Cartography and GIS Specialist

About The Wilderness Society

The Wilderness Society (TWS) is the leading conservation organization working to protect America’s public lands and wild places for the health of communities, wildlife, and climate. Founded in 1935, and now with more than one million members and supporters, The Wilderness Society has led the efforts to permanently protect 111 million acres of wilderness and to ensure the sound management of America’s public lands. TWS addresses the existential threats of climate change, the loss of biodiversity, and deep inequities accessing the benefits of nature. TWS is working to achieve four major results: protecting 30 percent of America’s lands and waters by 2030, transitioning off of fossil-fuel development on public lands to well-sited renewable energy, securing equitable access to public lands and their benefits, and building a critical mass of support for conservation of public lands.

Position overview

The Cartography and GIS Specialist coordinates or leads GIS analysis and cartography as an integral member of TWS’s Cartography and GIS team. This position is part of the Science team yet works collaboratively with staff across all departments to identify opportunities for mapping and spatial data analysis to support our strategic priorities. By contributing technical expertise and analytical rigor to planning, decision making, and communication, this position supports our commitment to making public lands a solution to the climate and extinction crises and ensuring all people benefit equitably from public lands.

This position applies scientific research and novel analysis to deepen the organization’s understanding of conservation priorities, inform science-based recommendations, and bolster our efforts to defend public lands from anti-conservation measures. While this is a technical position, it also requires proven storytelling skills. Candidates should be team-oriented, but confident in the value of their own ideas, contributions, and roles.

This position plays an important role in supporting an inclusive organizational culture that is grounded in trust and accountability to shared goals and outcomes. TWS has made diversity, equity, and inclusion strategic priorities for the organization, and the Cartography and GIS Specialist will integrate these priorities throughout our mapping work. Across our team, we aspire to be campaign oriented, nimble, collaborative, innovative, transparent, and supportive of staff – our greatest asset.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Advance TWS’s highest priority campaigns by analyzing and disseminating spatial data, producing maps, and consulting on strategy
• Conceive, research, design, and produce polished static and interactive maps tailored to a variety of audiences and purposes
• Using GIS tools, perform complex analyses for a variety of audiences and purposes, in a range of print and digital formats
• Identify opportunities where spatial analysis and mapping can advance TWS’s goals, and coordinate mapping needs across regions
• Manage databases and maintain and create detailed spatial data and web maps
• Exercise independent judgment regarding sources and quality of information
• Translate complex issues related to science, land-management planning, and policy into widely accessible maps and other written or visual content for a range of audiences including federal agencies, policymakers, members and supporters, and digital audiences
• Stay informed of and trained on the latest GIS technologies, including web applications and interactive maps
• Help the team by providing your creative energy, ideas, critiques, and opinions on optimizing processes
• Assist others in skill areas as needed
• Perform other duties as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS

Experience & Competencies

The ideal candidate will have all or most of the following:

• At least three years of progressively complex professional experience as a cartographer, GIS analyst, or equivalent
• Strong portfolio demonstrating analytical expertise and mastery of cartographic design principles as they apply to print, interactive, and animated digital formats
• Demonstrated ability to take initiative and manage a variety of complex and important tasks
• Proficiency in ArcGIS or equivalent software or coding languages, including Arc Toolbox, Query Builder, Spatial Analyst, and Model Builder, as well as ArcGIS Online or equivalent interactive web map applications
• Proficiency in Adobe Illustrator, MAPublisher, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe After Effects, ArcGIS Pro, or equivalent as they pertain to map design
• Curiosity about topics covered at TWS, as well as demonstrated willingness and ability to learn new tools and techniques
• Strong organization skills and the ability to prioritize multiple projects under short- and long-term deadlines
• Superior familiarity with research methods, including the use of databases, the internet, governmental catalogs, and other specialized reference materials
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to interpret and clearly communicate scientific analyses to non-scientists orally, visually, and in writing
• Track record working successfully in teams representing a rich mix of talent, backgrounds, and perspectives

This job description is intended to convey information essential to understanding the scope of this position and it is not intended to be an exhaustive list of experience, skills, efforts, duties, responsibilities or working conditions associated with the position.

This position is available for remote work in the following states: AK, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, ID, IL, MD, ME, MT, NC, NM, NV, NY, OH, OR, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WA, WI, and WY. The anticipated starting salary range for this role is $65,000–$75,000, with final amounts varying by location. To apply: Please submit resume, cover letter and link to portfolio or website by October 26th.

The Wilderness Society offers a competitive salary and benefits package, including health, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance; sick and vacation leave; paid parental leave; a sabbatical program; and a retirement plan. TWS is an equal opportunity employer and actively works to ensure fair treatment of our employees and constituents across culture, socioeconomic status, race, marital or family situation, gender, age, ethnicity, religious beliefs, physical ability, veteran status, and sexual orientation.

As an organization, we aspire to being inclusive in the work that we do, and in the kind of organization we are. Internally this means working as a team that listens to different points of view, recognizes the contributions of every employee, and empowers each employee to bring their whole selves to work every day. Externally this means ensuring that public lands are inclusive and welcoming, so that our shared wildlands can help people and nature to thrive. We are committed to equity throughout our work, which we define as our commitment to realizing the promise of our public lands and ensuring that all can share in their universal benefits.

To learn more about our commitment, please see http://wilderness.org/our-commitment-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-wilderness-society