What Is a SUE Technician?
A Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) technician is a field professional who collects the underground utility data used by civil engineers to design transportation, water/wastewater, and infrastructure projects. The SUE technician is the field foundation of the SUE process — the person who goes to the construction site, locates utilities, performs GPR scanning, digs the pothole, takes the measurements, and records the data that the engineer integrates into the project design.
SUE practice in the United States is governed by ASCE 38-02, the Standard Guideline for the Collection and Depiction of Existing Subsurface Utility Data. ASCE 38-02 defines four quality levels — QL-D through QL-A — representing progressively more reliable utility information. A trained SUE technician collects QL-B data (utility locating and GPR) and QL-A data (physical potholing and measurement) in the field, and documents findings in the format required for inclusion in engineering deliverables and project record drawings.
The SUE technician role sits at the intersection of field construction work and civil engineering — technical enough to require training and precision, physically active enough to be satisfying fieldwork, and closely connected to the infrastructure design and construction industry that drives substantial employment in South Florida and nationally.
The Opportunity — SUE Technician SkillBridge Internship
During your SkillBridge internship with US Utility Potholing as a SUE Technician trainee, you will work on active South Florida infrastructure projects performing the full range of SUE data collection activities. This is genuine field experience — the same work performed by our full-time SUE technicians — not a classroom or observer role. You will work directly alongside experienced technicians who will train and guide you throughout your internship.
South Florida is one of the busiest SUE markets in the country. FDOT District 4 projects throughout Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach County increasingly require ASCE 38-02 QL-B and QL-A data, as do Broward County Water and Wastewater Services, municipal public works projects, and major private development. Our SkillBridge SUE technician participants gain exposure to a diverse range of project types and utility environments that would take years to accumulate elsewhere.
What You Will Work On
- Utility locating (QL-B): Operating EM equipment and assisting with GPR scanning to collect Quality Level B designating data on FDOT, county, and municipal infrastructure projects across South Florida.
- Vacuum excavation potholing (QL-A): Performing vacuum excavation test holes at utility conflict locations, measuring exposed utilities, and recording QL-A field data per ASCE 38-02 requirements.
- GPS field data collection: Capturing GPS-referenced utility positions and attributes for integration into engineering CAD and GIS deliverables.
- Field documentation: Preparing pothole logs, utility designating reports, and photographic records consistent with ASCE 38-02 and project-specific deliverable requirements.
- CAD deliverable preparation support: Understanding how field data translates into the utility drawings and conflict analyses that engineers use for design — the output side of the SUE data collection workflow.
- Construction site safety: Traffic control, excavation safety, utility strike prevention, and daily safety protocols on active South Florida infrastructure projects.
Career Demand for SUE Technicians
The demand for trained SUE technicians is growing faster than the supply. Several forces are driving this growth:
Infrastructure investment: The federal infrastructure law and state transportation funding programs are generating billions in highway, bridge, and utility construction projects across Florida — virtually all of which require SUE services for design and construction support. FDOT alone manages hundreds of active design and construction projects across its seven districts at any given time.
Regulatory requirements: FDOT's utility accommodation policy increasingly requires ASCE 38-02 QL-B and QL-A data on design projects in utility-dense corridors. Similar requirements are being adopted by municipalities and county agencies throughout South Florida.
Aging infrastructure: As underground utility systems age and as-built records deteriorate in accuracy, the need to physically verify utility locations before construction grows. This creates sustained SUE demand independent of new project volume.
For experienced SUE technicians in South Florida, compensation ranges from approximately $55,000 to $85,000 annually depending on experience, certifications, and responsibilities. Field supervisors and project managers with SUE backgrounds command higher compensation. The skills are transferable — a trained SUE technician can work for utility locating companies, engineering firms, construction contractors, and utility owners across the country.
Why Veterans Excel as SUE Technicians
Military service develops precisely the qualities that distinguish an exceptional SUE technician from an average one. The work demands discipline and attention to detail — a measurement error or missed utility in a pothole log can propagate into an engineering design with costly consequences. It demands reliability and accountability — SUE field data supports project decisions that affect entire construction programs, and the people relying on your work need to trust its accuracy. It demands the ability to operate safely and effectively in active construction environments under varying field conditions.
Service members who have worked in technical military occupational specialties — engineering, signals, combat engineering, EOD, intelligence, surveying — often find the SUE technician role particularly well-matched to their experience and aptitudes. We have found that veterans adapt quickly to the technical aspects of SUE field work and bring a standard of documentation rigor and safety discipline that elevates the quality of the entire team.
Requirements
- Currently on active duty with 180 days or fewer remaining before separation or retirement
- Command approval for SkillBridge program participation
- Valid driver's license — daily travel to project sites throughout South Florida
- Ability to work outdoors in South Florida's climate and perform active fieldwork
- Detail-oriented and committed to accurate field documentation
- Professional conduct consistent with representing our company on engineering and contractor client job sites
Also Available: SkillBridge Utility Locator Program
Prefer a program focused on utility locating technician skills — EM locating, GPR, field mark-out, and construction site utility clearance? See our SkillBridge Utility Locator program for details on that track.
How to Apply
To apply for the US Utility Potholing SkillBridge SUE Technician program, contact us through our contact form or call (954) 849-2859. Please mention "SkillBridge SUE" in your message and include a brief description of your military background, your separation or retirement timeline, and your interest in the SUE technician career path. We will respond promptly to discuss the program in detail, provide any documentation your command needs for the SkillBridge approval process, and answer your questions about what the internship and career path look like.
We are genuinely committed to supporting veterans' transitions and to building a team that reflects the discipline and values of military service. We look forward to hearing from you.