GIS Specialist/Assistant Transportation Planner

General Duties

Metro COG’s work, which is largely focused on metropolitan area transportation planning, is a balance of technical planning and stakeholder/public engagement. A successful candidate for the GIS Specialist/Assistant Planner position will take responsibility for the oversight, maintenance, and organization of the agency’s Geographical Information System (GIS) to support Metro COG’s work program. As GIS Specialist, this position is responsible for organizing meetings and coordinating with Metro COG’s GIS Committee which is made up of GIS representatives from all local jurisdictions. This position is responsible for identifying data collection needs and working with other staff and local partners to determine the manner in which to best acquire and analyze the data. This position will also have a transportation and community planning role consisting of conducting technical and planning assistance to implement Metro COG’s community planning, transportation planning, and transit work program elements, under supervision of the Executive Director and other senior staff.

Metro COG’s organizational structure allows for ample growth in presentation skills, document preparation, technical analyses, and public engagement. A successful candidate will have the opportunity to be part of project teams made up of both internal staff and external stakeholders.

General activities include: GIS data management, mapping activities, public interaction, research for special studies, data collection/retrieval, analyses of technical data, computer analysis, committee assignment, and transportation planning efforts. This position may be called upon to assist with compiling the annual Metro Profile and conducting analysis on Performance Measures required by Federal transportation legislation, and will be involved in many other aspects of Metro COG’s work program. This position will be required to perform data analysis and manipulation as well as required to convey the results of such analysis to technical staff as well as members of the public. The individual should also have the ability to verbally and graphically convey information.

Minimum Requirements

A bachelor’s degree in geography or GIS, urban planning, transportation planning, or a related major is the minimum qualification. A minimum of one (1) year of experience in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), community development, urban planning, or transportation planning; including experience with ESRI ArcGIS software and related spatial/data analysis software. Metropolitan and/or regional planning experience is preferred.

An employee in this position is responsible for performing technical and analytical work in GIS. Desirable skills include: a growing understanding of inter-jurisdictional planning principles; strong skills in the use of computer programs including ArcMap and ArcGIS; ArcGIS Online, strong ability to effectively communicate both in writing and orally; a proficiency in basic research and computer techniques; growing competency in addressing community development, environmental, transportation, and transit planning issues; and the desire and ability to coordinate on-line and in-person public engagement methods and committee functions.  An employee should also have the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with engineers, transit directors, planners, public officials, committee members, private organizations, and the general public.