Staff Spotlight: Jessie Tilman 5-Year Anniversary

Survey Technician

Congratulations on your five-year wooden anniversary! It’s been a while since we last caught up on your role here at Civitlec and what better time than a milestone such as this one? 

What did you do before joining Civiltec and how did your time at college lead you to land development surveying at Civiltec?

Before Civiltec I got to be involved in some humanitarian and Christian relief work in the Middle East. It was great getting to explore historic areas in Iraq, Jordan, Israel, Turkey, and mostly the Kurdish areas of Iraq! The Kurdish people especially are very welcoming and I made many friends that I still connect with and hope to visit again! I enjoy the outside nature of the surveying job at Civiltec and my business degree has helped me with the math and office side of the job.

What interests you about the day-to-day tasks in surveying?

Seeing new areas is always fun. Having lived in Arizona before, I thought I knew it well already. I appreciate getting to see more of the state through surveying that I might never see otherwise! Work in the Mohave Valley has been interesting. I never really stopped around Needles and Lake Havasu before. The London Bridge is well worth visiting! 

When using a drone what have five things to know or look for? 

Using a drone can be involved because we fly with commercial regulations. Sometimes I see the hobbyists flying with such abandon, blissfully unaware of any rules, and start wishing lol! I’m glad I got eased into it. Some of the top things to look for are any flying object in your area, weather awareness, flight notifications for airmen, flight area boundaries, and always keeping a watch on your batteries!

How do you get certified for using a drone on sites? 

We took a small airmen’s class that is much less than a private pilot’s license. It’s related but is geared toward Drone piloting of course. 

What job in the past five years has been your favorite to date and why? 

We just got to do a lot of work in the Flagstaff forest and that is beautiful!

How has learning AutoCad gone and do you have any learning tips?

I’ve made some progress. I get out of practice in off times though. My best tip is to get a good mentor and we have many of these around the office!

What kind of environment including weather is your favorite to survey? 

Overcast days are great in the summer!

Do you have a new recipe for us? 

Making coffee with a ceramic grinder will do wonders for your taste buds! Cardamom is a tasty addition to coffee.

What recent adventures have you and your family been on? 

I got to visit a friend in Colorado Springs last month and had a great time there with him and his new family I hadn’t met yet. Three kids! He suggested I hike the Manitou Incline on the east slopes of Pikes Peak and it was amazing. Look it up on YouTube! I’d like to do some more kayaking in Colorado now that I wet my feet there!