Part-time/Full-time GIS positions, Whitegold Solutions, Inc.

Part-time/Full-time GIS positions in customer support and operations at San
Rafael based company Whitegold Solutions, Inc. See www.precigeo.com

Whitegold compiles business-actionable data from overhead imagery using
patent-pending geocoding technology, feature extraction and a seasoned team
of trained operators in India. Company's client base includes many Fortune
500 companies.

Wage/Salary negotiable. Ability to work from home.

Contact information is included below:

Jack Zoken
President
Whitegold Solutions, Inc.
43 Fernwood Way
Suite 210
jzoken@whitegoldsolutions.com
San Rafael, CA 94901
415-456-4493

Web-GIS Developer, San Francisco Estuary Institute

Organization: San Francisco Estuary Institute
Title: Web-GIS Developer
Location: Oakland CA
Application Deadline:
Posted: 2008-03-10

Position Description:

Job Announcement
Web-GIS Developer

The San Francisco Estuary Institute, an environmental research non-profit organization located in Oakland, California, is seeking to hire a Web-GIS Developer in its Information Technology group. This person will develop for several of the Institute’s flagship web products, create new products, and help shape the GIS program at the Institute.

For nearly a decade, SFEI has been one of the leading producers of GIS data and analysis related to the San Francisco Bay Area environment, creating award-winning datasets such as the EcoAtlas Historical and Modern Baylands Maps (now adopted by numerous organizations as their regional basemaps), and leading web-GIS products such as the California Wetland Tracker, California rapid wetland assessment software, and Historical Coast Survey Maps website.

Primary duties include
• Working closely with other technical staff to create and maintain web mapping and related applications for the Institute and its clients (based on open source products such as MapServer, OpenLayers, and PostgreSQL; ESRI products such as ArcIMS and ArcSDE; and Google APIs).
• Working with IT and science staff to create compelling information products for a range of audiences
• Staying informed on GIS technologies and strategizing with staff on the most appropriate technologies for our web mapping applications and for meeting other GIS project and Institute goals.
• Providing mentoring and assistance to other GIS staff as appropriate. About eight others at the Institute use GIS software regularly.

Required skills/characteristics
• Three years experience in related work
• Broad skills and experience with web mapping applications and web-GIS technologies such as MapServer, OpenLayers, ArcIMS, and Google Maps/Earth APIs. The Institute is currently embarked on several exciting web-GIS projects related to wetlands restoration and contaminant monitoring in the Bay.
• Skills and experience with linking spatial data to web applications using relational database technologies such as ArcSDE and PostgreSQL/PostGIS. The ability to administer relational database systems is a plus.
• Strong skills in Javascript for web mapping applications
• Advanced understanding of spatial data formats, tools, and concepts.
• Skills in PHP and/or Java as applied to application-database communication very advantageous.
• Experience with application development for mobile platforms very advantageous.
• Organization and attention to detail are critical. Typically, several projects are in progress simultaneously.
• Strong oral and written communication skills are highly advantageous. This position works routinely with Institute scientists, staff and clients, and may be called on to write technical project documentation, specifications, and/or work plans. Ability to make engaging presentations to internal or external audiences is advantageous.
• Optional but desirable skills include graphics applications (Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, etc.); and interface design.

Additional information
SFEI offers an enjoyable workplace, earns excellent employee retention, and provides the candidate the opportunity to play a key role in the Institute’s mission to use scientific understanding to protect and enhance the San Francisco Bay environment.

For more background on SFEI, visit http://www.sfei.org.

Salary based on experience and skills. A comprehensive benefits package is included.

To apply, please e-mail a cover letter and your résumé to gisresumes@sfei.org.

