Survey Specialist- Land Court

Title: Survey Specialist -Land Court

Pay Grade: Grade 14

Starting Pay: $65,320.58/Yr.

Departmental Mission Statement: The Land Court’s mission is to provide an accessible forum where specialized expertise is applied to resolve disputes involving the ownership, development, and use of real property throughout the Commonwealth.  The judges and staff are committed to serving the public and the real estate and trial bars in a respectful, efficient manner by issuing decisions that are equitable and legally well-reasoned, and by providing readily available, reliable guidance to property owners and registries of deeds regarding registered land transactions.

ORGANIZATIONAL PROFILE:

https://www.mass.gov/orgs/land-court

Notes: This position is designated as a union position and is covered by the Collective Bargaining Agreement with O.P.E.I.U., Local 6.

Position Summary: This series is responsible for performing a variety of duties related to the production of plans for the Survey Division of the Land Court. The position titles above the entry level require the performance of increasingly more responsible and varied work which requires more knowledge of court procedures and operations and the exercise of more independent judgment. Employees are hired at the entry level position title and are eligible for reclassification to the higher level position titles within this series consistent with the specification for the higher level position titles. The position titles revert to the entry level where there are vacancies.

ORGANIZATIONAL LEVELS:

This position is part of a series that includes a number of levels.  Employees are appointed to the entry level and are eligible to advance to the higher level consistent with this job description and Trial Court policies.

Survey Specialist I - This is the entry level position title within this series. Employees at this level are expected to perform a variety of duties which teach them the practices and procedures used to produce plans for registered land.

Survey Specialist II - This is the second level position title within this series. Employees at this second level are expected to perform more complex plan production.

Survey Specialist III - This is the third level position title within this series. Employees at this third level are expected to produce the most complex plans and perform survey calculations as required by the court. They are expected to perform additional duties within the department based on training received from reviewing and accepting plans.

Survey Specialist IV - This is the fourth level position title within this series. Employees at this level are responsible for providing assistance in the area of surveying as it relates to registered land and land court procedures and practices. Concentration is on reviewing and filing plans presented to the court along with drafting and checking plans prepared by the court.

Duties: Survey Specialist I Duties:

• Produces simpler Land Court plans by CAD system. Edits plans prepared by others;
• Copies, files, retrieves, and sorts court papers, documents, plans and folders according to established procedures;
• Completes Survey Division processing of decree plans sent to registries;
• Maintains records as needed; and,
• Performs related duties as required.

Survey Specialist II Additional Duties:

• Using CAD, produces more complex Land Court plans such as those requiring key sheets, multiple sheets, the use of details and editing of text location for clarity;
• Performs basic calculations for studies;
• Performs detail check of drafted plans to be issued by the Land Court;
• Copies, files, retrieves, and sorts court papers, documents, plans and folders according to established procedures;
• Maintains records as needed including plan cancellations and withdrawal from Registration; and,
• Performs all of the duties of the lower level within this series as required.

Survey Specialist III Additional Duties:

• Under supervision, applies knowledge of survey principles and practice to review, verify and accept plans submitted for filing. Expected to learn to recognize items of legal significance;
• Calculates solutions to survey problems suggested by supervisor;
• Recommends to supervisor and calculates solutions to survey problems;
• Organizes survey correspondence in a complete and logical manner clearly indicating considerations made when plan was reviewed;
• Confers with judges and title examiners while reviewing cases;
• Performs comprehensive check of drafted plans to be issued by the Court;
• Reviews and endorses title instruments to be filed with the Registry of Deeds. Maintains atlases of registered land;
• Informs surveyors and attorneys in the proper procedures for filing plans with the Land Court;
• Produces the most complex Land Court plans by CAD system;
• Performs complex calculations for studies;
• Copies, files, retrieves, and sorts court papers, documents, plans and folders according to established procedures;
• Maintains records as needed including plan cancellations and withdrawals from Registration; and,
• Performs all duties of the lower level within this series as required.

