DEPARTMENT SUMMARY:
The American Red Cross (ARC) International Services Department (ISD) seeks to prevent and alleviate human suffering around the world by responding to disasters, building safer, more resilient communities, and educating future humanitarians. The American Red Cross continues to deepen and expand its international programming while also working to strengthen the global Red Cross Red Crescent Network, in order to deliver critical assistance to some of the most vulnerable communities in the world.
POSITION SUMMARY:
The American Red Cross is looking for a full-time GIS Officer to coordinate the Missing Maps project, a major project that aims to put 20 million vulnerable people on the map by 2017, creating open data that are available for emergency responders, humanitarian organizations, and the general public. Core responsibilities will include administering the project, coordinating the efforts of virtual volunteers, traveling to the field to train volunteers and community members, and working to make the data useful for local groups. This position will work as part of dynamic team of humanitarian geospatial and information management professionals, reporting to the GIS Team Lead and working closely with the Missing Maps Partnership Coordinator.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
•Serve as the project lead for the Missing Maps project, developing and monitoring plans to ensure the project successfully meets deliverables.
•Support the planning and delivery of mapathons and trainings for partner Red Cross staff and volunteers so that they can further map key communities using OpenStreetMap (OSM).
•Coordinate the development of project materials for promotional and training purposes.
•Coordinate with stakeholders about how to apply Missing Maps data to existing and new programs.
•Travel to project sites to train volunteers on mapping and data management techniques.
•Actively engage with the OSM and Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT) community to build relationships within the mapping field.
•Identify possible applications of data within project areas. Develop strategies and pursue opportunities to make geospatial data useful in the local context.
•Clean/analyze field data and create maps/graphics using GIS applications including QGIS, ArcGIS, and Adobe Creative Suite.
•Compile geographic data from a variety of sources such as field observation, mobile data collection, and satellite imagery.
•Conduct research to locate and obtain existing databases of humanitarian needs and local Red Cross operations.
•Help gather, fact check, analyze and integrate programmatic and spatial data from staff and determine how the information can be organized and displayed using GIS.
•Ability to travel 30-40% as needed.
•Other duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS:
•Bachelors or Masters degree in geography, urban planning, computer science, GIS, communications or related field with a minimum of 5 years of experience as an analyst or similar.
•Experience building project plans and budgets.
•Experience planning and delivering technical trainings.
•Experience using GIS applications to produce static and web maps.
•Experience with Adobe Creative Suite and/or InkScape to create visually informative and appealing maps, infographics, and/or marketing materials.
•Experience with OpenStreetMap including the HOT Tasking Manager, active participation in one or many OpenStreetMap communities of interest.
•Experience conducting research to locate and obtain existing spatial and non-spatial data.
•Strong data management skills and experience using Excel, SQL, PostGIS, and/or PostgreSQL.
•Practical knowledge of field-based survey design, data collection and management using mobile data collection tools.
•Experience working on international development or humanitarian response projects, preferably in the field.
•Ability to explain technical matters to a non-technical audience and to convey the importance of mapping and data.
•Enthusiasm for open data and open-source tools.
•Flexibility; ability to troubleshoot problems in the field and adapt to changing situations.
•Ability to work as an active team member but independently, with limited guidance.
•Experience with the Red Cross network and international humanitarian work helpful.
•Proficiency in Spanish or French helpful.
Apply now! Joining our team will provide you with the opportunity to make a difference every day.
The American Red Cross is a diverse nonprofit organization offering its employee’s professional development and growth opportunities, a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits, and a collaborative team spirit environment. To be considered for this position, please visit www.redcross.org/jobs to apply.
The American Red Cross is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.
As one of the nation’s premier humanitarian organizations, the American Red Cross is dedicated to helping people in need throughout the United States and, in association with other Red Cross networks, throughout the world. We depend on the many generous contributions of time, blood, and money from the American public to support our lifesaving services and programs. If you share our passion for helping people, join us in this excellent career opportunity.
