GIS Developer – Gensler Research Institute

At Gensler, we design for people. We leverage our global perspective and local presence to innovate at every scale. We’re not just designers. We’re tinkerers, craftspeople, visionaries, innovators, and thought leaders. Fueled by passion and entrepreneurial spirit, our people bring new ideas to solve the world’s most challenging problems, like designing a more resilient, inclusive, and equitable future for our communities and cities.

Our people-centered, “People First” culture and “One Firm-Firm” motto promotes integrated teams that unite to shape the future of cities.  Gensler’s vision is to “Create a Better World through the Power of Design,” and we do that by our deep commitment to our clients and by fostering a collaborative, diverse, and inclusive environment that enables our people to create impactful solutions together.

Your Role  
 

As a GIS Developer in the Gensler Research Institute, you will work closely with the Institute’s team of research, data, editorial, and design specialists to conceptualize and create GIS-based workflows and tools that help us to turn geospatial datasets into organized data, insights, and applied research tools. This role’s initial focus will be on major strategic initiative shaping the future of cities, with a broad goal to quantify how human experience is influenced by physical, social, and economic environments at the city scale. In addition to working closely with the Institute’s team, you will also work closely with Gensler’s distributed network of GIS, planning, and data practitioners, and our Data Development Team to ensure that tools and processes fully leverage Gensler’s data infrastructure and are built for ongoing evolution and maintenance. Qualified candidates should be collaborative, flexible, self-motivated, quick learners, and have an entrepreneurial spirit.

What You Will Do 

• Develop, maintain, and automate GIS-based workflows to analyze urban data.
• Collect, process, and manage geospatial datasets related to demographics, economy, property, sustainability, and transit for cities worldwide.
• Create compelling maps, visualizations, and dashboards using ESRI products (ArcGIS, ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS Pro, etc.) and other GIS tools.
• Work with Python, SQL, or R to automate geospatial data processing and analysis.
• Perform spatial analysis and create predictive models to support urban research initiatives.
• Integrate various data sources (open-source, proprietary, API-based) into GIS systems for better urban analysis.
• Collaborate with researchers, designers, and urban planners to provide geospatial insights for projects.
• Contribute to the development of reports, presentations, and publications with GIS-based research findings. 
• Manage, process, and analyze spatial data from diverse sources, ensuring data integrity, accuracy, and usability.
• Optimize spatial databases and file geodatabases for enhanced performance and usability.

Your Qualifications 

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in GIS, Geography, Urban Studies, Data Science, Computer Science, or a related field.
• 2+ years of professional experience in GIS development, spatial analysis, or urban data analytics.
• Strong proficiency in ArcGIS (ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Online, ModelBuilder) and other GIS tools.
• Experience with Python (ArcPy, Pandas, Geopandas), SQL, and R for geospatial data processing.
• Familiarity with Google Earth/Maps API, QGIS, and other geospatial tools is a plus.
• Ability to work with large-scale geospatial datasets, APIs, and cloud-based GIS platforms.
• Proficiency in data visualization techniques using tools such as Tableau, Power BI, or Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop).
• Knowledge of spatial statistics, remote sensing, and machine learning for GIS is a plus.
• Strong analytical thinking, problem-solving skills, and the ability to work independently or collaboratively in a team.
• Passion for urban analytics, data-driven decision-making, and city planning.
• Skilled at database management and optimization

Preferred Qualifications 

• Experience working with urban data, such as land use, mobility, housing, and infrastructure.
• Working knowledge of web mapping technologies (Leaflet, Mapbox, GeoJSON, HTML, JavaScript, or D3.js).
• Experience with cloud-based GIS platforms (Google Earth Engine, AWS, or Azure).
• Ability to translate complex data into compelling visual stories and insights.
• Strong experience worki