GIS Specialist – Service Center Manager and Application Developer

GIS Specialist – Service Center Manager and Application Developer

Description Nelson Intelligence Solutions is seeking a Consulting GIS Specialist – Service Center Manager and Site Supervisor/Application Developer to lead delivery of enterprise geospatial services in support of federal clients. This position provides technical leadership, operational management, and advanced GIS application development for a multi-disciplinary GIS Service Center supporting mission-critical geospatial programs. The successful candidate will oversee staff, manage enterprise GIS infrastructure, and develop custom applications that support data-driven decision-making across water resources, environmental compliance, land management, and infrastructure programs.

*Please note, this is not a traditional full‑time position. It is a deployment‑based, on-call position. Team members must be located near Sacramento, CA.

Primary Responsibilities

Service Center Leadership & Operations

• Manage day-to-day operations of the GIS Service Center, including workload planning, staffing, scheduling, and performance oversight
• Supervise GIS specialists, developers, and technicians; assign tasks and monitor production quality, schedule adherence, and deliverable completeness
• Provide administrative oversight including coordination of staffing, training, travel, and resource planning
• Ensure compliance with client policies, standards, security requirements, and enterprise GIS governance
• Prepare and deliver status reports, management reports, and performance metrics to stakeholders

Enterprise GIS & Systems Management

• Oversee administration and maintenance of enterprise GIS systems, including ArcGIS Enterprise, cloud environments, and geospatial databases
• Ensure system availability, performance, security, backup, and disaster recovery
• Coordinate with IT teams on system architecture, upgrades, configurations, and integration
• Maintain integrity, accessibility, and lifecycle management of enterprise geospatial data

Application Development & Technical Delivery

• Lead design and development of custom GIS applications, tools, and workflows using ESRI technologies and modern programming frameworks
• Develop web-based GIS solutions, dashboards, and data services using platforms such as ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Enterprise
• Build automation tools and analytical models to support geospatial workflows and decision-making
• Integrate GIS with external systems, environmental models, and enterprise data platforms

Geospatial Analysis & Program Support

• Provide advanced geospatial analysis, modeling, and visualization to support programs such as:

• • Water resource management and modeling
  • Land use and land ownership analysis
  • Environmental compliance (e.g., ESA, NEPA)
  • Emergency response and flood inundation mapping

• Support development of maps, reports, dashboards, and analytical products

Client Support, Training & Collaboration

• Serve as primary point of contact for GIS technical support and user engagement
• Provide help desk support and troubleshooting for GIS applications and systems
• Develop and deliver training for end users on GIS tools, workflows, and data management
• Collaborate with planners, engineers, scientists, and IT staff to deliver integrated solutions

Strategic Planning & Innovation

• Evaluate emerging geospatial technologies and recommend enhancements to improve service delivery
• Forecast workload, staffing needs, and infrastructure requirements
• Support continuous improvement of GIS services, workflows, and enterprise capabilities

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in GIS, Geography, Computer Science, Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience)
• 8+ years of progressive GIS experience, including enterprise GIS and application development
• 3+ years of experience in a supervisory or team leadership role
• ESRI platform expertise (ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Enterprise, ArcGIS Online)
• Programming experience in one or more of:
• • Python
  • JavaScript (APIs, web mapping)
  • C#, .NET, or similar
• Experience with:
• • Geospatial database design and management (e.g., SQL Server, ArcSDE)
  • Web GIS development and deployment
  • Cloud or hybrid GIS architectures
  • Data automation and geoprocessing workflows

• Leadership and team management
• Strategic thinking and problem-solving
• Technical depth in GIS systems and development
• Strong communication and stakeholder coordination
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to obtain and maintain federal security clearance (e.g., NAC/NACI)
• Occasional travel for client meetings, training, or field coordination

• Preferred Qualifications
• Experience supporting federal clients or large-scale geospatial programs
• Knowledge of water resources, environmental science, or land management applications
• Familiarity with remote sensing, GPS data collection, and modeling tools (e.g., hydrologic models)
• Experience integrating GIS with external systems or enterprise applications
• Relevant GIS certifications (e.g., GISP) or ESRI technical certifications
• Must have a valid driver's license, good driving record and ability to pass a driving record background check.

Company

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: The projected range for this position is $45 to $65 hourly. Depending upon other factors, i.e., skills, experience, location, market conditions, the range may vary slightly. These ranges are for CA only.

Competitive benefits package

• NIS Overview NIS is a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Business with an emphasis on Federal government opportunities in support of the Department of Defense, Intelligence Community and State and local government. NiS is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status.

*At this time, NiS will not sponsor a new applicant for work authorization.

*This position is covered by the McNamara-O'Hara Service Contract Act of 1965 (SCA).

*NiS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, gender identity or sexual orientation.

*Only recipients of an offer of employment from NiS, will be required to submit to a background screening which may include, but is not limited to, employment verification, educational and other credential verification, driving record check, criminal background check, and an investigative consumer report. These screenings will be conducted by NiS background vendor of choice and will be conducted in compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local law.