Why geodesists are so hard to find

Geodesists are the science behind surveying — they are proficient in high-precision recording and modelling of the earth's surface, from national surveying to engineering geodesy to satellite-based positioning systems. Geodesy is the basis for cadastre, infrastructure planning, earth observation and navigation. But the job market for geodesists is empty.

The most common reasons why geodesic positions are so difficult to fill:

• One of the smallest pools of graduates in engineering. Geodesy is only offered as an independent degree program at a handful of universities and universities of applied sciences in the DACH region — including TU Munich, Uni Bonn, Leibniz University Hannover, TU Dresden and Jade Hochschule. The annual number of graduates is significantly lower than in related subjects such as civil engineering or computer science.
• Invisible on all generalist portals. “Geodesy” or “Geodesy” does not exist as a separate category on any major portal. Job advertisements end up under “Surveying,” “Civil Engineering,” or “Geosciences” — all categories that are too broad and in which geodesists do not specifically search.
• Confusion with surveyor and geoinformatician. The terms are often used synonymously, but refer to different focal areas. Geodesy focuses on the science of geodesy, reference systems and high-precision measurement technology. Job advertisements that do not make it clear whether geodesy expertise is required reach the wrong target group.
• Authorities, universities and the private sector are competing at the same time. State surveying offices, cadastral offices, universities (professorships and research), network operators and engineering firms are all recruiting the same small pool of geodesy graduates. If you don't recruit quickly and specifically, you lose candidates.
• Sovereign tasks require a geodesy degree. A geodesy degree is a formal requirement for many positions in state surveying and higher surveying services. This also narrows down the candidate pool to graduates of this specific degree program.
• Research and industry offer attractive alternatives. Geodesists specializing in satellite geodesy, GNSS or industrial measurement technology are also being courted by aerospace companies, navigation system manufacturers and international organizations — employers that often offer higher salaries and more modern work environments.

From engineering geodesy to satellite geodesy: typical job profiles for geodesists

Geodesy covers a broad scientific and application-oriented spectrum. The profiles range from classic state surveying to engineering geodesy and industrial measurement technology to research and teaching.

The following overview shows typical job profiles as they are represented on GoGeoGo:

State survey & cadastre

Job title: Engineers Geodesy/Surveying/Geoinformatics/Geodata Management, Geographer/Geoinformatician/Geodesy

Skills: State surveying, reference systems, GNSS, real estate cadastre, ALKIS, basic geodata

Engineering geodesy & industrial measurement technology

Job title: Professor of Engineering Geodesy/Industrial Measurement Technology, graduate engineer as GIS coordinator

Skills: Precision measurement, deformation measurement, laser scanning, monitoring, tachymetry, BIM

Network documentation & supply management

Job title: Geodesic/Surveyor at Network Operators, Head of Network Documentation Department

Skills: Line measurement, GIS network documentation, inventory surveying, network planning, GNSS

Research & Education Geodesy

Job title: Professor of Applied Geodesy, Research Assistant in Geodesy

Skills: satellite geodesy, gravitational field modelling, GNSS research, earth rotation, scientific publishing

Whether you are a geodesist for State survey search, for engineering geodesy in an infrastructure project, for GIS-based network documentation or for a research position at a university — the requirements differ fundamentally.

Geodesists who combine traditional geodesy expertise with digital skills are particularly in demand: GNSS evaluation with real-time processing, laser scanning and point cloud processing, BIM integration or automated monitoring. In cities such as bonn, hanover, munich and berlin Demand is high — but district offices, network operators and engineering firms in the area are also urgently looking for geodesists.

More about the job description: Surveying & geodesy at GoGeoGo, Surveyor jobs and Geoinformatics degree in DACH.

Typical employers for geodesists

Geodesists work in government agencies, universities, network operators and engineering offices. The following selection shows examples of the types of employers represented on GoGeoGo.

Authorities & municipalities:

• Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis — is an example of district administrations that employ geodesy, surveying and geoinformatics engineers for office and field service. Profiles here combine geodesy expertise with geodata management and infrastructure planning — typical of districts with a wide range of tasks.
• Munich State Building Authority 2 — represents state building authorities that use geodesy graduates as GIS coordinators and surveyors. In building authorities, geodesy and geoinformatics are combined with the planning and monitoring of public infrastructure.
• Friesland district — an example of districts that appeal equally to geodesists, geoinformatics specialists and geographers. Shows that geodesy graduates have a wide range of applications in local administration — from GIS to soil protection to environmental tasks.

Universities & Research:

• Jade Hochschule — as one of the most important training centers for geodesy in Germany, a typical employer for professorships in applied geodesy and engineering geodesy/industrial measurement technology as well as for scientific staff. A central career location for geodesists with research interests and teaching ambitions.

Network operators & utility industry:

• Rhein-Sieg Netz GmbH — stands for network operators who use geodesists and surveyors for line documentation and network infrastructure. The energy industry is becoming increasingly important as an employer for geodesists — network expansion, pipeline measurement and GIS documentation generate constantly growing demand.

A complete overview can be found in Business Directory.

Why niche platforms work better for geodesic recruiting

Geodesy is one of the most specialized engineering sciences — and virtually invisible on generalist portals.

No major portal has “geodesy” as a category. There is no geodesy section on StepStone or Indeed. Positions end up under “Surveying,” “Civil Engineering,” or “Geosciences” — too broad to specifically address geodesists.

GoGeoGo has its own Survey & Geodesy category. Die Surveying & geodesy page is one of the 13 subject categories on GoGeoGo. Geodesists can find jobs in their professional environment here — in addition to GIS, geoinformatics and remote sensing.

Long-tail keywords with little competition. Keywords such as “geodesy job”, “geodesy job offer” or “engineering geodesy career” have hardly any visibility on generalist portals. GoGeoGo ranks better for these search queries because all content is thematically focused on the geo-sector.

Maximum compartment fit. Experts from the fields of geodesy, surveying and geoinformatics apply on GoGeoGo — exactly the profiles that are suitable for geodesy jobs. Fewer applications, but virtually all are professionally qualified.

Why employers rely on GoGeoGo for geodesic jobs

GoGeoGo is the specialized job board for geospatial, environmental and planning occupations in the DACH region. For employers looking for geodesists, this means in concrete terms:

Qualified candidates instead of wastage. Anyone who visits GoGeoGo is specifically looking for geodesy, surveying or geoinformatics jobs. Your job ad reaches geodesy graduates, surveyors and geoinformatics specialists directly. In addition, we reach out to job seekers via our geo-newsletter.

Niche SEO that works. GoGeoGo ranks for specialist keywords such as “geodesy job”, “geodesy job” or “engineering geodesy career.” Our 13 subject categories — including Surveying & geodesy — ensure visibility among the right target group. The blog article on Geodesy job profile also attracts people interested in geodesy in a targeted manner.

industry network. GoGeoGo is known in the geodesy and surveying community — through specialist conferences, LinkedIn networks and cooperation with multi-posting agencies such as KÖNIGSTEINER, Personalwerk or Rheinsatz.

SEO-optimized job ads. Each ad is marked with schema.org/JobPosting and appears in Google for Jobs.

Permanent ads via the employer profile. With the employer profile They are visible 365 days — particularly valuable for universities with regular appointment procedures and authorities with long-term staffing cycles.

Fair prices, no hidden costs. Vacancies starting at 149€ (Classic, 30 days). No subscription trap, no success fees. Overview of all prices →

Authorities, universities and network operators are already represented on GoGeoGo. Visit our Business Directory for a complete overview.