Cartographic Aide (Short Term),San Francisco, CA USA

Position Detail

Organization: The Nature Conservancy
Title: Cartographic Aide (Short Term)
Location: San Francisco, CA USA
Application Deadline: 2008-03-07
Posted: 2008-02-29

Position Description:

The Cartographic Aide works with a GIS manager and directly with GIS specialists, ecologists and planners to design and produce publication quality maps in support of nature conservation in California. This position will manage and maintain a digital map library for internal and external patrons, so strong organizational skills are a must. The candidate should have strong ArcMap and cartographic design skills with an eye for detail.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:
• Associate’s degree in natural resources, environmental studies or equivalent combination of education and 6 months of experience.
• Bachelor’s degree in geoscience-related field and six months to 1 year related experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience preferred.
• Experience utilizing ESRI (ArcMap) software and data to create maps.
• Experience with relational databases.
• Completing tasks independently within assigned timeframes.
• Working knowledge of common software applications (e.g.; Word, Excel, Web browsers).
• Communicating clearly via written, spoken, and graphical means in English and other relevant languages.

The Nature Conservancy is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

To apply, please email cover letter and resume to resumes@tnc.org and reference in the subject line of your email Jobcode 850001.

Entry Level Comprehensive/GIS Planner, Berkeley, CA

Organization: Design, Community & Environment
Title: Entry Level Comprehensive/GIS Planner
Location: Berkeley, CA
Application Deadline:
Posted: 2008-02-08

Position Description:

Entry Level Comprehensive/GIS Planner

Design, Community & Environment, a comprehensive planning, urban design, and landscape architecture firm in North Berkeley, is looking for entry level comprehensive and GIS planners with 1 to 3 years of professional experience. The ideal candidate for this position possesses both strong comprehensive planning skills and specific expertise and capability in Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

With a staff of about 45, DC&E serves cities and counties throughout California. DC&E's comprehensive planning work includes General Plans, California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) documentation, transportation planning, and community involvement. Position responsibilities include:

• Research and writing of General Plan, environmental, and transportation planning document sections as directed by management staff
• Production of graphic diagrams for DC&E projects
• GIS data acquisition and management, development of GIS analytical methodologies, assessment of appropriate GIS applications for specific projects, production of GIS deliverables including analyses and cartographic presentations, and technical assistance on GIS to fellow DC&E staff and clients.

Salary is commensurate with experience and level of ability. We offer a competitive salary, generous benefits and a casual work environment. Please take a look at our website www.dceplanning.com to find out more about the work we do.

Please email your resume, and your salary requirements and/or history and a minimum of two work samples as PDF attachments to Ian Moore, Senior Associate (ianm@dceplanning.com) or fax to (510) 848-4315 [Work samples must include both professional writing and GIS work products for which the applicant is principally responsible.] DC&E is an equal opportunity employer.

GIS Jobs at GIS Data Resources, Inc.

Organization: GIS Data Resources, Inc.
Title: GIS Technician / Analyst
Location: Marin County, USA
Application Deadline:
Posted: 2008-01-30

Position Description:

GIS Data Resources, Inc., a world leader within the GIS data industry, is seeking as many as three GIS positions for our Northern California office.

Duties - Perform GIS mapping and analysis tasks in support of creating, maintaining, and improving data sets for public safety, utility and real estate customers.

Responsibilities include compiling and synthesizing geographic data into a GIS database; database design; quality assurance; developing attribute data for all type of industry formats; maintaining and updating GIS databases as new data is collected; preparing, modifying and updating data sets using different GIS software (including ArcView 3x, ArcGIS, MapInfo, etc.) and other digital media. This position requires great attention to detail, excellent communication skills, the ability to work well both in team settings and independently.

Required Experience/Skills – The Technician position requires a minimum of 2 years hands-on experience with ArcGIS 8/9x; Knowledge/experience with data conversion using Access and/or Excel.

Desired Experience/Skills - Ideal candidate will have one or more of the following:
1) Experience with building and maintaining street/cadastral data.
2) Geodatabase design using ArcSDE and desktop, intranet and/or internet application programming experience with Access, Javascript, Visual Basic, Access, SQL Server/ Oracle
3) Working knowledge of SQL in an enterprise RDBMS environment to query databases and perform simple database administration tasks.
4) Experience with MapInfo, AutoCad, or Microstation.
Education - Successful candidates will have a BS in geography or related field.

This position is full-time, with compensation commensurate with experience and attitude, and with full benefits paid by the company. The candidate must be able to show proof of US citizenship. An application to one position covers all three openings.

