Survey Worker

UCI Series Concepts

Class Specifications - B.15
Survey Supervisor (7231)
Senior Survey Worker (7232)
Survey Worker (7233)

May, 1975

SERIES CONCEPT

Survey Workers perform or supervise the collection of survey data concerned 
with a wide variety of disciplines, demographic information, and attitudes; 
and perform other related duties as required.

Incumbents collect information by mailing out advance letters to respondents, 
and by using prepared questions in interviewing and collecting data from 
selected respondents on a specific project to obtain information. Survey 
Workers may also convert these responses into coded answers. The series 
consists of three levels: Survey Worker is the operational level; Senior 
Survey Worker is the working supervisory or advanced operational level; and 
Survey Supervisor is the full supervisory level.

CLASS CONCEPTS

Survey Supervisor

Under direction, incumbents supervise and coordinate the activities of Survey
Workers by training them in the procedures for collecting data, and orienting
them to the purposes and goals of a survey.

Survey Supervisors also assist in developing questionnaires to be used by the
field staff in collecting data, or assist in the planning, direction and 
execution of various surveys; independently supervise small studies; plan and 
make field assignments and determine proper individual work loads; may sit in 
on initial interviews to validate questionnaires; maintain control over 
records of interview schedules and questionnaires; supervise the summarizing 
of data and make a preliminary analysis of the appropriateness of the data 
collected in the field; and may assist statisticians in problems of coding.

This class is distinguished from the Senior Survey Worker class in that 
incumbents serve as first-level supervisors of Senior Survey Workers and 
Survey Workers in planning and supervising their work. Incumbents are given 
the overall project requirements with specific areas of investigation 
determined in advance and supervise the collection and analysis of the 
appropriateness of the data.

Senior Survey Worker

Under general supervision, incumbents serve as working supervisors of Survey
Workers or act at the advanced operational level.

As working supervisors, Senior Survey Workers schedule work for a group of 
Survey Workers, including the assignment of interviews; maintain work 
schedules and attendance records; instruct or aid in the instruction of Survey 
Workers in the use of survey materials and techniques of data collection; and 
check the work of Survey Workers for conformity and accuracy, verification and 
enumeration.

At the advanced operational level, incumbents perform the most difficult 
interviewing assignments such as refusal conversion interviewing (interviewing 
those who have previously refused to respond), pretest interviewing (using an 
untested interview schedule), and unstructured interviewing. Senior Survey 
Workers act as liaisons between project leaders and participating institutions 
or the general public during a survey; collate questionnaires and batch for 
machine processing; and establish and maintain files for completed 
questionnaires. Incumbents must exercise judgment in determining the 
appropriateness of responses to ensure that the objectives of the survey are 
being met. For example, they are alert to inadequate responses to questions 
that deal with sensitive personal information that persons may be reluctant 
to divulge.

This class is distinguished from the class of Survey Supervisor in that 
incumbent positions serve only as working supervisors or at the advanced 
operational level and are not expected to perform a complex analysis of 
information obtained.

Survey Worker

Under supervision, incumbents perform the duties outlined in the Series 
Concept. This is the operational level, and the majority of surveying duties 
are performed at this level.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Survey Supervisor

Graduation from high school or a General Education Diploma and three years of
experience in the collection of survey data; or an equivalent combination of
education and experience; and knowledges and abilities essential to the 
successful performance of the duties assigned to the position.

Senior Survey Worker

Graduation from high school or a General Education Diploma and two years of
experience in the collection of survey data; or an equivalent combination of
education and experience; and knowledges and abilities essential to the 
successful performance of the duties assigned to the position.

Survey Worker

Graduation from high school or a General Education Diploma and one year of
experience, preferably in public contact work; or an equivalent combination 
of education and experience; and knowledges and abilities essential to the 
successful performance of the duties assigned to the position.