General Description of Class
The CARTOGRAPHER 3 provides fully proficient mapping expertise in preparing a broad range of complex maps such as cadastral maps of entire counties, timber-type maps such as planimetric or orthophoto maps, geologic maps, base control maps, and specialized maps such as soil classification maps, harbor and estuary ownership maps, using existing records, deeds, surveys, plats, highway and railroad right-of-way maps, aerial photographs, powerline drawings, and other map sources to construct original maps from start to finalization with minimal supervision.
Distinguishing Features
This is the fourth level of a five-level series. It is distinguished from the lower levels by having responsibility for cartography of entire counties and map projects, maps which require a greater degree of detail and technical information, and greater responsibility for the finished product. It is distinguished from the higher level Cartographic Program Specialist by the absence of program responsibility.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Mapping. Typical tasks: using various methods, interprets and plots descriptions and details from existing records, deeds, surveys, plats, highway and railroad right-of-way maps, aerial photographs, powerline drawings and other map sources to construct complex maps such as base control maps, cadastral maps, timber-type maps, fire protection maps, geologic maps and specialized maps from beginning to finalization; plots detail such as section, subdivision, and survey corners, railroads, roads and highways, highway and railroad right-of-ways, intersections, government and private surveys, section line grids including patented mining claims and donation land claims, unsurveyed waterways, bodies of water, and roads; uses photogrammetric methods, power transmission line drawings, metes and bounds descriptions, boundaries such as city limits, rural fire protection districts, taxing districts, school districts, townships, riparian, property, and geographic features such as mountains, coastlines, rivers, creeks, and lakes to construct maps; converts maps to different scales; assigns parcel numbers and property description numbers; computes control and grid systems necessary for establishing the base control system on a map; computes perimeters such as timber type and other forested areas or patented mining claims; computes acreages using standard geometric calculations or by using either the double Meridian Distance Method commonly employed by surveyors or multiplication of two sides of a rectangular-shaped parcel with right angles and divided by the square footage of one acre, or determines acreages for irregular shaped or unsurveyed parcels with the use of a planimeter; may prepare charts, graphs, and other graphics as required.
- Administrative Functions. Typical tasks: reviews files containing maps and related records and prioritizes workload; installs completed and current/updated maps and records in county offices; computes map budgets or yearly map maintenance budgets for counties including personnel costs, material costs, time usage, and printing costs; computes budgets for special mapping projects; reviews and approves billings of contract work performed by the agency for counties and courts; coordinates phases of mapping projects; coordinates flight plans and areas to be photographed; may write contracts for aerial photo projects; may trace and print photo negatives into finished prints; write progress reports and technical reports on special mapping projects and solutions to common mapping problems for use by agency management, county assessors, county courts, title companies, attorneys, and taxpayers.
- Records Maintenance. Typical tasks: transfers map information, lines, and text onto a Computer Assisted Mapping System via a CRT keyboard and other special input devices to create computer files so maps can be quickly reproduced in an inked form by a plotting machine; stores files on tape; corrects and edits files; establishes new manual files for property description records, tax lot records, mobile fire mapping records, aerial photographs, and for maps such as USGS maps, county assessor maps and right-of-way maps.
- Research Activities. Typical tasks: conducts in-house and field research on mapping and survey problems and ownership problems of real estate, land, estuaries, harbors and rivers for assessors, county courts, county surveyors and taxpayers; researches the application of tax laws, real estate laws, and riparian laws to mapping.
- Training. Typical tasks: instructs less experienced state and county cartographers in mapping procedures, mapping standards, new mapping methods, riparian laws, interpretation of photogrammetry, real estate laws including deeds, contracts, and court orders; edits and reviews maps and records of less experienced cartographers for accuracy, quality, and conformance to State mapping standards.
Relationships with Others
Employees in this class are in regular contact by telephone or in-person with other agency or county personnel to exchange information about deeds, surveys, roads, zones, boundaries, maps, and mapping standards. Employees are in contact monthly by telephone or in person with other State and Federal agencies such as the State Highway Department, United States Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, to obtain information such as ownership of lands, status of road construction, and official fire boundaries.
Employees are in contact monthly by telephone and in person with title companies to obtain or clarify information pertaining to problems, ownership, or transfer of property titles, and with surveyors to obtain or clarify information pertaining to surveys they have done. Employees are in contact weekly by telephone with other agencies, private companies and the public to provide information concerning availability and cost of maps and aerial photography. Employees may be in contact with the public to provide information such as availability and cost of maps, location of property boundaries and how to locate these boundaries, types of deeds needed to convey property and who should prepare these documents, the options that are available to resolve boundary disputes, procedures needed to research chains of title, road dedications, and vacation ordinances.
Supervision Received
Employees in this class receive general supervision, usually by a project manager or administrative superior. Completed work is reviewed for accuracy, quality, soundness of judgment, and compliance with established mapping standards. Production and project schedules are reviewed monthly to track project deadlines and project phases.
Minimum Qualifications
- two years experience as a Cartographer which included:
- map reading
- reading, interpreting, and identifying discrepancies in real property documents
- interpreting and applying real property and mapping laws, rules, and regulations
- computing areas including acreage, coordinates, and perimeters; AND
- a Bachelor's degree in Cartography, Geography, Forestry, Civil Engineering, or the earth sciences including courses in Drafting or Map Making or three more years of pertinent experience; OR
- an equivalent combination of training and experience. On your application, be specific in addressing your experience to the areas listed in the minimum qualifications.
Transcripts must be submitted for all required and/or related courses.