Lonnie is a surveyor based out of Parametrix’s Albuquerque, NM office. He began his career in 2014 and has been with Parametrix for over a year.
What inspired you to become a surveyor?
I started my career in the Engineering field as a Subsurface Utility Engineering tech but was always intrigued by the company’s surveying group. I remember watching the surveyors roll into the shop after long days in the field, tired but always in good spirits, and I admired their strong work ethic and overall care for their craft, not to mention I thought the GPS equipment looked cool. I was fortunate to be recruited into their ranks and enjoyed it enough to decide on Surveying as my career.
What is your favorite part about being a surveyor?
I grew up in the mountains outside Albuquerque, NM, where hiking, camping, and generally roughing it is pretty much a way of life. Surveying, to me, feels a lot like being a kid again. Also, the work I do from week to week is always challenging, interesting and varied, so I’ve never once gotten bored with my work.
Tell us about a favorite project you have worked on in your career.
There are too many neat projects I’ve worked on over my relatively short time in Surveying, but generally I’ve found the projects that seem the toughest at the time are the ones I look back on with the greatest fondness.
What advice do you have for the next generation of surveyors?
Don’t skimp! Always buy the good gear and take care of it – it’ll take care of you.
