National Surveyors Week (March 20-26, 2022) was created by the National Society of Professional Surveyors to celebrate the surveying profession, which often goes unrecognized. This week, Dawood is shining a spotlight on some of our surveyors to highlight the breadth of knowledge and experience among our staff. Today, we speak with Scott Miller, Survey Operations Manager.
Hi Scott! Please tell us a little bit about how you got into the surveying field and what your current position at Dawood is like.
I graduated Penn State in the 90s with a forestry degree, but was having trouble finding a job in that field. At the time, my uncle was a professional land surveyor, and I took a job with him. From there, I came to Dawood in 1999. In my role as Survey Operations Manager, I spend a good deal of the time working on project management, business development, and coordinating a staff of seven on a variety of private and public projects.
What’s so special about surveying and how does it motivate you?
I knew I wanted to have an outdoor-based career, so when forestry didn’t pan out, I was glad I could still work outside. Through my 25-year surveying career, what I find the most interesting is the growth in new technology for performing surveys—we’ve gone from tape measures to 3D laser scanners.
Tell us about one or two of your favorite Dawood projects and what makes them stand out to you.
It’s hard to think of one single project. As the old saying goes, “surveying is surveying.” We do our work to create maps for whatever type of engineering project needed—from transportation, civil, and land development to energy and public utilities. Every day is different.
What do you like to do when you’re not at work?
I enjoy spending time with my two children, and as a family we like to go on vacations to the beach and mountains—exploring new places each time.