Senior Geospatial Scientist - Electrical Transmission

SWCA Environmental Consultants is seeking a Lead or Senior Geospatial Scientist - Electrical Transmission to support major transmission projects. This role provides technical leadership and standardization for our Electric Transmission Business Line GIS program. Responsibilities include maintaining and enhancing a complex GIS system and developing forward-looking systems and standards that support electric transmission services such as routing/siting, environmental permitting, and fieldwork.

You will collaborate with a multidisciplinary team, including client services, and natural, cultural, and paleontological resources professionals. The ideal candidate will bring subject matter expertise, advanced GIS skills, strong organizational and project management capabilities, and experience with electric transmission projects and environmental consulting.

This position is available at the following levels, depending on qualifications and experience:

• Lead Geospatial Scientist - Typically requires a minimum of eight (8) years of relevant industry experience and expertise
• Senior Geospatial Scientist - Typically requires a minimum of ten (10) years of relevant industry experience and expertise

Applicants should have at least five (5) years of experience in a GIS Analyst or GIS Lead role, with increasing levels of responsibility.

This full-time, salaried role offers flexible location options and can be performed remotely from anywhere in the U.S. for the right candidate.

• Serve as the primary geospatial point of contact for electric transmission projects internally and externally.
• Collaborate with client services and project managers to develop innovative GIS solutions for electric transmission services.
• Implement automation to streamline GIS workflows, data collection, and reporting.
• Establish and standardize GIS practices across electric transmission projects, including:
  • Suitability modeling and raster-based scoring for routing/siting
  • Mapping standards aligned with client needs
  • Field data collection workflows and applications
• Design and manage complex spatial databases.
• Develop systems for tracking project updates, versioning, and field activities.
• Demonstrate advanced technical proficiency in GIS tools and practices.
• Gain familiarity with client interfaces, expectations, and workflows.
• Act as a technical liaison among clients, stakeholders, and project managers.
• Develop and maintain ArcGIS Online (AGOL) maps, applications, and notebooks for electric transmission projects.
• Advise project managers on GIS strategies and provide updates to interdisciplinary teams.
• Lead large, complex GIS projects with minimal supervision.
• Oversee technical GIS staff supporting a variety of projects.
• Collaborate with GIS Team Leads across SWCA for staffing and work planning.
• Support and uphold data security protocols in line with client and project requirements.
• Anticipate and mitigate risks related to GIS project execution.
• Attend client meetings in person as needed.

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Geography, Biology, Environmental Science, or a related field with a GIS emphasis (or GIS certificate).
• Minimum of eight (8) years of relevant industry experience, including at least five (5) years in a GIS analyst or lead role with increasing responsibility.
• Experience with electric transmission siting.
• Strong background in suitability modeling and raster-based scoring.
• Experience working with complex datasets related to transmission infrastructure.
• Proven ability to manage GIS aspects of a project-from budgeting to final deliverables.
• Proficiency in ArcGIS Pro 3.x with a solid foundation in cartography and map design principles.
• Experience using ArcGIS Online for managing and distributing spatial data.

Preferred Qualification:

• Minimum of ten (10) years of relevant experience, including five (5) years in a GIS analyst or lead role.
• GISP or other professional GIS certification.
• Proficiency in GIS programming languages such as Python, Arcade, HTML, and Java.
• Experience leading multi-disciplinary, multi-faceted programs.
• Experience designing, developing, and administering GIS systems.
• Prior experience managing GIS tasks in environmental consulting, especially for electric transmission siting, environmental permitting, or cultural resource projects.
• Familiarity with analytical models related to natural or cultural resource processes.
• Understanding of agency processes and established relationships with federal land management and regulatory agencies (e.g., BLM, USFS, NPS, BOR, DOE, DOT, FERC, NRCS, USACE, USFWS).

SWCA Environmental Consultants is a growing, 100% employee-owned company that offers a full range of environmental services. Our North Star is to be the best place to work and a leader in sustainability, bringing sound science and creative solutions to global environmental challenges, all while staying true to our commitment to employee ownership.

At SWCA, we live our core values every day: we collaborate as #OneSWCA, we're #AlwaysLearning, we #NeverSettle, and we #GiveBack to our communities.

With offices across the country, we're proud to be one of the largest environmental compliance firms in the U.S. and to rank among Engineering News-Record's Top 200 Environmental Firms.

An employee in this US-based position can expect a salary of $84,040 to $106,754/year as a Lead Geospatial Sciences or $93,126 to $118,111/year Senior Geospatial Scientist. Actual pay within this range may depend on experience, qualifications, geographic location, client requirements where applicable, and other factors permitted by law. Regular-status employees are also eligible for performance bonuses. Candidates are also encouraged to consider SWCA's Total Rewards package, which includes a competitive Benefits package, forward-thinking workplace flexibility, outstanding corporate culture, award-winning career development, and more.

At SWCA, we support our team members in developing their careers to make them leaders in their industry. Our Career Landscape initiative is a process and guide designed to help develop chart rewarding career paths for employees at SWCA. We encourage professional conference attendance, internal and external professional development and training programs, education reimbursement, a Science and Leadership Program, and bonuses for publications meeting certain criteria. All regular status employees are eligible to participate in SWCA medical, dental, vision, employee assistance, wellness, life and disability plans, and are eligible to participate in the SWCA 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan and Trust.

SWCA continues to invest deeply in career development programs, delivering our award-winning Career Landscape support resources to accelerate the growth of our staff. We recognize the valuable skills and experiences our internal team members bring to SWCA's continued success. Qualified internal candidates are encouraged to apply and will be seriously considered for this position. We believe in promoting from within, where possible, providing our existing employees with compelling opportunities to advance their careers.

If you need assistance accessing SWCA's website, completing the online application, or require accommodations at any point during the hiring process due to a disability, please contact us at accommodations@swca.com or call 1-480-581-5378. We're committed to providing an inclusive and supportive experience for all candidates. This contact information is specifically for accommodation requests; other inquiries will not receive a response.

Application deadline: Our team will begin reviewing applications immediately, and interviews will be scheduled with qualified candidates on a rolling basis. The application process will remain open until we have received a robust pool of qualified candidates. Once we have identified suitable individuals, we may close the application process without prior notice. We appreciate the time and effort invested by all applicants and will carefully consider each submission.

EOE - women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and veterans are encouraged to apply. At SWCA Environmental Consultants, we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive work environment. We strongly encourage candidates from all backgrounds, including those with diverse experiences and veterans, to apply. We believe that a diverse and inclusive workforce enhances creativity, innovation, and overall organizational success.

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