Senior Geographic Information Systems Specialist –Fire Department

Our diverse and inclusive workforce of more than 7,000 employees play a key role in the success of San José, the heart of the Silicon Valley. All City of San José employees work together as one team to make San José a vibrant, innovative, and desirable place to live and work. Visit here to learn more about our One Team Leadership Values and Expectations, including quality and excellent customer service and here to learn more about San José.

The City of San José is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants for all job openings will be considered without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status or any other consideration made unlawful under any federal, state or local laws. The City of San José is committed to offering reasonable accommodations to job applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please contact us at 408-535-1285, 711 (TTY) , or via email at CityCareers@sanjoseca.gov .

About the Department

The San Jos é Fire Department's (SJFD) core mission is to serve the community by protecting life, property, and the environment through prevention and response. SJFD is a high-volume, high-performance, all-risk Fire Department that protects approximately 200 square miles including, residential, commercial, high-rise, wildland interface areas, and a number of high-hazard occupancies. For additional information visit sjfd.org.

Position Duties

The San José Fire Department's (SJFD) is currently seeking to fill one ( 1 ) full-time Senior Geographic Information Systems Specialist vacanc y in the Fire IT division.

The s alary range for this classification is : $10 5,094.08-$128,091.60 .

This salary range includes an approximate five percent (5%) ongoing non-pensionable compensation. Actual salary shall be determined by the final candidates’ qualifications and experience.

The San José Fire Department is looking to fill one (1) Senior Geographic Systems Specialist position within the BAS/ Fire IT division . This role will manage mapping projects and, when applicable, application development activities to support the mapping function. Under the direction of the Department Information Technology Manager, the key duties and responsibilities of this position include:

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  • Oversee GIS data management efforts , including the maintenance of Fire Department-specific spatial layers. Ensure accurate and timely data input through hands-on support and rigorous quality control/assurance (QC/QA) processes to minimize data backlogs .
    
  
  
  
  • Coordinate cross-departmental collaboration with other City departments and the Enterprise GIS team to support Fire-related data conversion, consolidation, and integration into the City’s Enterprise GIS repository.
    
  
  
  
  • Provide geodatabase development and programming suppo rt using Microsoft SQL Server. Apply expertise in relational database concepts, user interfaces, and the design trade-offs that impact performance and usability.
    
  
  
  
  • Assist in developing and managing GIS project plans , including requirements gathering, task and resource allocation, timeline development, and adherence to project standards, milestones, and quality objectives .
    
  
  
  
  • Deliver GIS training and technical support to City staff, enabling effective and consistent use of GIS tools and data across departments.
    
  
  
  
  • Hire, supervise, and lead GIS teams, including GIS Specialists I/II, cartographers, data managers, analysts, and vendors. Build team capacity to support GIS projects, deliver training, produce maps, conduct analysis, and manage data effectively.
    
  
  
  
  • Perform analytical tasks involving large and complex spatial and tabular datasets to support operational and strategic decision-making .
    
  
  
  
  • Design and implement data models , including the preparation of entity-relationship diagrams and documentation of data structures to support GIS applications.
    
  
  
  
  • Develop, document, and maintain GIS workflows , ensuring efficiency, repeatability, and ease of troubleshooting.
    
  
  
  
  • Troubleshoot and resolve software issues related to all aspects of GIS service delivery, including desktop, server, and web-based platforms.
    
  
  
  
  • Perform other duties as assigned , supporting the evolving needs of the Fire Department and GIS operations.
    
  
  
  

Minimum Qualifications

Education: A Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university in Geographic Information Systems, Engineering, Computer Science, Management Information Systems, Mathematics, Physical Science, Geography, Geology, Urban Planning or closely related field.

Experience: Two (2) years of increasingly responsible experience in computer programming, geographic information systems or transportation planning, including one (1) year in special and/or asset database management. A GIS or GISP certificate from a certifying body acceptable to the City of San José is highly desirable.

Acceptable Substitution : Possession of a valid GIS or GISP certificate from a certifying body acceptable to the City of San José may be substituted for one (1) year of experience in computer programming, geographic information systems or transportation planning.

Other Qualifications

The ideal candidate will possess the following competencies, as demonstrated in past and current employment history.

Job Expertise : Demonstrate knowledge of and experience with applicable professional/technical principles and practices of application management, Citywide and departmental procedures/policies and federal and state rules and regulations.

Customer Service : Demonstrates the ability to anticipate customer's needs and deliver services effectively and efficiently in a timely , accurate , respectful and friendly manner; demonstrates ownership, attention to detail, and effective/efficient follow-through.

Planning : Acts to align own unit's goals with the strategic direction of the organization; uses effective techniques to define outcomes and expectations.

Project Management : Monitors project progress and evaluates performance; identifies improvement areas and resolves barriers to task completion; sets deadlines in a way that gets commitment from all parties involved.

Supervision : Sets effective long and short-term goals based on a good understanding of management practices; establishes realistic priorities within available resources.

Teamwork and Interpersonal Skills : Demonstrates a positive attitude and flexibility along with the ability to develop effective relationships with co-workers and supervisors by helping others accomplish tasks and using collaboration and conflict resolution skills.

Communication Skills : Effectively conveys information and expresses thoughts and facts clearly, orally and in writing; demonstrates effective use of listening skills; displays openness to other people's ideas and thoughts.

Selection Process:

The selection process will consist of an evaluation of the applicant's training and experience based on the application and responses to all the job specific questions. You must answer all questions to be considered or your application may be deemed incomplete and withheld from further consideration. Only those candidates whose backgrounds best match the position will be invited to proceed in the selection process. Additional phases of the selection process will consist of one or more interviews .

If you have questions about the duties of these positions, the selection or hiring processes, please contac t Eduardo Gonzalez at Eduardo1.Gonzalez @ sanjoseca.gov .

Additional Information:

Employment Eligibility: Federal law requires all employees to provide verification of their eligibility to work in this country. Please be informed that the City of San Jose will NOT sponsor, represent or sign any documents related to visa applications/transfers for H1-B or any other type of visa which requires an employer application.

You must answer all job-specific questions to be considered for this vacancy or your application will be deemed incomplete and withheld from further consideration. Applicants are expected to write their own essays/responses. Please be advised that use of AI content in your responses may result in your removal from the hiring process.

Please note that applications are currently not accepted through CalOpps or any other third party job board application system.

This recruitment may be used to fill multiple positions in this, or other divisions or departments. If you are interested in employment in this classification, you should apply to ensure you are considered for additional opportunities that may utilize the applicants from this recruitment.

Please allow adequate time to complete the application and submit before the deadline or the system may not save your application. If your online application was successfully submitted, you will receive an automatic confirmation email to the email address you provided. IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE THE CONFIRMATION, please email CityCareers@sanjoseca.gov and we will research the status of your application.

The City of San Jose offers a wide range of core health benefits including Medical, Dental, Vision, Employee Assistance Program, Life Insurance, Disability, and Savings Plans. Please visit the City's benefits pagefor detailed information on coverage, cost, and dependent coverage.

For information on the City’s Retirement Plan(pension for full-time employees), please visit the Office of Retirement Services website. You will be able to view information based on different Sworn/Federated job classification.

In additional to the benefits above, there is an additional perks siteto explore further benefits of working for the City of San Jose like paid leave, educational reimbursements, and holiday pay are specific to the job classification and union membership.

Closing Date/Time: 5/5/2025 11:59 PM Pacific

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• City of San Jose

• 408-535-1285

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