Please send resume to:

GDR
GIS Data Resources, Inc.
Attn: Regina Lo, Executive Assistant
8 Digital Drive, Suite 200
Novato, CA 94949

Toll Free: 888.654.4GDR (4437)
Fax: 415.884.4407

Email: Regina.Lo@GDR.com
Website: www.GDR.com

BAAMA 2008 Scholarship

REMINDER: Deadline for BAAMA's 2008 Scholarship is February 15th!

Tell your students!! The deadline for the BAAMA 2008 Scholarship is February 15th! Every year, BAAMA hosts its Educational Scholarship competition for Bay Area students doing projects in GIS , remote sensing, and other geospatial technologies. Winners will receive $2,500 (1st place), $1,500 (2nd place), and $1,000 (3rd place)! Apply now! Flier is attached for added publicity - tell your students!

Thanks,
Karin

Karin Tuxen-Bettman
BAAMA Board Member
Geospatial Imaging & Informatics Facility (GIIF)
College of Natural Resources
University of California, Berkeley
137 Mulford Hall #3114
Berkeley, CA 94720-3114
(510) 643-4539
karin@nature.berkeley.edu

A Mapping Quest: New Internet program Winemap.org could change the way growers, tasters view the county

By KEVIN McCALLUM
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

A Windsor map company is on a quest to create some of the most detailed views ever of the landscape that produces some of the finest wines in the nation.

Teaming with vineyard owners around Sonoma County, The Map Store on Thursday unveiled a powerful new Internet mapping tool it hopes will revolutionize the way people share information about the local wine industry.

"No other wine region in the world has anything like this," said Jordan Thomas, project manager for The Map Store.

Hundreds of grape growers got their first peek at the project Thursday at the Sonoma County Wine Grape Commission's Dollars and $ense trade show at the Wells Fargo Center for the Arts.

The commission is helping fund the development of the Web site, winemap.org. The online maps will help growers market their grapes while making it easier for wine drinkers to learn more about the origins of the grapes that went into their favorite vintages.

What makes the Web-based tool unique is that grape growers are being asked to upload information about their farming operations to help make the maps the most detailed ever produced.

"These maps will only be as good as the information you put into them," Nick Frey, president of the commission, told members.

For growers, the key benefit of the maps will be to help them market their grapes, Frey said. Growers will be able to submit detailed information about their vineyard operations, including acreage, slope, varietals and type of vine clones planted. When growers find themselves looking for buyers for their grapes, the hope is the maps will create an exciting virtual grape marketplace.

Susan Lentz, a grower in the Dry Creek Valley, said she plans to enter as much information as she can about her 35 acres of grapes, some of which she's had difficulty selling in recent years.

Her hillside cabernet sauvignon, merlot and sangiovese have done fine, but her merlot and syrah on the valley floor have had a tougher time, she said.

"I'm hoping that this will help make information about my vineyards more widely available," she said.

Even though the site is in the testing phase, Frey said he is certain growers will be pleased with the results.

"The growers in the county are going to benefit greatly from this," Frey said.

He declined to specify how much the commission contributed to the development of the project, but said it was less than 10 percent of the total cost. The Map Store is bearing the majority of the development costs, he said.

But those costs are far lower than they would have been without the voluntary participation of growers, Thomas said.

Since 1997, The Map Store has created a popular series of maps of various grape-growing areas of Sonoma County, largely by gathering information in public records.

In 2004, the store created an online database of the information behind the maps. At that point, Thomas realized the potential to greatly expand the database and find inventive ways to present the information.

Key to that expansion is partnering with the grape growers, whose knowledge of the land is unsurpassed, Thomas said.

"When the vineyard owner goes there to map out his land, they know up to the minute what is going on," Thomas said.

Other organizations have put together lists of vineyards and wineries, and some have even put them online. But none have integrated the information with a powerful, searchable online map program in the way winemap.org has, Thomas said.

"My theory was, because it's possible, someone will do it, and if anyone was going to do it, I wanted to be the one to do it," said Thomas, 25.

For Thomas, a cartographer by training, it was completely natural to present information about the wine industry in map form.

"Because wine is so influenced by its geography, maps seem like the perfect way to present additional information about wine and vineyards," he said.

