GIS Analyst - Natural Resources

Parks & Recreation 

Natural Resources GIS Analyst

Posting Expires: November 14, 2024

Salary: $60,000/annually 

Summary
The City of Atlanta Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) is seeking a highly skilled GIS Analyst to   join our dynamic team within the Office of Natural Resources. The successful candidate will play a key role leading GIS projects and activities associated with the City in a Forest: Protecting Atlanta’s Legacy project, which will create Atlanta’s first comprehensive Urban Forest Master Plan. The position is supported by a 5-year Urban and Community Forestry grant funded by the Inflation Reduction Act – USDA Forest Service and is focused on work in disadvantaged areas of Atlanta, as defined by the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST).

The successful candidate will have demonstrated geospatial technology expertise, including skill with field data collection, ESRI software, and current ArcGIS mapping applications and tools for creating maps and maintaining GIS records, database design, and spatial analytics; as well as the ability to create and integrate GIS applications that yields accessible information for end-users. Field data collection is a primary responsibility of this position. Field data collection will take place in natural areas throughout the City of Atlanta, including collecting data in parks and natural areas in disadvantaged areas of the city to document natural area boundaries, ecosystem boundaries, forest quality, trail conditions, invasive plant pressure, safety hazards, illegal dumping, and signage.

Essential duties and responsibilities in this position will include compiling available information from City departments and external partners into ESRI ArcGIS Databases.  The successful candidate will also support the establishment of a complete street tree inventory, creation of extensive natural area assessments, and greenspace accessibility assessments within disadvantaged areas of the city to characterize Atlanta’s urban forest.

Findings will inform City decision makers about how to best maintain existing natural areas and prioritize forested land acquisitions to meet parks acreage and tree canopy goals. Assessments will also inform maintenance and restoration priorities, preservation of highest value forests, and trail planning and design. The work of the Natural Resources GIS Analyst will also facilitate expansion of high-quality natural areas. Information from the completed assessments will support Atlanta’s comprehensive Urban Forest Master Plan.

Supervision Received
Reports to the Natural Resources GIS Coordinator in the Office of Natural Resources with guidance from other offices in the Department. Will collaborate closely with other City Departments engaged in conducting the Urban Forest Master Plan, including the Department of City Planning. May work independently or with other skilled or semi-skilled workers with responsibility for completion of assigned tasks.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities These are typical responsibilities for this position and should not be construed as exclusive or all inclusive. May perform other duties as assigned.

• Collaborate with another Natural Resources GIS Analyst to collect field data within parks and public natural areas using a tablet or cell phone, GNSS Receiver, and ESRI or other third-party applications. 
• Perform data munging and cleaning to convert data into its desired form. 
• Analyze spatial data using mapping software to discover patterns and trends.
• Coordinate cross-departmental collaborative meetings and planning sessions related to existing and potential plans and projects. 
• Maintain GIS resources to keep DPR inventory data updated and current, including preparing a comprehensive GIS inventory update for annual submittal to the Trust for Public Land and the National Recreation and Parks Association.
• Update street tree inventory, trail, signage, and natural area GIS data as needed.
• Work with Natural Resources GIS Coordinator to compile a list of unnamed streams in public natural areas.
• Map trails in the field in public natural areas, measuring trail width and trail grade using clinometer and one-foot contour data. Record trail surface type, hazards, obstacles, and other related notes.
• Identify unofficial trails with communities and assign trail difficulty level to mapped trails.
• Map natural area boundaries in parks and public natural areas.
• Assess threats to natural areas on public property including, but not limited to, invasive plant pressure, erosion, trash, safety hazards, etc.
• Contribute to a native plant inventory for public natural areas by inputting da