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Meet Paula Gentle

Job: 

Geodetic Surveyor.

Job description: 

I work for Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) which is the government agency responsible for New Zealand’s survey and land titles systems. The National Geodetic Office is the group I work for within LINZ. The purpose of the National Geodetic Office is to manage and maintain the national survey network. Essentially that means making sure that the coordinates on survey marks throughout New Zealand are correct.

I am also involved in managing the 30 continuous Global Positioning System (cGPS) stations that measure tectonic plate movement within New Zealand.

Work background: 

I have been at LINZ since January 2009, prior to that I was studying surveying at the University of Otago. During the summer breaks I had the opportunity to work at two different survey firms in Hokitika and Hamilton that focused on defining and subdividing property boundaries.

Recently I was involved in a sub-millimetre accurate survey of a radio telescope and a cGPS station that will be used to help define the international survey system.

Favourite part of job: 
  • opportunity to travel within New Zealand and Antarctica
  • working outside
  • solving problems
  • the variety of different projects I work on
Least favourite part of job: 

Working outside in the pouring rain.

Qualifications: 

Bachelor of Surveying - University of Otago.

Interests outside work: 
  • youth leadership development
  • community work through Rotaract and Rotary
  • hockey (when I’m not injured)
  • catching up with friends and family

Watch the video where Paula talks about her work (5Mb mp4 file).


Paula Gentle is a Geodetic Surveyor with LINZ. Image: LEARNZ.

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