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Have you ever wondered what goes into the decision-making processes for some of the world’s most impactful industries?
How do farmers decide which changes will help optimize yields and prevent crop disease? How do environmental authorities monitor water resources and determine how much to use across sectors? How does our military secure borders and provide insights that protect people and assets?
Well, most of these decisions and strategies are developed by GIS specialists—professionals who use GIS (geographic information system) data to communicate findings for enhanced insights and operations.
In this guide, we walk you through the ins and outs of this growing field, covering everything from what GIS specialists do to how they use their skills and education to provide value to various industries.
Whether you’re a tech genius or simply have an itch to learn about this fascinating intersection of science and technology, there’s plenty to explore with GIS specialist careers.
GIS Specialists: Who Are They and What Do They Do?
GIS specialists play a pivotal role in managing and leveraging GIS resources, collecting, analyzing, and showcasing geospatial data, to support those in decision-making roles across a variety of industries.
Tasked with helping us make sense of natural processes with data, most often through geospatial maps, GIS specialists work at the cross-section of technology and the natural world.
GIS specialists, like others in the field, use geospatial software like ArcGIS and Python to work their magic. They also tap into technologies like satellite imagery and topographic maps to design a narrative around a set of data.
GIS specialists play a crucial role in making sense of tricky areas like energy, agriculture, resource conservation, and urban development. They help keep things reliable and on track in these often unpredictable fields. That’s why a base level of education and experience is so important for anyone looking to become a GIS specialist.
Beyond data maps, GIS specialists are also responsible for things like:
- Identifying patterns and trends in spatial data
- Developing custom mapping tools
- Managing geospatial data libraries
GIS specialists operate in a diverse range of fields, requiring a broad knowledge base in areas such as telecommunication systems, satellites, marketing, global infrastructure, and even finance.
For instance, they might map soil degradation over time in a specific watershed or map GIS interference in the commercial airspace To excel in these diverse tasks, GIS specialists should cultivate a comprehensive understanding of the GIS-enabled landscape.
A Day in the Life of a GIS Specialist
GIS specialists have dynamic, multifaceted roles, with each day looking a bit different than the one before. However, certain core tasks form the foundation of a GIS specialist’s daily routine, which we cover briefly below.
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Collecting and Managing Spatial Data
GIS specialists are responsible for gathering and verifying different types of spatial data from sources like satellite imagery, GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Systems), and geological surveys. Once collected and verified, GIS specialists organize, clean, and maintain geospatial databases to ensure data integrity and accuracy for up-to-date data analysis.
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Conducting Spatial Analysis
GIS specialists perform techniques like buffer-overlay analysis to identify patterns or relationships within datasets. These analyses help inform decision-making for urban planning, environmental impact assessments, and transportation optimization.
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Creating Digital Maps and Visualizations
Using GIS tools and applied approaches, GIS specialists design maps and other types of visuals that represent geographic data. The visuals help stakeholders interpret complex information in fields like urban planning, resource management, and agricultural production.
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Providing Technical Support and Troubleshooting
GIS specialists provide technical support to teams and clients by troubleshooting software errors, guiding users in data manipulation, and tackling GIS system hiccups. These skills are honed mostly through experience, showcasing specialists technical prowess in the GIS world.
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Developing Custom GIS Solutions
GIS specialists often don their coding hats to write scripts and develop custom tools, most often using programming languages like Python or R. These languages help automate tasks, streamline data processing, and create specialized solutions for specific GIS needs within a project or organization.
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Collaborating with Other Professionals
GIS specialists collaborate with urban planners, environmental scientists, and engineers to analyze spatial data and develop solutions that ensure the integration of geographic information into decision-making processes across various interconnected disciplines.
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Keeping Up with Industry Trends
In the ever-evolving world of GIS, specialists are lifelong learners. They stay on top of new tools and technologies through various channels, including attending GIS workshops, networking on LinkedIn, and diving into university-led research, which can help advance industry insights.
Necessary Skills to Become a GIS Specialist
Succeeding as a GIS specialist requires maintaining a robust catalog of technical, analytical, and communication skills while applying problem-solving abilities to complex processes and project objectives. If this sounds interesting, take a closer look at the skills you’ll need to learn and develop to stay competitive.
