The Sr. GIS Application Engineer position acts as a geospatial technology specialist in the GIS team in IT. In this position you support (cloud-based) geospatial applications, spatial data management, Applied Programming Interfaces (API), and web map services. Your services support a large network of GIS practitioners that are leveraging a diverse portfolio of geospatial applications for conservation and preserve management, monitoring solutions across a wide array of scales and geographies.
Areas of Responsibility:
TNC has a robust and active GIS community of approximately 800 GIS professionals, scientists, analysts and data managers. The Sr. GIS Application Engineer position is a geospatial technology specialist as part of the GIS team within IT. Essential Functions include:
- GIS Planning and Project Support: You must be fluent in technical project management for GIS planning and emerging initiatives, applications and maintenance related to API development, software versions and upgrades, GIS analysis and online database management, and web map services. This will be your principal responsibility. This includes familiarity and support for code-base applications on GitHub and other web-based application repositories.
- Technical Implementation: You will be responsible for cloud-based, geospatial system design and implementation of conservation-based solutions according to system requirements following TNC’s methodology and development of best practices. For specialty skills outside your expertise, you should be adept at finding and directing work by other TNC staff, external partners, and vendors.
- Relationship Management: In concert with the IT procurement team, you will be involved with relationship management for multiple vendors to help provide contract oversight, negotiations and renewals. As part of this for certain scalable projects, the position will be responsible for translating basic business requirements into functional requirements for the GIS community.
- Geospatial Innovation: You should have an innovative mindset in areas of technology that includes and goes beyond GIS. The ability to synthesize and execute on meaningful technologies (e.g. AI, Big Data, mobile applications) will be an important component to the success of the position. You will also be asked to analyze changing business and market circumstances, tracking industry trends to evaluate alternatives to stay on the cutting edge of geospatial-based technologies.
RESPONSIBILITIES AND SCOPE
- Support emerging, organization-wide GIS initiatives determined by GIS team and the GIS community at TNC
- Act as final quality assurance analyst to conduct peer reviews and validate programmer analyst work done before their release to production in all phases of the project life cycle
- Develop specific, accurate project plans with realistic estimations
- Provide technical expertise to team members and users to help resolve issues related to online database management, web map services, application configuration, and GIS analyses
- Assist with the development of data standards in compliance with IT best practices
- Attend and conduct training classes to maintain knowledge base of current technology
- Evaluate new GIS and Remote Sensing software platforms based on user community need
- Perform testing and manage test configurations for upgrades and changes
- Maintain communications and online community support infrastructure for all cross-functional GIS staff and partners
- Support TNC monitoring software for ArcGIS “End to End” (mobile device - ArcGIS Online-WAN/Connectivity-ArcGIS Enterprise)
- Support user workflows for ArcGIS Enterprise (Publishing services, Enterprise Geodatabase)
- Manage the ESRI Authorized Entities Program and application and approval process
- Manage Python and R installations and packages
- May negotiate and contract with vendors
- Willing to travel and work flexible hours
Educational Background:
Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems, Computer Science or related field, or equivalent experience
Skills/Experience:
- Experience with the use of Geographic Information Systems (e.g. Esri suite) for desktop, mobile and web workflows
- Experience with designing and maintaining enterprise-scale spatial and relational databases to meet organizational needs
- Experience with creating standardized cartographic map design and spatial data visualization products for static and dynamic web-based map applications
- At least 7 years of experience in Information Technology field including 6 years of recent relevant experience in configuring and managing Esri products (e.g. ArcGIS, Collector, Survey123)
- Experience with relevant scripting and programming languages (e.g. Python, Javascript, HTML, R)
- Experience analyzing complex system-wide technical specifications and interfaces, debugging applications programs, and producing user and technical documentation
- Experience in developing and managing multiple projects
- Experience training individuals and groups
- Experience in spatial data management, including metadata and documentation
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Working knowledge of current trends and practices in relevant discipline(s) and region(s)
- Multi-lingual skills and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience appreciated
- Experience with and knowledge of Amazon Webservices, e.g. EC2, EBS, Aurora, S3 Data Lakes
- Master’s degree preferred
- Well versed in technology best practices, and an ability to adapt them to TNC’s organizational needs and culture
- Intermediate knowledge of at least one of the following: relational database best practices and concepts: Business Analysis, Data Analysis, Data Modeling, Data Standards, Data Quality Management (DQM), Data Cleansing, Data Architecture, DDL, Data Dictionaries, Data Marts, Data Mining, Data Warehouse / Warehousing, Value Chain, Data Sampling, Referential Integrity and data centric tools
- Working knowledge of project management software
- Experience with SQL and in one of the following disciplines: web applications programming, geographical information or spatial information systems, data modeling, PL/SQL, SQL Server, MySQL, PostgreSQL, Microsoft Access, C# or UNIX
- Demonstrated experience interpreting and communicating results to conservation practitioners and Senior Managers
- Experience in a global organization
Compensation/Benefits:
The Nature Conservancy offers competitive compensation, 401k or savings-plan matching for eligible employees, excellent benefits, flexible work policies and a collaborative work environment. We also provide professional development opportunities and promote from within. As a result, you will find a culture that supports and inspires conservation achievement and personal development, both within the workplace and beyond.
Job Function:
Organization Info
Listing Stats
Post Date:
Dec 29 2018
Active Until:
Jan 29 2019
Hiring Organization:
Nature Conservancy
industry:
Nonprofit