GIS & Information Systems Administrator with the Great Redwood Trail Agency

Are you a GIS professional who gets excited about transforming complex, historic, and sometimes disconnected spatial data into accurate, useful systems that people can actually use?

Do you enjoy building geodatabases, interactive maps, dashboards, applications, and automated workflows that turn technical information into practical tools for planning, operations, land management, and decision-making?

Are you energized by the opportunity to become the in-house GIS expert for a small, collaborative organization, working with significant independence while helping shape how GIS and information systems support one of California’s most unique trail development efforts?

The Great Redwood Trail Agency (GRTA) is looking for a skilled GIS & Information Systems Administrator to oversee and advance the Agency’s GIS and information systems functions. 

Apply today!

Note: This is a primarily remote position available to candidates residing in California. The position will work from a dedicated home office with GRTA-provided computer and office equipment. Limited travel may be required for meetings, training, staff events, field demonstrations, and site visits.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE WILL:

• Have broad and current GIS expertise including geodatabase administration, spatial analysis, cartography, data visualization, web GIS, mobile GIS, and data-sharing workflows.
• Bring strong experience with ESRI products and ArcGIS Online and be comfortable administering and expanding a web-based GIS environment.
• Be able to explain complex spatial and technical information clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Be genuinely passionate and intellectually curious about GIS, geospatial technology, data systems, and the possibilities for using them to solve practical problems.
• Demonstrate strong analytical and problem-solving skills including the ability to evaluate source quality, identify discrepancies, investigate root causes, and develop practical solutions.
• Have exceptional attention to detail and recognize the importance of data accuracy, integrity, metadata, topology, naming conventions, permissions, version control, and documentation.
• Be resourceful and comfortable building processes and systems where a fully developed roadmap may not yet exist.
• Exercise initiative and independent judgment while knowing when to engage others, seek input, communicate priorities, and bring issues back to the broader team.
• Enjoy working in a small, highly collaborative environment where responsibilities are interconnected and team members support one another in advancing the Agency’s larger goals.
• Build productive relationships with staff, consultants, public agencies, local jurisdictions, tribal governments, grant funders, and other partners involved in multi-jurisdictional work.
• Be comfortable working effectively in a remote environment, including proactively communicating progress, workload, priorities, challenges, and resource needs.

COMPETENCIES

Organizational Competencies

• Accountability, Safety & Sound Judgment: Leads responsibly, manages risk, follows applicable requirements, makes sound and defensible decisions, and demonstrates accountability for safety, quality, compliance, and results.
• Collaboration & Relationship Building: Builds productive relationships, works effectively across organizational boundaries, and creates conditions for respectful collaboration, information sharing, problem-solving, and shared accountability.
• Environmental & Cultural Stewardship: Protects environmental and cultural resources, considers long-term impacts, minimizes avoidable impacts, and incorporates stewardship responsibilities into planning and decision-making.
• Tribal Respect & Cultural Responsibility: Approaches work involving tribal governments and communities with respect for sovereignty, cultural resources, confidentiality, appropriate authority, and established consultation and engagement responsibilities.
• Public Service & Community Stewardship: Approaches work and decisions with professionalism, responsiveness, consideration for community needs, protection of public trust, and attention to long-term public benefit.
• Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility: Supports equitable treatment, meaningful participation, accessibility, and the reduction of unnecessary barriers in decisions, services, processes, and working relationships.

GIS & Information Systems Administrator Competencies

• Analyzing & Interpreting Data: Draws meaning and appropriate conclusions from quantitative and qualitative data.
• Attention to Detail: Focuses carefully on the details of work content, work steps, data, and final work products.
• Business Process Analysis: Defines, assesses, and improves operational processes and workflows.
• Leveraging Technology: Uses technology, applications, automation, and emerging tools to increase the quality, effectiveness, efficiency, and capability of the work.
• Problem Solving: Analytically and logically evaluates information, investigates underlying issues, and develops practical solutions.
• Professional & Technical Expertise: Applies strong and current technical subject-matter knowledge to the work.

About Great Redwood Trail Agency

Great Redwood Trail Agency (GRTA) is a public agency established by the Great Redwood Trail Agency Act, Government Code § 93000 et seq., to develop and manage the Great Redwood Trail and discharge the duties of a rail common carrier before the Surface Transportation Board. The GRTA replaced the North Coast Railroad Authority (NCRA) in 2022.

