Regional GIS Field Technicians (full-time contract position)

MassGIS Position Announcement

Regional GIS Field Technicians (full-time contract position)

Start date: Late Fall 2019

Application Deadline: September 27th, 2019

Background MassGIS is presently maintaining and continuing to develop the statewide GIS mapping and data needed to support the Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG911) emergency response system. Some address location mapping can only be completed correctly by people working in the field.

MassGIS seeks a GIS Field Technician. The Technician will work in and must live in the MetroWest region, ideally in a community west of I-495. Applicants for this position must have their own reliable car that can be used to conduct the field work duties described below. The hourly rate is $30; however, the fee (typically about 14%) for the state’s contracting company and job-related automobile expenses are included in that rate. As needed and appropriate, you will also be expected to use your own cell phone to call your MassGIS supervisor.

Duties The work is almost exclusively full-time in the field. In addition to the interview, and if you are hired for this position, at the beginning of the contract period you will be required to travel into Boston to MassGIS’ office for a (paid) day of orientation and training; a second similar trip may be required at some other time. There will also be training in the field.

The field work consists of using a browser-based custom-built application on a tablet computer provided by MassGIS to: 1) find and correct address components such as building name, units, address number suffix, and other location information that contributes to the description of an exact location and, 2) find the correct location of addresses not assigned to a structure and/or point location and, 3) add/link addresses to structure points that lack an address. Work will be conducted one municipality at-a-time. Addresses that need to be resolved along with their respective locations, where it is known, will be downloaded to the tablet application via MassGIS’ web services for the community in which you are working. The application will also display completed address points. Some portion of the work, although not necessarily the majority, will need to be completed on foot even in cold weather. Interaction with the tablet surface is via a stylus, so gloves can be worn while using the tablet. The tablet has a hand strap. When it’s raining or snowing, work may be limited to what can be accomplished from inside a car. While some of this work can be accomplished at home using information available on-line, if the weather is too severe for safe driving then it’s possible the number of hours you can work will be limited. Interaction with municipal officials, including local law enforcement and municipal staff, will be a routine part of the work.

Preferred qualifications

– Bachelor’s degree in geography, planning, environmental science, or similar field

– At least two college classes (semester-long or equivalent) in GIS

– Demonstrable ability to follow direction and to work independently, methodically, and efficiently

– Good verbal communication skills

Ideal Background

– 10 or more weeks of full-time work experience using ArcGIS or an equivalent GIS

– Substantive experience with GIS-related data collection in the field

Knowledge Acquired on the Job

Experience using tablet computers for field work

Experience with the complexities and issues of address data and address assignment

Familiarity with the MassGIS master address data model

Application Instructions: Send a file (in PDF format) with your combined cover letter and resume (using the file naming convention lastname_firstname; e.g. nutting_paul.pdf) to Paul Nutting at paul.nutting@mass.gov