Geographer (Geographic Information Systems Specialist)

Find Your Future With Us at USDA – Animal Plant Health Inspection Service Job Summary As a GIS Specialist, the position is located within PPQ's Field Operations (FO) Core Functional Area (CFA) where you are to provide consistent geographic information system (GIS) support, as appropriate, for program operations and management, with focus on tasks that support particular pest program or service area needs. Qualifications Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement, including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. BASIC REQUIREMENT: Degree in geography; or related physical or social science such as geology, meteorology, economics, statistics, sociology, anthropology, political science, history, cartography, computer science, urban studies, or planning that included at least 24 semester hours in geography or related fields. OR Combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in geography, or a related field that included at least 24 semester hours in geography or related fields, as shown above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. In addition to meeting the basic requirement, the following must also be met: FOR THE GS-11 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-09 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates: Uses Esri ArcGIS Pro and online platforms (ArcGIS Online and GIS Portal) to independently develop, manage, and share geospatial data that represents plant pest distributions and associated phenomena. Develops maps and other visualization products, using proper design and cartographic principles, to communicate plant pest surveillance data, pest and disease incidence, and agricultural cropping systems. Knowledge of GIS activities to include vector and raster GIS theory, map symbology, map projections, topology, thematic and statistical mapping, topographic and reference mapping, display hierarchies, typography, and data generation. Provides direct support to pest program staff, spanning management to field level technicians, in the use of geospatial data and tools. Collaboration with other program areas and GIS Specialists to facilitate compliance with enterprise geospatial data management. OR 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in geography; or related physical or social science such as geology, meteorology, economics, statistics, sociology, anthropology, political science, history, cartography, computer science, urban studies, or planning or related fields. TRANSCRIPTS are required if: This position requires specific coursework or a degree in a specific field to be basically qualified. You are qualifying for the position based on education. You are qualifying for this position based on a combination of experience and education. This education must have been successfully completed and obtained from an accredited school, college, or university COMBINATION OF EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE AT THE GS-11 GRADE LEVEL: Applicants may have combinations of successfully completed education and specialized experience to meet total qualification requirements. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify for that grade level. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Major Duties The duties may include, but are not limited to:Follows high quality standard procedures for the collection, gathering, managing, and reporting of geospatial data relative to routine, non-routine, and emergency response.Works with environmental and biological data creating thematic data layers to support program operations and management decisions.Provide high level customer service in the delivery of geospatial data and products to support a state level service area and/or specific pest program.Stay abreast of current software and technology changes within the GIS field and provide recommendations for making current tools more efficient through careful review and with Agency approvals.Provide basic GIS training and technical support to field staff when needed. Position Start Date: 07/10/2026 Position Close Date: 07/16/2026 Salary Offered: 77983 - 108251 USD Per Year You can make a difference! The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Marketing and Regulatory Programs (MRP) needs bright, energetic and committed professionals to facilitate the domestic and international marketing of U.S. agricultural products and to protect the health and care of animals and plants in the United States. We operate in domestic and global markets. Be part of an organization that protects the health and agriculture of the American people. Join our team! To learn more about what it's like to work at the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, what the agency does, and the types of careers, please visit the APHIS careers site. APHIS is an emergency response agency. This means that all Agency employees may be asked or assigned to participate in rotating temporary duty assignments to support emergency programs at some time during their careers with APHIS. For details click: APHIS Emergency Response Please see the full announcement on USAJobs by clicking on the APPLY button!