The GRTA’s service area is the former NCRA rail corridor in Mendocino, Trinity, and Humboldt Counties. The rail corridor in Sonoma and Marin Counties was transferred to Sonoma – Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART), who will be responsible for rail-with-trail development for the Southern Segment of the Great Redwood Trail.

Because the organization is small, work is highly interconnected. Team members are expected to take ownership of their responsibilities while also communicating openly, collaborating across functions, and helping one another move the Agency’s larger priorities forward. The environment is well suited to someone who enjoys a high degree of independence but does not operate in a silo.

For the GIS & Information Systems Administrator, that creates a particularly compelling opportunity. GRTA already has a significant body of interesting spatial data and ongoing GIS work. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to turn those resources into durable institutional systems, expand GRTA’s internal GIS capabilities, reduce reliance on consultant-supported GIS functions, and help determine what GIS and information systems can become as the Agency’s work expands.

• To review the job description, please click here.

Any combination of training, education, and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and competencies is qualifying. Such qualifications may include:

Education:

• Equivalent to a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in geographic information systems, geography, computer science, information management, environmental science, or a related field.

Experience:

• Three (3) years of progressively responsible experience in GIS analysis and geodatabase administration, primarily using ESRI products, in a public agency, special district, land trust, or comparable organizational setting.

Desirable Qualifications:  

• Significant hands-on experience with ArcGIS Online and other ESRI desktop and web-based GIS products.
• Experience designing and administering geodatabases, including topology, relational structures, attributes, data quality, metadata, access, and version control.
• Experience creating web-based mapping applications, dashboards, interactive maps, and other user-facing GIS tools.
• Experience with GIS programming, scripting, APIs, batch processing, workflow automation, or application development.
• Experience integrating information from multiple and sometimes conflicting sources, including legacy or historic records, land and parcel information, GPS data, aerial imagery, remote sensing data, and elevation data.
• Experience applying GIS to land management, property information, environmental review, public works, natural resources, trail or recreation planning, land acquisition, grant administration, or similar work.

SALARY AND BENEFITS:

• $80,000 - $95,000 per year DOQ/DOE.
• This is a primarily remote, California-based position.
• GRTA will provide a computer and the successful candidate must maintain a dedicated office space from which to work remotely.
• Limited travel is required for meetings, training, Agency events, and site visits.
• Benefits: For an overview of benefits, please click here.

APPLICATION PROCESS AND SELECTION PROCEDURE:
 
Applications must be submitted online through this applicant tracking system. Materials must be complete and clearly indicate that the candidate meets the minimum qualifications. Incomplete, late, emailed, and faxed applications are not accepted. Resumes are not considered in lieu of the required employment application.

Certificates, resumes, and/or cover letters must be uploaded with your application through this applicant tracking system.  

All statements made on the application, resume, and supplemental materials are subject to verification. False statements may be cause for immediate disqualification, removal from eligibility list, or discharge from employment.
 
The deadline to apply is September 24, 2026, at 11:59 PM PST.

Appraisal Process – (Pass/Fail) After the closing deadline, applications will be screened in relation to the criteria indicated in this announcement.

This process may also include various interviews and/or a skills assessment exam to rank applications, and to prepare a Qualified Candidate List. 

Application – Minimum Qualification Assessment - (Pass/Fail) All completed applications and supplemental questionnaires will be reviewed and assessed for each applicant's ability to meet the minimum work experience, training, and education qualifications.

Remote Screen Interview Exam – (Pass/Fail) Candidates who pass the Remote Screen Interview assessment will be invited to a Remote Screen Interview Examination to evaluate training, experience, and other job-related qualifications for the position.   The Remote Screen Interview will be conducted via a video conference platform and is tentatively scheduled for early October 2026. 

Work Sample/Portfolio Exercise – (Pass/Fail) A work sample, portfolio review, or similar exercise may be incorporated later in the selection process to further evaluate the most qualified candidates. The intent of this step is to evaluate applied GIS expertise, analytical thinking, problem solving, technology use, data organization, user-centered design, and the ability to translate technical information into practical solutions.

The Work Sample/Portfolio Exercise is tentatively scheduled for mid-October 2026

Successful candidates will be submitted to the hiring manager of GRTA for further consideration.

All communication and notices will be sent via e-mail. Additional inquiries about the position may be directed to dprieto@rgs.ca.gov. 
 
Regional Government Services is not responsible for failure of internet forms or email in submitting your application. Candidates who may require special assistance in any phase of the application or selection process should advise Regional Government Services by emailing dprieto@rgs.ca.gov.

Great Redwood Trail Agency is an Equal Opportunity Employer.