I started with DOT&PF Northern Region Right of Way as the "ROW Engineering Supervisor". Although the position made reference to the position being in engineering, the reality was that I was the first person to hold that position where the hiring description made licensing as a professional land surveyor a requirement. The reference to me being the ROW Engineer was based on tradtition in an engineering organization where professional licensing was generally not required. This led to a bit of confusion over time. I started with a classification as a range 20 "Engineer II". A few years later as a result of budget cuts, another Engineer II was to be laid off. As I had less seniority, under the personnel rules, that Engineer II took my PCN (Position Control Number). He was able to continue performing his civil engineering duties and I received a pink slip indicating that it was time for me to look for another job. I never actually missed a day of work as there was a vacant ROW Agent IV positioon which was also a range 20. It was for a Negotiations Supervisor. So under the DOT personnel rules, it was acceptable for my EII position which described me as a land surveyor supervising the ROW title & plans unit to be transferred to another person who did not do those tasks. And I was in a position described as supervising the acquistion of new ROW. None of it made sense but I still had a job.
At a later date, Personnel decided that the land surveyors in DOT should be classified as Land Surveyors I or II as was the case with DNR surveyors. So ultimately I became a Land Surveyor II and performed the same task as when I was a ROW Agent IV and an Engineer II. Ultmately Statewide Personnel decided to hold a Land Surveyor Classfication project so they could better understand what these professionals at DNR and DOT actually did. Few of you will find this bit of history very interesting and it certainly doesn't get into the details of ROW research and mapping. I added it as a project just to show those in the future a little of what land surveyors working for the State of Alaska in my time had to go through. Also, I presented a really good PowerPoint!