Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) Lead (IT Application Development - Senior Specialist)

Washington Department of Natural Resources; Washington; Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 155,000; Full time

Job summary

The Washington Military Department seeks a GIS Lead to provide strategic and technical leadership in developing, managing, and applying geographic information systems across CFMO. The role reports to the Planning and Program Branch Chief and guides junior GIS staff on complex issues.

The position focuses on architecting and managing the organization’s enterprise geospatial infrastructure, integrating facility data, demographics, and regional assets to improve planning, maintenance, and daily

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in geography, geospatial science, computer science, or related field; six years of GIS experience.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and validate geospatial planning data across federal, state, and multi-jurisdictional boundaries to establish the spatial baseline for facilities and plans.

Skills

Growth Mindset

Service Oriented

Education

Bachelor's degree in geography, geospatial science, computer science, or related field

Tools

ArcGIS Server

ArcGIS Pro

Trimble Pathfinder

Trimble Terrasync

Trimble GPS

Trimble S7

AutoCAD

SQL Server (SSMS)

Azure Storage Explorer

VS Code

Job description

Description

Geospatial Information Systems (GIS)
IT Application Development - Senior/Specialist
Camp Murray, WA

The Washington Military Department's Construction, Facilities, and Management Office (CFMO) is seeking an experienced and motivated GIS Lead to provide strategic and technical leadership in the development, management, and application of geographic information systems. Reporting to the Planning and Program Branch Chief within CFMO, the GIS Lead is a technical subject matter expert for all geospatial and geographic information systems within CFMO. This position works independently on all levels of assignments and provides guidance and leadership to lower-level GIS staff on complex issues.

This position is responsible to architect, manage, and leverage the organization's enterprise geospatial infrastructure such as facility buildings data, demographics, and regional assets into a unified system to improve planning, maintenance, and daily operations.

This is a civilian position and does not require military service affiliation.

About the Washington Military Department

Protecting people is our passion. At the Washington Military Department, we combine our unique talents to create safer communities and ensure our neighbors and loved ones can recover from whatever emergency might arise. Our agency unites civilian employees with members of the Washington National Guard, creating a team that is deeply committed to public service. We go home at night knowing that our day-to-day work supports activities that truly make a difference. Whether that's partnering with our communities to prepare for a disaster, leading an emergency response, hiring top-notch talent or supporting at-risk kids at our Washington Youth ChalleNGe Academy - the Washington Military Department seeks to safeguard our way of life and those that call Washington home.

To learn more about the Washington Military Department, please visit: www.mil.wa.gov

In addition to job fulfillment, the Washington Military Department offers an excellent benefits package which includes exceptional health care coverage, a retirement savings plan and job training opportunities.

Duties

Geospatial Application Management

• Coordinate and validate a wide range of geospatial planning data across complex federal, state, and multi-jurisdictional regional boundaries to establish the definitive spatial baseline for facilities, master plans, and capital investment submissions.
• Architects and standardizes the enterprise UI/UX design, application logic, and deployment frameworks for CFMO secure web-mapping databases; establishes agency-wide layout, appearance, and functionality standards to optimize spatial intelligence delivery across diverse state and federal users.
• Provides definitive spatial intelligence and predictive analysis to drive the 25-year Long Range Master Plans, force structure stationing, and facility consolidation decisions.
• Resolves complex coordinate system and spatial reference mismatches between localized engineering survey grids (CAD) and global geographic coordinate systems (GIS).
• Programs automated synchronization tools to bridge gaps, translate schemas, and reconcile data mismatches between local state systems and federal databases of record.

Master Planning & Facility Analysis

• Creates analysis and decision making for the development of Real Property Development Plans.
• Perform precise site location, suitability analysis, and layout designs for prospective military developments.
• Serves as the principal authority responsible for coordinating and aligning multi-regional state geospatial datasets with rigid federal data structures; engineers advanced cross-network data translation pipelines to ensure seamless interoperability between local, regional, and federal systems of record.
• Conducts spatial-demographic modeling against county and regional population datasets to strategically guide long-range recruiting footprints and readiness center stationing decisions.

Real Property Reconciliation & Data Integrity

• Serves as the primary technical liaison and subject matter expert tasked with cross-agency coordination across federal, state, and diverse municipal/regional entities; confers shared data-sharing agreements, resolves cross-jurisdictional spatial data conflicts, and drives unified geographic master planning standards for statewide military real property.
• Execute systematic reconciliations between GIS layers and federal records to ensure total alignment to include over 200 buildings.

