Read the story of
Mark - Surveyor
Read the story of
Mark - Surveyor
During his Ocean Technology studies in Terschelling, Mark did a third-year internship with Van Oord on a project in Dubai. He liked it so much that immediately after graduating, he got back in touch and started working as a Surveyor. What immediately attracted him to this role is the large amount of responsibility and the enormous variety. "Right now, I'm on a particular project one day and somewhere completely different the next," Mark explains. "I'm definitely not doing the same activities every day."
During his Ocean Technology studies in Terschelling, Mark did a third-year internship with Van Oord on a project in Dubai. He liked it so much that immediately after graduating, he got back in touch and started working as a Surveyor. What immediately attracted him to this role is the large amount of responsibility and the enormous variety. "Right now, I'm on a particular project one day and somewhere completely different the next," Mark explains. "I'm definitely not doing the same activities every day."
A standard workday often starts around seven in the morning with a meeting about what is going to happen that day. The actual execution can vary enormously. One day, he spends hours on the survey boat mapping a river, the sea, or a quay wall, while the next day he is outside flying a drone in Petten or at the Maasvlakte. Office days, where he processes data, makes drawings, or attends meetings, are also part of the job. Currently, for example, he is working along the Prinses Margriet Canal in the Maasvlakte of Rotterdam, where he is conducting measurements for seabed protection along a new quay wall.
Making an impact, from residents to large-scale equipment
Mark looks back with great pleasure on a wide variety of projects. In Arnhem, he worked on a small but unique project where dredging had to be done underneath houseboats. "That has a huge impact on the residents, because their house is suddenly temporarily relocated," he explains. "We really involved the people in the process, explained what we were doing, and they were super happy that we came."
On the other hand, he worked on a massive project in India. The scale and the equipment there were very special, ranging from the Artemis to push boats, cranes, and a water injection dredge. Working with such diverse equipment and the unique soil conditions made this a really cool and educational challenge.
A standard workday often starts around seven in the morning with a meeting about what is going to happen that day. The actual execution can vary enormously. One day, he spends hours on the survey boat mapping a river, the sea, or a quay wall, while the next day he is outside flying a drone in Petten or at the Maasvlakte. Office days, where he processes data, makes drawings, or attends meetings, are also part of the job. Currently, for example, he is working along the Prinses Margriet Canal in the Maasvlakte of Rotterdam, where he is conducting measurements for seabed protection along a new quay wall.
Making an impact, from residents to large-scale equipment
Mark looks back with great pleasure on a wide variety of projects. In Arnhem, he worked on a small but unique project where dredging had to be done underneath houseboats. "That has a huge impact on the residents, because their house is suddenly temporarily relocated," he explains. "We really involved the people in the process, explained what we were doing, and they were super happy that we came."
On the other hand, he worked on a massive project in India. The scale and the equipment there were very special, ranging from the Artemis to push boats, cranes, and a water injection dredge. Working with such diverse equipment and the unique soil conditions made this a really cool and educational challenge.
Leading the way with in-house innovations
As a Surveyor, Mark works with top-quality equipment. Van Oord has developed its own survey software package that is now used broadly and is highly user-friendly across various departments. "It might just be the best package you can have in the dredging industry," he says. In joint ventures with other contractors, Van Oord is therefore often the one handling the survey work, because they have the best equipment and expertise in-house.
Freedom, responsibility, and work-life balance
The culture within Van Oord is very open. "It is a true no-nonsense world of getting things done and pushing forward, and you can join discussions and have your say very quickly." Characteristic of the department is the high degree of independence you are given; you are provided with the right tools and guidance, but you very quickly become responsible for your own piece of work. It is then up to you to find your own way of working within that.
Additionally, there is a lot of flexibility when it comes to work and private life. Whereas Mark previously worked abroad on a rotation schedule, he eventually noticed that he felt more of a need to be close to home. He decided to mention that he would prefer to do projects in the Netherlands. "That was handled very well right away," he shares. "Fortunately, plenty of people are needed in the Netherlands too."
Leading the way with in-house innovations
As a Surveyor, Mark works with top-quality equipment. Van Oord has developed its own survey software package that is now used broadly and is highly user-friendly across various departments. "It might just be the best package you can have in the dredging industry," he says. In joint ventures with other contractors, Van Oord is therefore often the one handling the survey work, because they have the best equipment and expertise in-house.
Freedom, responsibility, and work-life balance
The culture within Van Oord is very open. "It is a true no-nonsense world of getting things done and pushing forward, and you can join discussions and have your say very quickly." Characteristic of the department is the high degree of independence you are given; you are provided with the right tools and guidance, but you very quickly become responsible for your own piece of work. It is then up to you to find your own way of working within that.
Additionally, there is a lot of flexibility when it comes to work and private life. Whereas Mark previously worked abroad on a rotation schedule, he eventually noticed that he felt more of a need to be close to home. He decided to mention that he would prefer to do projects in the Netherlands. "That was handled very well right away," he shares. "Fortunately, plenty of people are needed in the Netherlands too."
Persoonlijke en professionele groei
We zorgen voor elkaar
Goede arbeidsvoorwaarden
Persoonlijke en professionele groei
We zorgen voor elkaar
Goede arbeidsvoorwaarden
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