Department of Human Resources
OPSEU Job Description
Job Title:
Job Number:
NOC:
Band:
Department:
Supervisor Title:
Cartographic/Photographic Technician
SS-010
4012
7
Science
Associate Dean, Science
Last Reviewed:
January 2, 2001
Job Purpose
Provides graphic, cartographic and photographic services, assistance and advice to science
faculty, staff, and students taking science courses.
Key Activities
1. Provides graphic, cartographic and photographic services to the members of the science
departments by producing finished, print ready artwork, graphics, maps and
photographs for inclusion in various departmental publications and research papers.
2. Demonstrates cartographic and graphic concepts and software to students in a 2nd year
geography course (GO211) by guiding them through examples, advising them on how
best to approach a specific problem, how to avoid common problems and
troubleshooting some of the more unusual and unexpected problems that tend to arise
with some of the more complex software.
3. Instructs members of the science departments in areas that coincide or overlap with
field of expertise by advising them and/or demonstrating equipment and techniques.
4. Maintains a current and up to date knowledge in fields of expertise to keep abreast of
new techniques and technology while also expanding capabilities in associated fields.
5. Maintains the geography department photographic equipment, performing such low
level maintenance and repairs as may be required. Evaluates prospective photographic
and cartographic equipment and software purchases and makes recommendations as to
which should be purchased. Maintains a stock of photographic and cartographic
supplies, deciding on what needs to be purchased and from which supplier it is
purchased.
6. Keeps records and reports monthly on jobs done and time spent on such jobs to the
Associate Dean (Science) Office for cost- recovery purposes.
Analytical Reasoning
Job Number: SS-010
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Last updated: May 20, 2009
Indicate degree of complexity or difficulty of thinking and reasoning required by the job. Provide a
relevant work example that is typical of roles and responsibilities of the job (i.e. not an occasional duty).
Decision Making
Indicate the degree of freedom to exercise initiative or act independently in making day- to-day decisions.
Provide a relevant work example that is typical of roles and responsibilities of the job (i.e. not an
occasional duty).
Impact
Indicate the impact or consequence to the department or University of typical actions or decisions taken by
the job incumbent. Provide a relevant work example that is typical of roles and responsibilities of the job
(i.e. not an occasional duty).
Education
Honours University Degree (4 year) in a related discipline.
Experience Required
Two to four years’ related experience.
Responsibility for the Work of Others
Indicate whether the incumbent is directly or indirectly responsible for the work of others. Provide the title
of the position(s) as well as an example of how the incumbent is responsible for the work of others on a
daily basis. Specifically, indicate whether the position has responsibility for hiring and supervision of
student workers.
Direct Responsibility
N/A
Indirect Responsibility
N/A
Communication
Internal:
 Associate Dean (Science), discuss general aspects of work.
 Science Faculty, to discuss specifications of job requests and assess progress
 Geography Department Chair, discuss major purchases and recommend specific types or
suppliers
 Department Secretary, daily work related information and to receive messages from
other department members
 Students, instruction and assistance with technical matters, trouble shooting
 Other Technicians, very specific technical assistance and information
Job Number: SS-010
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Last updated: May 20, 2009

Suppliers, information on pricing and new products
External:
 Geography Teachers at various schools across Ontario, information re: Trent University
map making competition
 Ministry of Natural Resources, information regarding maps, graphics equipment, digital
imaging
 Various school representatives, information on equipment loans or use
 Various publishers and equipment suppliers, regarding donations for the map making
contest
Motor/ Sensory Skills
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
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Fine motor skills, dexterity, coordination - Manual drawing of maps and graphs,
Digitizing map information, Photography, Darkroom work - printing and enlarging,
Computer graphics, word processing
Smell - Identification of phytochemicals
Visual - Critical focussing on photography, Colour differentiation and matching in
graphic work, Colour balance in photographic results, accuracy of rendition, Usability of
phytochemicals based on colour of solutions, Line weight matching in manual and
computer assisted drawing and cartography
Effort
Mental:
 Sustained Concentration, Sensory effort seeing - Digitizing map information - an error
here can be incredibly difficult to undo later if overlooked, Preparing graphs and charts
for publication - must be checked against original data for accuracy
 Sustained Concentration, Seeing - Creation of maps, charts, artwork to a specific size in
preparation for photographic reduction and reproduction, measurement of maps or
map features for calculations of area and scale, focusing cameras and enlargers, optical
surveying equipment, assisting and advising students during lab exercises, especially
when confronted with unforeseen errors and problems, instructing students and faculty
(outside of lab exercises) on the operations of specific equipment or processes
Physical:
 Walking, bending, standing - Required during lab demos
 Lifting, carrying, walking - Moving equipment to locations in preparation for labs and
displays
 Repetitive hand/wrist movements - Required of any computer work
Working Conditions
Physical:
 Temperature - Erratic heating/air conditioning
 Dust - Air quality is poor, a lot of dust due to type of construction of the work location
building.
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
Work space - Cramped work space
Psychological:
 Frustrated people - Responding to frustrated students when computer systems fail to
perform as specified (or crash)
 Interruptions - Interruptions/conflicting work priorities
 Multiple competing demands - Multiple competing demands particularly during
fall/winter (GO 211)
Job Description Approved by Human Resources (as per Article 17.1):
Name (print):
Signature:
Date:
Signatures - indicating that the job description has been read and understood:
Incumbent
Name (print):
Signature:
Date:
Immediate Supervisor:
Name (print):
Signature:
Date:
Department Head/ Dean:
Name (print):
Signature:
Date:
Job Number: SS-010
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Last updated: May 20, 2009