It also makes good business sense for The Map Store. The company is owned by a Cloverdale engineering firm, DobleThomas & Associates, that does a lot of work in the industry.

The company hasn't quite figured out how to monetize its investment in the map tool, but will likely sell advertising on the site someday, he said.

But even if the site isn't self-sufficient, DobleThomas hopes the goodwill it forms with grape growers reaps additional rewards.

"They definitely see a benefit from having good relations with the vineyard community," Thomas said.

You can reach Staff Writer Kevin McCallum at 521-5207 or kevin.mccallum

@pressdemocrat.com.

Last changed: Jan 25, 2008 © The Press Democrat. For copyright information view our User Agreement

NASA’s DEVELOP Summer 2008

November 26, 2007

Dr. Matthew Clark
Sonoma State University

Dear Dr. Clark,

We are pleased to announce NASA’s DEVELOP Summer 2008
Internship Program for undergraduate and graduate students
with an interest in Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
or Remote Sensing. This is a paid 10-week internship
program located at NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain
View, California that begins June 9, 2008 (for semester
system) or June 16 (for quarter system).

DEVELOP is a NASA Science Mission Directorate Applied
Sciences Program that fosters human capital development to
extend science research to local communities. Student
teams research NASA science capabilities relevant to
community concerns, create and complete projects using
remote sensing and GIS techniques, and create advanced
computer generated visualizations demonstrating research
results. The activities are student-led, with mentors from
NASA and partner organizations.

A stipend will be provided for selected students. Housing
for students coming from outside the area will be provided
and is located near the DEVELOP facilities, with
accessible public transportation. The Program also covers
per diem and other travel costs for fieldwork conducted
during the Program.

Attached is a flyer to post in your department (note:
please be sure the “Scale to fit paper” box is checked in
the printer dialog). Applications must be postmarked by
February 4, 2008. Telephone interviews will be conducted
shortly after applications are received. Students selected
for a summer 2007 DEVELOP internship will be notified by
March 15, 2007.

For further information on the DEVELOP Internship Program
at NASA Ames Research Center, please access the National
Program website at: http://develop.larc.nasa.gov. Please
don’t hesitate to phone or email me for more information
or clarification.

Sincerely,

Cindy Schmidt
DEVELOP Program Coordinator
Tel: (650) 604-0021
Email: Cynthia.L.Schmidt@nasa.gov

Personalize Google Maps

Here is a video that shows you how to easily create and share personalized, annotated maps in Google Maps. You can also load your custom maps in Google Earth.

http://maps.google.com/help/maps/mymaps/create.html

Here is an example of a custom map of the San Francisco Bay oil spill.


View Larger Map

Flight Patterns

Data from the U.S. Federal aviation administration is used to create animations of flight traffic patterns and density. The Flight Patterns visualizations are the result of experiments leading to the project Celestial Mechanics by Scott Hessels and Gabriel Dunne. FAA data was parsed and plotted using the Processing programming environment. The frames were composited with Adobe After Effects and/or Maya.

This was not done with ArcGIS, but it is a great example of geospatial data visualization!

Better resolution and other movies at:
http://www.aaronkoblin.com/work/faa/

Obama for America GIS Intern

Posted Nov. 6, 2007

The Northern California HQ of the Barack Obama camapaign for President
is looking for some hardworking, dedicated GIS interns. Mapping plays
a very important role in our volunteer field operation (and more) so
we can use all the good help we can get. No money, lots of
responsibility and all of the intensity that a great presidential
campaign can offer. ArcGIS skills needed. Please contact Patrick
DeTemple, Obama for America California Data and Systems Manager.

Contact Information:

Address:


436 14th St. suite 305
Oakland CA 94216

Contact:


Patrick

Phone: 510-268-1008

Email: pdetemple@barackobama.com

Technology Reveals New Worlds to Map

August 12, 2007
Fresh Starts
Technology Reveals New Worlds to Map
By BARBARA WHITAKER
MORE than a decade ago, when Michelle Boivin told her father she had decided to major in geography, he was not impressed. “What are you going to do with a geography degree?” she recalled him saying. “All you can do with geography is teach.”