Data Management

• Responsible to drive enterprise-level geospatial strategy and technical consultation for the CFMO, overseeing end-to-end product design, life-cycle application maintenance, and rigorous quality assurance frameworks for integrated GIS and CAD datasets.
• Architects, engineers, and optimizes Common Information Picture (CIP)data model repository, extract translate and load (ETL) toolsets, and analytical reporting systems.
• Governs, evaluates, and updates Federal Geographic Data Committee metadata, Global Positioning System (GPS) data dictionaries, and pertinent information from GPS collection projects to enforce data integrity and compatibility for existing enterprise data schema and format.
• Evaluates, synthesizes, and integrates federal and state statutory regulations into CFMO geospatial operations, serving as the principal authority ensuring programmatic compliance with applicable laws and mandates.

System Administration

• Support CFMO independently and in collaboration with other IT staff to provide specific application and database technical support to ensure availability of applications and geospatial database systems.
• Responsible for planning and scheduling the installation of system updates for associated CFMO CAD, GIS, GPS systems to maintain software operational capability and security in coordination with the IT Department.
• Manage the accounts licensing portal for CFMO CAD, GPS, and remote sensing software systems.
• Plan, test, and implement application configuration changes to support CAD and GPS systems to maintain integration and software versions with agency enterprise geospatial systems.
• Serves as the primary administrator for the CFMO ArcGIS Enterprise portal, managing user licenses, roles, groups, and security permissions.
• Develop and document system administration standard operating procedures for CFMO CAD, GPS, and remote sensing systems.

Qualifications

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

1. Bachelor's degree in geography, geospatial science, computer science, or related field, and
2. Six years of experience in geographic information systems, cartographic principles, coordinating system transformations, and data interoperability or similar toolset, and
3. One year of CAD experience.

Additional experience in geographic information systems, cartographic principles, coordinating system transformations, and data interoperability or similar toolset will substitute year-for-year for the degree requirement.

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES:

• Growth Mindset: Actively demonstrate a commitment to learning and growth.
  • Demonstrated ability to reflect, learn, and adapt behavior to improve individual and organizational effectiveness.
• Service Oriented: Demonstrate a willingness to take action to understand and meet the needs of others.
  • Demonstrated ability to understand and respond to the needs of others, remove barriers, and contribute to equitable responsive service delivery.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Software Knowledge/Experience:

• Arc Server / SDE v10.xx
• Pro v2.3 or higher
• Trimble Pathfinder Office v5.65
• Trimble Terrasync v5.65
• Trimble Geo 7 Series GPS units
• Trimble S7
• High accuracy Global Positioning Systems
• AutoCAD
• SSMS Sequel Server Management Studio-V18+ Visual Studio Code
• SQL Express (ArcDesktop Database Engine)
• Azure Storage Explorer
• One year of data analysis, database design, and/or database programming (advanced queries, stored procedures).

Certifications:

• Microsoft Certified Professional Developer (MCPD)
• Microsoft Certified Information Technology Professional (MCITP).

Skills, abilities, and competencies to:

• Manage and maintain GIS web applications for multiple users.
• Transform dense spatial data into highly scannable, intuitive 2D/3D visualizations.
• Use of technical drawing computer programs such as Visio and AutoCAD.
• Use and development of GIS and map development systems and layering.

Supplemental Information

Compensation: Wage/salary depends on qualifications or rules of promotion.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Background Investigation: Must successfully complete the appropriate background checks required for employment and to obtain/maintain a Department of Defense (DoD) Common Access Card (CAC). Must be willing to sign releases of information and shall not have access to any investigative materials and files. The processing of background checks can take up to six months post-employment. Failure to successfully pass a background check may be cause for termination.

Driver's License:

1. Valid to drive in the State of Washington.
2. Must meet requirements of the REAL ID Act. This is required for base access and will be required upon hire.

Military Facility: Willingness to work on a Military Controlled Access Installation.

Camp Murray utilizes the Defense Biometric Identification System (DBIDS) for entry to the installation. Must meet access requirements / background check which can be found in the Camp Murray Access Requirements Policy (Unified Policy No. 18-01). This includes possession of an Enhanced Driver’s License, or other REAL ID Compliant Identification.

Union: This position is represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE).

Work Hours: The standard work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8 hours a day, or a four-day per week schedule, 10 hours per day, with either Mondays or Fridays off. The actual work hours will be established between the employee and supervisor and will start no earlier than 6:00am and end no later than 6:00pm.

Telework: This position may be eligible for some telework. The incumbent will work with their supervisor to identify an appropriate work schedule and balance between remote and in-person work based on operational need. Reporting to the workstation for work activities and participating in in-person meetings is required.

Emergency Assignment: Upon activation of the State Emergency Operations Center (