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Geospatial Jobs and Career Center
Main | All Jobs | Post Job | All Resumes | Post ResumeDam Safety GIS Specialist
- Posted: December 17, updated December 20
- Type: Full-Time
- Company: VA DCR / Virginia Tech
- Location: Richmond, VA
Description
The Virginia Department of Conservation & Recreation (DCR), Division of Dam Safety & Floodplain Management (DSFM) is seeking a self-starting team player to serve as a GIS Specialist in support of Simplified Dam Break Inundation Zone Mapping for Low Hazard Dams, quality control of centralized Dam Inventory GIS information for dams of importance to Virginia, data exchange support for contracted Dam Monitoring System and related duties. This position is responsible for preparing raster and vector datasets for input into Dam Break Inundation Zone Modeling software, to streamline and automate GIS processes where strategic, to steward input and output datasets from a systematic statewide perspective, and to work seamlessly with the Dam Safety Engineer/Modeler and other Division staff. Efficient interoperation of all DSFM projects is of paramount importance. This position reports directly to the Division Director of Dam Safety and Floodplain Management or delegate.
Potential candidates must be highly motivated and able to perform work with minimal supervision. We expect candidates to take this opportunity seriously, be engaged by its subject matter and be motivated to always do great work. This position requires the candidate to work as a team with the Dam Safety Engineer/Modeler counterpart to create the inundation mapping and verify the Low Hazard Classification of modeled dams. They must also work closely with key Division staff on other equally important technical initiatives, e.g. Dam Dragnet, DamWatch and the VAFRIS. Candidates must demonstrate the ability to work well as a team member and to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
Applicants must have a 4 year degree in a science or other technical field from an accredited university, and significant work experience with advanced GIS concepts, particularly at the interface of hydrology; advanced GIS work is plus, and strong preference will be given to those who have worked with large and computationally demanding statewide datasets. HEC-HMS, FEMA’s GeoDam-BREACH, and ArcGIS 10 desktop (including the ArcHydro, Spatial Analyst, and 3D Analyst extensions) are the primary software packages to be used, but FLO-2D and other supporting software are likely as well; mastery of the basic MS Office Suite is requisite. To automate processes, we are requiring mid-level Python coding skills in ArcGIS and model builder experience where appropriate, solid SQL knowledge beyond ArcGIS is necessary and learning spatial SQL is expected. Prior experience interfacing with H&H modeling software is preferred.
Candidates must have a valid driver’s license by the start of employment and a safe driving record. The selected candidate will be working out of the Richmond Central Office. A flexible work schedule may be available.
This fulltime salaried position is funding contingent and is expected to last a minimum of one year. Continued employment beyond one year is a possibility based on exceptional job performance and additional funding. State university benefits and holidays are provided. We are not permitted to sponsor, U.S. citizens only.
Hiring Range: $41,000 to $60,000
Please send your resume to amanda.pennington@dcr.virginia.gov
How to Apply
Please send your resume to amanda.pennington@dcr.virginia.gov
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Journal News Removes Interactive Gun Permit Map
The Lower Hudson Journal News has been under fire for publishing a map of gun permit holders in two counties in New York State before Christma. (APB coverage 1, 2, podcast). On Friday January 18 the paper removed the interactive map. Why? Publisher Janet Hasson gave answers in a media statement and in a letter to readers.
In a statement in response to The Poynter Institute (a journalism school) she argued:
With the passage this week of the NYSAFE gun law, which allows permit holders to request their names and addresses be removed from the public record, we decided to remove the gun permit data from lohud.com at 5 pm today. While the new law does not require us to remove the data, we believe that doing so complies with its spirit. For the past four weeks, there has been vigorous debate over our publication of the permit data, which has been viewed nearly 1.2 million times by readers. One of our core missions as a newspaper is to empower our readers with as much information as possible on the critical issues they face, and guns have certainly become a top issue since the massacre in nearby Newtown, Conn. Sharing as much public information as possible provides our readers with the ability to contribute to the discussion, in any way they wish, on how to make their communities safer. We remain committed to our mission of providing the critical public service of championing free speech and open records.
In a letter to readers published on Friday she wrote:
So intense was the opposition to our publication of the names and addresses that legislation passed earlier this week in Albany included a provision allowing permit holders to request confidentiality and imposing a 120-day moratorium on the release of permit holder data.
She goes on to say that during the 27 days the map was online any one interested would have seen it and that the data would eventually be out of date. She also noted that the paper does not endorse the way the state chose to limit availability of the data.
The original map/article still includes a graphic - but it's a snapshot, a raster image, with no interactivity. Says Hasson in the letter to readers:
And we will keep a snapshot of our map — with all its red dots — on our website to remind the community that guns are a fact of life we should never forget.
I continue to applaud the paper for requesting the data via a Freedom on Informat request, mapping it, keeping the map up despite threats and criticism and now responding to state law. I think the paper did a service to the state, to citizens and to journalism.
- via reader Jim and Poynter
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