploma or bachelor's degree in Land Surveying, Geomatics, Geospatial Engineering, Civil Engineering with strong surveying specialization, or a closely related field. A bachelor's degree in Surveying/Geomatics is preferred.
• Minimum five years of relevant surveying experience, preferably on bridges, roads, river crossings, or other civil infrastructure projects. Experience in remote rural environments is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated competence in topographic surveying, construction setting-out, control surveys, leveling, cross-sections, longitudinal profiles, and as-built surveys.
• Strong practical proficiency with total stations, GNSS/RTK or differential GPS, automatic or digital levels, and field data collectors.
• Proficiency in AutoCAD; experience with Civil 3D or equivalent survey-processing software is an advantage.
• Working knowledge of GIS software such as QGIS or ArcGIS, coordinate systems, georeferencing, and digital/mobile data-collection tools is highly desirable.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Word, including structured management of survey data and field records.
• Experience reviewing or quality-assuring survey work undertaken by consultants, contractors, or government technical teams is an advantage.
• Experience training or coaching technical staff and working with government institutions, local authorities, and private-sector partners is desirable.
• Membership or eligibility for registration with an appropriate professional body in Zambia is an advantage.

Core competencies

• High attention to accuracy, data integrity, and technical detail.
• Sound field judgment and ability to identify and escalate technical risks early.
• Ability to work independently after receiving clear technical direction while maintaining disciplined reporting and documentation.
• Strong planning, organization, problem-solving, and time-management skills.
• Clear written and verbal communication in English; knowledge of local Zambian languages is an asset.
• Ability to work constructively across cultures and with government, community, contractor, consultant, and Fika teams.
• Commitment to professional ethics, safety, accountability, and respectful partnership.

Working conditions

The position is based in Lusaka and requires frequent travel to prospective and active bridge sites across Zambia, including remote rural areas. Field assignments may involve multi-day travel and work in locations with limited road access, communications, or accommodation. Periodic travel to other Fika country programs may be required for cross-program survey support, peer learning, or training.

Physical requirements

The role requires regular participation in field assessment and construction-related activities. This may involve walking several kilometres over hilly, undeveloped, muddy, or difficult terrain; carrying or setting up survey equipment; working outdoors in variable weather; and accessing sites near rivers or locations without established paths. All field activities must be undertaken using approved safety procedures and within assessed risk limits.

Application Guidelines

Fika is committed to creating an inclusive work environment. We welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds and strive to provide accommodations for individuals with disabilities during the application and employment process. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in our hiring process or to perform the essential functions of your job, please include this information in your application and we will work with you to ensure your needs are met.

• To apply we require 
• A max one-page motivation letter 
• A CV following these guidelines:
  • Length: Maximum 2 pages.
  • Education: Highlight relevant diplomas, degrees and recognized certifications 
  • Exclude: personal information (photos, gender, religion, marital status, number of dependents), non-certified training. 

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