Ms. Boivin proved her father wrong. She started her career in Charlotte, N.C., working with the city’s transportation department, tracking growth and helping to decide where to place new roads. Then, in Orange County in California, she used her skills with the fire authority to coordinate efforts of regional fire departments.

In her current job, Ms. Boivin, 30, does do some teaching, but not at a school. As a geographic information systems analyst with Technology Associates, she works with the military to gather and assess data to help manage military facilities on the West Coast, including Camp Pendleton in California, where she is based. At times she also teaches marines and contractors how to use mapping technology.

Where maps were once confined to paper and ink, G.I.S., or geographic information systems, now use computers and software to link maps and databases. The programs have many uses.

For example, a military base might use G.I.S. to layer information about flight zones, firing ranges and utility lines on a map when deciding where to put a new building, Ms. Boivin said.

Consider the days when the police used push pins to show where a murder had occurred. Today, that information is held on a computerized map that can easily be combined with other data and sent to officers and agencies.

Many jobs are with the government, but technological advances have also helped drive private-sector jobs. The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists G.I.S.-related jobs as among the fastest-growing new or emerging fields.

More companies see the value of G.I.S. services, and there are not enough people to fill all the available jobs, said Richard Serby, a founder of GeoSearch, which recruits people for jobs in mapping sciences.

There are jobs for entry-level technicians who input data, programmers who create ways to process it, analysts who make sense of it, and project managers who set goals and oversee work. Scott A. Grams, executive director of the G.I.S. Certification Institute in Park Ridge, Ill., says salaries have jumped in the last four to five years as the number and types of jobs have grown.

A 2006 survey by the group shows annual salaries starting at about $38,000 for a G.I.S. technician and rising to about $85,000 for a director. G.I.S. analysts make an average of about $50,000; those who work on contract average nearly $100,000, the survey found. But these are only reference points; experience and level of training are also factors.

The field is unregulated, Mr. Grams said, and the institute has created a voluntary accreditation program that establishes minimum criteria.

While several colleges have degree programs in G.I.S. professions, many people receive training on the job. Rob Glazier, a G.I.S. manager at the Walgreen Company in Deerfield, Ill., has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and went on to seek a master’s in physical therapy, but then became interested in market research. While on the job with a health care company, he learned to use mapping software.

In 2005, he joined Walgreen as a G.I.S. manager and has been promoted to lead a team that focuses on health care. Among its responsibilities is analyzing data geographically to see where the company should put pharmacies in clinics. “G.I.S. is our primary tool for analyzing complicated business questions,” he said. “If there’s a geographic component to information, we can pull it out.”

Two other people are on his team. One, a medical geographer, has a master’s in G.I.S. The other has a background in strategic planning, and learned G.I.S. skills on the job. “I look for problem solvers,” Mr. Glazier said, “people who have creative ways of answering questions.”

Looking to put skills to work for the greater good, a group of professionals started the G.I.S. Corps, which is much like a Peace Corps for mapping professionals. Shoreh Elhami, a co-founder, says some projects take workers far from home, while other projects can be done from a volunteer’s living room.

THE corps is working with the American Association for the Advancement of Science, which wanted five volunteers to help track accounts of atrocities in Darfur. Working from home, the volunteers use computers to mine databases and look for accounts of attacks, which are then mapped electronically.

One volunteer will leave soon for Afghanistan to work with Engineers Without Borders International, which requested a professional to train about 30 faculty members at Kabul Polytechnic University in G.I.S.

While she lived in Charlotte, Ms. Boivin volunteered in the gulf coast states after Hurricane Katrina, providing maps to groups like the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Red Cross.

“This was something I always had dreamed of doing,” she said. “I loved it.” And she proved again that her geography skills could take her far beyond the university.

Fresh Starts is a monthly column about emerging jobs and job trends.

November 14, 2007 is GIS Day

November 14, 2007 is GIS Day. The Santa Rosa ArcGIS Users Group is sponsoring an event in this area. This event will have a map gallery, presentations, and demonstrations. We would be interested in having student projects or projects you might have worked on being displayed/presented during this event.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kevin Lacefield, GIS Programmer Analyst
County of Sonoma
Information Systems Department - GIS Central
klacefie@sonoma-county.org
phone: (707) 565-2109