The Nature Trust of British Columbia (NTBC) is a leading non-profit land conservation organization dedicated to protecting key habitats for wildlife, fish, and plants in BC. Since 1971, we have secured over 73,000 hectares (180,000 acres) of ecologically significant land that we manage to protect the natural diversity of wildlife and plants, and their habitats.
The Nature Trust of British Columbia is seeking an enthusiastic and motivated individual to join our team as a GIS Technician. The GIS Technician will assist in a variety of conservation planning and land management projects, providing mapping, spatial information, and conservation area statistics to support NTBC land securement, land management, marketing and communications. The GIS Technician will provide Geographic Information System (GIS) and database support. This position builds and maintains GIS databases, uses GIS software to analyze spatial and non-spatial information, develops and maintains apps for data collection in the field, produces maps supporting conservation initiatives, and provides support in developing, running, and maintaining spatial tools to aid in prioritizing conservation activities.
This term position is in effect until March 2026 and is based in Vancouver, BC, with the potential to be remote.
Duties and Responsibilities
GIS Data Maintenance:
- Maintain, refine, and update spatial and tabular data relating to NTBC’s geodatabase of conservation area holdings.
- Create, update, and maintain related ArcGIS Online (AGOL) feature services and web apps.
- Maintain database standards and quality assurance to ensure accuracy of information and project take-over.
- Create, maintain, and administer AGOL feature services and web maps for field data collection by field staff using ArcGIS mobile apps (ArcGIS Field Maps, Survey123, etc.).
- Prepare field data summaries to support and inform management decisions for conservation areas.
- Create and maintain other interactive web apps in AGOL as needed for both public and internal uses (e.g., ArcGIS Dashboards, StoryMaps, web maps).
- Create map products for land securement and management, grant proposals and applications, communications, fundraising, and other purposes upon request.
- Assist Conservation Science and Planning team in maintenance and quality assurance of NTBC’s geodatabase of potential land securement opportunities.
- Assess spatial datasets for use in supporting NTBC activities and analyses.
- Maintain NTBC GIS data libraries, including creation of metadata.
Conservation Science and Planning GIS Analyses:
- Perform analyses to summarize information related to conservation areas for communications, reporting, and proposals (such as information on species-at-risk, vegetative cover, hydrological information, disturbances, and zoning).
- Provide mapping products and spatial data evaluations for development of management direction statements for conservation areas. Summarize ecological information to support potential land securement opportunities.
- Provide ecosystem breakdowns to inform grant proposals or reports.
Field Work and Other Duties:
- Site visits to securement opportunities or site projects to collect GPS/spatial information.
- Assist with grant proposal preparation, professional reports, and communication materials.
- Assist in supporting BC Joint Venture (JV) partners in data maintenance, analyses and/or mapping related to the BC NGO Conservation Areas Database, JV project tracking databases, and other JV initiatives.
- Provide support to other staff of The Nature Trust of BC.
- Other duties as required.
Skills, Abilities, and Qualifications
- Undergraduate degree in biology, ecology, spatial ecology, conservation biology or a related discipline, plus completion of a post-graduate diploma in GIS; or an undergraduate degree with concentration in Geographic Information systems (GIS) and practical experience working in GIS.
- Proficiency in using ESRI ArcGIS Pro software for map creation and data analyses.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, specifically Excel and/or Access.
- Proficiency in GIS automation tools including ModelBuilder and Python scripting.
- Experience creating, maintaining, and populating geodatabases.
- Experience publishing and maintaining feature services in ArcGIS Online.
- Experience creating and maintaining ArcGIS Field Maps and Survey123 field data solutions.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills demonstrating the ability to communicate technical and complex information to non-technical audiences.
- Self-motivated, possess excellent judgment in data analysis and team cooperation, ability to work independently, and collaborate well with team members across a decentralized organization.
- Knowledge of British Columbia’s flora and fauna with particular interest in sensitive, threatened, or endangered species and ecosystems.
- Possess a valid Class 5 BC Driver’s License and willing to submit a driver’s abstract.
- Passion for the natural environment of BC.
- Must be legally allowed to work in Canada.
What we offer
- The salary range for this role is $58,000 to $64,000, commensurate with experience, plus 4% vacation pay.
- This position is based in Vancouver, with consideration given to a remote work location within British Columbia.
- Overnight travel across BC will be periodically required.
- This full-time term position is in effect until March 31, 2026, with the possibility of extension based on available funding.
- Health Spending Account.
- Opportunities for friendly gatherings with enthusiastic and dedicated Nature Trust staff.
Please submit your résumé and cover letter by February 9, 2025, to Danielle Morrison, GIS Specialist. In your letter, please address how you meet the qualifications identified above and your salary expectations.
The Nature Trust of BC is committed to a workforce that reflects the diversity of BC. We encourage applications from underrepresented communities including racialized persons, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, persons identifying as 2SLGBTQIA+, and all those who contribute to a diverse society.
Thank you for your interest. Applications will be reviewed as received, and the position filled as soon as possible. Only those short-listed for the position will be contacted.
