Remote Sensing and GIS Specialist

Job Details

Sector(s)

Component Manufacturing and Research & Development; Project Development; Operations & Maintenance

Median Pay

$63,300–$80,100 per year

$30.43–$38.51 per hour

Job Type

Entry to Mid-Level

Typical Entry-Level
Education and Work
Experience
Requirements

Bachelor's degree; little to no experience required

Alternate Titles

Data science specialist, data visualization specialist, and geoscientist.

Brief Job Description

Remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS) specialists build and maintain databases with geographic data, analyze the data with GIS software, and design maps and other tools to visualize the data. 

Education and Training Level Description

Remote sensing and GIS specialists typically need a bachelor's degree in geography, computer science, or a related degree to be hired into an entry-level position. Employers typically look for experience with GIS software, such as QGIS, ESTRI ArcGIS, or other industry-specific software. Employers prefer candidates with additional experience with geoinformatics, environmental science, computer science, data science, or remote sensing. 

Remote sensing and GIS specialists can advance in their careers through additional years of experience and higher levels of education. Remote sensing and GIS specialists may pursue additional computer science or GIS training, a master’s degree, or Ph.D. program in order to perform more complex GIS analysis. GIS specialists can also earn an optional certification as a certified GIS professional through the GIS Certification Institute. This needs to be renewed every 5 years.

Job Profile

GIS are computer-based methods for collecting, managing, analyzing, modeling, and presenting geographic or spatial data. GIS specialists are primarily responsible for providing a variety of GIS support and expertise to create and analyze complex data sets, create maps, evaluate GIS software, and provide technical advice on GIS and mapping to other departments. 

In the marine energy industry, remote sensing and GIS specialists manage geodatabases with information on potential marine energy project locations. Geodatabase information might include global data on temperature gradients, ocean depth, tidal patterns, and other data that helps inform how much energy a marine energy technology could generate and what infrastructure would be needed to build that technology at a specific geographic location. A remote sensing and GIS specialist may use these geodatabases to develop software tools, perform analysis, and create visualizations that identify and show the optimal locations to build certain marine energy technologies.

A large part of a remote sensing and GIS specialist’s job is often creating data visualizations. These visualizations are often maps, charts, or graphs that help others understand the results of their geospatial analysis, such as the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s Marine Energy Atlas. When done well, the visualizations a remote sensing and GIS specialist produces are powerful and simple ways to convey geospatial data.

Remote sensing and GIS specialists typically:

  • Create and modify GIS data sets and develop and implement GIS-based analyses supporting civil engineering, electrical engineering, and survey projects
  • Create deliverables, update attribution, and do quality control tasks to ensure spatial accuracy and validity of interpreted marine geophysical, geologic, and engineering data
  • Utilize public National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management data sets to create maps and graphs using GIS software and data-collection equipment
  • Develop databases that explore renewable energy potential on tribal lands and consolidate data and information on energy conversion technologies, active organization, and projects under development associated with marine energy resources
  • Manage GIS-related tasks in support of marine geohazards, geotechnical, and marine survey projects.

Job Skills

Remote sensing and GIS specialists typically need:

  • Communication skills. Remote sensing and GIS specialists may write reports and research papers. They must be able to present their findings clearly to other scientists and team members as well as clients or professionals who do not have a background in geoscience.
  • Critical-thinking skills. Remote sensing and GIS specialists base their findings on sound observation and careful evaluation of data.
  • Problem-solving skills. Remote sensing and GIS specialists work on complex projects filled with challenges. Evaluating statistical data and other forms of information to make judgments and inform the actions of other workers requires a special ability to perceive and address problems.

More Information, Job Opportunities, etc.

For more information on remote sensing and GIS specialist jobs, see: 

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