GIS Work in Portland Area?

Hey all,

I'm trying to move to Portland in July/August this year. The planning is going smoothly, save for one little detail: I don't have a job lined up. I'm looking in the usual places but I figured I might as well ask around here too. I'm trying to get a GIS analyst-type position position. Don't really care where; it's all just data to me :)

I've been working for a few years as an analyst and ArcGIS Online admin for a couple of cities. I've got my resume ready (with plenty more detail) if any of y'all want to see it.

So GRM, got any hot tips or solid leads?

We have an opening for a GIS Analyst. http://cowlitzpud.org/employment.php

Great folks to work with.

Hey I never thought the GRM folks would have connections to GIS positions but there ya go.

I work in the gas utility industry with ArcFM and keep thinking that my next move will be to Electric. Pay is better, work is more complex.

I'm almost half tempted to apply....

Jcamper wrote: We have an opening for a GIS Analyst. http://cowlitzpud.org/employment.php Great folks to work with.

Great, thanks!

PHeller wrote: Hey I never thought the GRM folks would have connections to GIS positions but there ya go. I work in the gas utility industry with ArcFM and keep thinking that my next move will be to Electric. Pay is better, work is more complex. I'm almost half tempted to apply....

Me either. I just see people talking about awesome automotive or brewing jobs, haha. It's a nice surprise.

I have a position open for an entry level Engineer, and building our GIS system will be one of the responsibilities. We are 14 miles north of the WA/OR boarder. The position just posted today.

http://www.ci.ridgefield.wa.us/administration/page/city-hiring-entry-level-engineer

Cool more GIS people. I've been in the industry for 10 years now as a GIS Specialist.

bgkast wrote: I have a position open for an entry level Engineer, and building our GIS system will be one of the responsibilities. We are 14 miles north of the WA/OR boarder. The position just posted today. http://www.ci.ridgefield.wa.us/administration/page/city-hiring-entry-level-engineer

Man, if that weren't 2-hours away from where I live that'd be stinking perfect!

Hungary Bill wrote:

bgkast wrote: I have a position open for an entry level Engineer, and building our GIS system will be one of the responsibilities. We are 14 miles north of the WA/OR boarder. The position just posted today. http://www.ci.ridgefield.wa.us/administration/page/city-hiring-entry-level-engineer

Man, if that weren't 2-hours away from where I live that'd be stinking perfect!

Bill,

Are you a Civil Engineer (by education) with experience in GIS? If so, do you actually like and have interest in GIS technology?

Not "Civil Engineer" but I have a BS in "Electronic Engineering" (got my degree distance based while in Hungary). My current job title is "Avionics Technician" on military aircraft with a "Recovery and Modifications team" which pretty much means I specialize in avionics systems and networks, but am expected to work the rest of the aircraft as well (ie, bend metal, repair hydraulics, turbine engine work, etc).

I've no experience with GIS but the concept is something I can adapt to easily I think (via my education in networks, programming, and the subsequent GUI, etc)

I do have an interest, and think I would like GIS technology.

I currently do NOT like where I work one bit, and am very anxious to try something new (hence the degree) but I've sent out 200+ resumes over the course of the last year and doubt is beginning to manifest itself (I've only had 3 interviews, one for a contract that was canceled, one entry level engineering position where they wanted more supplier experience, and one overseas where I was told I did great in the oral interview, but not so well on the written portion).

I'm actually thinking of going back to school for a Masters Degree (distance based with ASU) and plan to start applying for programs in June if nothing pans out (heck, even if something DOES pan out I still may go back to school)

So yeah, that's the back story.

The reason I ask is that is that having worked with many Mechanical and Civil Engineers in utilities and local government, none of them really liked GIS or completely understood how to implement it. It's not that they couldn't because I saw an electric utility go from no GIS to an awesome one lead by a Electrical Engineer, but he had a full staff of people to actually manage and enter data. I mean, there are people (like me) who get paid to work with this technology 95% of the time, why would someone who got trained to build cool stuff in Solidworks and CAD have any interest in entering data into a database for hours on end? A good GIS is one with tons of information at your fingertips, and in order to get the data into the GIS, someone has got to takes piles of paperwork and enter it into the system. I process hundreds of pages of field work every month, would you want to do that?

For instance, one guy I knew, fresh out of college, really smart dude who went on to work for one of the leading switch companies in the world (Lutron) said while he worked in the utility industry, he hated working in GIS because he wasn't creating anything. I can't tell if it was a compliment or not, but he basically said "if I wanted to manage databases and create maps, I would've gone for computer science or geography, not mechanical engineering."

Now, maybe bgkast's City of Ridgefield just wants a GIS viewer to look at shapefiles created by the county planning office for parcel information, zoning information, etc, which basically comprises of acquiring software to view information generated by others. If Ridgefield is actually doing data entry, like having someone import subdivision plats into parcel features, tracking permitting, parcel divisions, addressing, creating and modifying zoning overlays, or tracing structure outline, that's a whole different ballgame. Gets even more complex when we're talking mapping and managing utility networks like water. The database management and feature creation side of things is very boring and monotonous for most people.

I don't mean this to say that bgkast will hire a less that competent individual. He'll hire someone who fill the Engineer role wonderfully, I'm sure. This is more as a way of preaching to the GIS choir that our technology (and profession) is often wrongfully seen as an afterthought and often seen as boring by everybody else.

In reply to PHeller:

I'll pm you