Survey Specialist IV Additional Duties:

• Reviews, verifies, and accepts with minimal supervision, a large amount of plans submitted to the Land Court. Utilizes survey knowledge while cognizant of legal principles involved;
• Frequently anticipates and arrives at solutions to survey problems (i.e. inconsistent surveys);
• Coordinates the drafting of judgment or subdivision plans;
• Checks plans prepared by the Survey Division and works with other survey specialists on corrections/modifications;
• Verifies final mathematical closure of Land Court plans going to the registries;
• Coordinates needs of local registries and the format of Land Court plans;
• Obtains the necessary signatures on Land Court plans going to the registries;
• Drafts Land Court plans by CAD system;
• Confers with judges, title examiners and other managers regarding plan issues;
• Advises lawyers and surveyors concerning the requirements for filing plans at the Land Court;
• Reviews Court orders to determine drafting procedures in relation to their legal implications; and,
• Performs related duties as required.

Minimum Requirements: These are the minimum requirements necessary to apply for the position of Survey Specialist:

Survey Specialist I Requirements:

• Registered land surveyor preferred but not required. Graduation from high school or its equivalent;
• Basic knowledge of surveying practices and skills, including a good understanding of trigonometry, geometry and legal survey terminology, acquired by two years of relevant experience in surveying;
• Experience producing plans in CAD using coordinate geometry and survey applications. Must be able to prepare complete, concise one-page decree plans;
• Ability to place text and dimensions in accordance with established procedures is essential;
• An understanding of the information needed on a decree plan is required. Minimal changes/corrections to the drafted plan should be required to produce final decree plan;
• Experience digitizing into CAD systems;
• General knowledge of and ability to use personal computers and office application software;
• Ability to serve the public and others with business with the Land Court in a courteous and professional manner;
• Ability to learn procedures and functions, manual and automated;
• Ability to understand and follow verbal and written instructions;
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with all Court staff; and,
• Ability to communicate effectively with others.

Survey Specialist II Additional Requirements:

• A minimum of three years as a Survey Specialist I;
• Working knowledge of surveying practices and skills, including an excellent understanding of trigonometry, geometry and legal survey terminology;
• Considerable experience producing plans in CAD using coordinate geometry and survey applications;
• Demonstrated ability to produce accurate, complete, multi-sheet complex court plans;
• Must be able to utilize key sheet and other advanced plan preparation techniques to successfully draft any plan;
• Demonstrated ability to understand surveyors calculations and perform basic mathematical functions such as solving for tie distances or offsets;
• Demonstrated understanding of relationship between Land Court policy and the preparation of Land Court plans with respect to legal issues such as easements, ways, water lines and takings;
• Ability to draft more complex Land Court plans with minimal corrections/changes is expected;
• Working knowledge of and ability to use personal computers and office application software;
• Demonstrated ability to serve the public and others with business with the Land Court in a courteous and professional manner;
• Demonstrated ability to learn procedures and functions, manual and automated;
• Demonstrated ability to understand and follow verbal and written instructions;
• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with all Court staff; and,
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with others.
  
  Survey Specialist III Additional Requirements:
  
  
• A minimum of three years as a Survey Specialist II;
• Extensive knowledge of surveying practices and skills, including an excellent understanding of trigonometry, geometry and legal survey terminology;
• Extensive experience producing plans in CAD using coordinate geometry and survey applications;
• Considerable experience digitizing into CAD system;
• Working knowledge of and ability to use personal computers and office application software; and,
• Ability to draft most complex plans with minimal changes and corrections necessary to prepare final decree plans.

Survey Specialist IV Additional Requirements:

• Minimum of four years as a Survey Specialist III;
• Considerable knowledge of Massachusetts G. L. c.185 and Land Court practices and procedures;
• Understanding of the information required on a court plan with respect to style and content;
• Considerable knowledge and understanding of the legal implications of surveying;
• Extensive experience in surveying or survey related work;
• Experience and/or knowledge of survey field work involving traverses, field note reduction, raw and balanced traverses and field and record coordinates;
• Demonstrated ability to make decisions and work independently;
• Demonstrated ability to handle a large amount of plans presented to the Land Court for review and filing; and,
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize work.