As mentioned, you’ll first need to be comfortable with GIS software like ArcGIS and QGIS. It’s not just about using the software; it’s creating visuals, analyzing spatial data, and drawing insights through applied data science. Whether you’re optimizing urban infrastructure for a development project or tracking environmental changes for a climate model, you’ll dive deep into datasets to uncover hidden information.
While not always required, having a base level of coding experience can be beneficial. Knowing programs like Python and R can help you automate tasks, create customized tools, or simply make your GIS projects more efficient. These skills make managing large datasets easier and can help you earn more advanced roles and competitive positions within an organization.
Creativity is another valuable quality for GIS specialists. It facilitates focused skills like cartography and data reporting, which require clear, engaging storytelling using geospatial data.
Whether presenting findings to team members or driving a narrative for investment, GIS specialists play a key role in communicating findings in engaging and creative ways.
Required Education and Professional Experience
Most GIS specialist positions require a bachelor’s degree in geology, environmental science, computer science, urban planning, or related fields, though some entry-level positions have less stringent requirements.
These degrees provide a solid foundation in the GIS landscape, spatial data, and geospatial technologies. Typical coursework includes GIS software, geospatial data management, remote sensing strategies, and spatial analysis techniques. This knowledge base prepares students to become proficient in tools like ArcGIS and QGIS.
Once in the field, it’s crucial to stay current with industry changes and innovations to advance your career. Continued education options include graduate degrees in GIS, geoinformatics, or related fields, focusing on data analysis and research methodologies.
Certifications can also boost career prospects. The Certified GIS Professional (GISP) certification, renewable every five years, is a great way to bolster a GIS skillset and showcase commitment to your professional growth.
GIS Specialist Job Outlook and Salary
The job outlook for GIS specialists is promising, with demand for expertise growing steadily across a variety of sectors. While the overall job growth rate for GIS careers is projected at about 1% through 2030, certain roles, like GIS specialists, are expected to grow more rapidly. According to Zippia, GIS specialist jobs are projected to grow at nearly 9% per year through 2028, with the addition of around 56,000 new jobs.
These projections accord with the growing recognition that GIS is an essential tool for businesses and governments worldwide. Entities increasingly rely on spatial data for decision-making across industries like public health, climate science, agriculture, and urban planning. This trend opens unique opportunities for GIS specialists to bridge their expertise into data science roles.
Salary-wise, GIS specialists are seeing growth. The average salary for a GIS specialist in the US currently tops $65,000, with many professionals having seen salary increases of 10% or more over the past five years.
As with most fields, where you live can influence salary rates. States like California, Texas, and Colorado offer abundant job opportunities and often higher wages for GIS specialists, as these states are home to industries and processes that require GIS services and applications (think energy, mining, and agriculture).
Frequently Asked Questions About GIS Specialist Jobs
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What’s the difference between GIS analysts, specialists, and technicians?
GIS professionals have distinct yet sometimes overlapping roles. GIS analysts focus on analyzing geospatial data and generating insights, while GIS specialists manage and integrate GIS data, create custom project-specific solutions, and ensure data integrity. GIS technicians, on the other hand, primarily handle data collection, cleaning, and maintenance. Still, job descriptions can overlap, and daily tasks may be similar across roles, regardless of job title.
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Do GIS specialists need professional certification?
Professional certifications are not typically required for GIS specialist careers, but they can certainly enhance job prospects and make you more competitive for certain roles. For those interested in gaining a leg up, shoot for certifications in specialty programs like ArcGIS or similar.
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Where do GIS specialists typically work?
GIS specialists work across a span of industries, including government, urban planning, environmental consulting, utilities, agriculture, public health, and even national defense. Their day may be spent in the office or in the field, and sometimes GIS specialist roles are entirely remote.
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Is GIS Specialist considered a good job?
GIS careers are often rewarding, especially for those interested in technology, problem-solving, and geography. These jobs offer a positive outlook, competitive salaries, and opportunities for growth in a variety of sectors, increasing the likelihood that individuals can engage in work that aligns with their interests and values.