Principal Geospatial Sciences Program Lead - North Region

About the opportunity

SWCA Environmental Consultants is seeking an experienced and strategic Principal Geospatial Sciences Program Lead to oversee GIS professionals, services, and projects across the North region. This full-time, regular (with benefits), salaried, and exempt position offers flexibility for remote or hybrid work. However, it is strongly preferred that applicants be located within SWCA’s North region and preferability in proximity to one of our offices in Denver, Sheridan, Bismark, Minneapolis, Chicago, Cincinnati, Pittsburg, Philadelphia, Amherst, or Boston.

As Principal Geospatial Sciences Program Lead, you will provide leadership to a large, distributed GIS workforce, driving the implementation of goals and strategies that advance our geospatial services, technology adoption, and project excellence. You will collaborate closely with operations and technology leaders, manage strategic projects, and ensure the delivery of high-quality GIS products and solutions. This role is ideal for a seasoned GIS professional who excels at building strong teams, fostering innovation, and promoting best practices in geospatial science.

Application Deadline: Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and interviews may be scheduled as qualified candidates are identified. This position may close without prior notice once a strong candidate pool is established.

About SWCA

SWCA Environmental Consultants is a 100% employee-owned environmental consulting firm providing full spectrum environmental services across the United States. Our North Star is to be the best place to work and a leader in sustainability, delivering sound science and creative solutions to complex environmental challenges.

We are guided by our core values every day. We collaborate as #OneSWCA, we are #AlwaysLearning, we #NeverSettle, and we #GiveBack to our communities. With offices nationwide, SWCA offers a collaborative, team focused environment where employees can build meaningful and long-term careers.

What you will accomplish

• Builds, develops, and leads diverse teams, typically within the discipline. This includes recruiting top talent, facilitating professional growth, managing performance evaluations, and ensuring team members are engaged, productive, and collaboratively working towards common goals.
• Institutes and upholds rigorous quality assurance and control standards to ensure all project deliverables meet SWCA's quality standards. Simultaneously, ensures strict adherence to safety policies and procedures, safeguarding the team's welfare and compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Actively contributes to the business unit strategic planning and business development efforts while maintaining transparent and effective communication with all stakeholders. This involves identifying and seizing opportunities for business enhancement, risk management, and regular engagement with clients and team members to align expectations and project objectives.
• Innovates by designing and implementing advanced geospatial applications, tools, and methodologies to address complex business challenges and enhance project outcomes.
• Oversees projects and communicates regularly with clients and internal teams to manage expectations, effectively handling client relations and internal coordination to ensure project success and stakeholder satisfaction.
• Establishes and grows effective consulting relationships with internal clients to support successful projects, and to coordinate initiatives and programs for the discipline (gathering feedback and implementing changes).
• Follows applicable federal, Tribal, state, local, industry, contractual, and company regulations, standards, and specifications.
• Performs related work as assigned.

Additional Job-Specific Responsibilities

As Principal Geospatial Sciences Program Lead, you will:

• Provide leadership to a large, distributed team of GIS professionals, working with the Director of GIS to set and implement strategic goals for the North region.
• Ensure consistent, high-quality GIS deliverables, serving as senior technical reviewer for major projects.
• Coordinate inter-office workloads and foster positive relationships across teams to promote collaboration, engagement, and efficiency.
• Collaborate with regional and corporate leadership to balance workloads and maintain quality standards.
• Monitor productivity metrics, anticipate workload fluctuations, and ensure optimal resource allocation.
• Manage large, strategic projects and serve as a GIS advisor to project managers and stakeholders.
• Promote GIS services internally and externally, representing SWCA’s capabilities to clients and partners.
• Represent the Technology team within regional leadership, advocating for geospatial needs and priorities.
• Troubleshoot GIS issues, gather user feedback, and implement improvements to enhance service delivery.
• Collaborate on Esri software releases, training, and requirements to ensure staff proficiency and technology optimization.
• Work with technical leaders to establish and promote best practices for GIS data collection, analysis, mapping, and reporting.
• Communicate geospatial solutions and needs for budget planning, supporting strategic decision-making.

Minimum Qualifications

Eight years of relevant, progressively responsible experience, including some experience managing others. Ten years of related experience is preferred; or any equivalent combination of experience, performance, training, and/or education. Knowledge normally obtained through a bachelor's degree; master's degree preferred.

Experience and qualifications for success

• Bachelor’s degree in Geography, Anthropology, Biology, Environmental Science, or related field with GIS emphasis (or GIS certificate).
• Eight (8) or more years of GIS professional experience, including budgeting, preparation, analysis, and deliverables.
• Five (5) or more years in GIS leadership roles, overseeing highly distributed teams across multiple offices, states, and time zones.
• Experience with large project execution in the Environmental Consulting or AEC space.
• Experience with data transfer, analysis, mining, and inventory using Windows Explorer, Excel, Access, and ESRI ArcGIS.
• Proficiency with ArcGIS Pro, cartography, and data management.
• Experience with ArcGIS Online/Enterprise platforms.
• Basic understanding of statistics and geometric math.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in a related field with GIS emphasis.
• Experience managing GIS projects in environmental consulting, especially for natural or cultural resources in transportation, transmission, oil/gas, mining, or renewables sectors.
• Experience preparing presentations and protocols for GIS methods and metadata.
• Development of analytical models for resource processes.
• Familiarity with federal land management and regulatory agencies (e.g., USFS, NPS, BLM, BOR, USGS).
• Professional GIS certification (e.g., GISP).

Key Skills & Attributes:

• Demonstrated ability to develop positive relationships with staff, technical teams, and leaders across the company.
• Flexibility, strong interpersonal skills, and a commitment to engagement and teamwork.
• Ability to work effectively under pressure and establish or shift priorities under tight deadlines.
• Exceptional organizational skills and ability to balance ever-changing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Recognized mentor of others in the context of broader organizational goals and succession efforts.

Pay Range

SWCA is committed to salary equity and transparency.

The expected pay range for this North regional position is $99,507.20 to $134,010.00 per year.  Actual pay may vary based on experience, qualifications, geographic location, and other factors permitted by law. Eligible employees may also receive performance-based bonuses.

As a 100% employee-owned company, we invest in your future. Our Total Rewards package includes an Employee Stock Ownership Plan, 401(k) with profit sharing, medical, dental, and vision coverage, paid time off, wellness programs, and professional development opportunities.

Closing

If you need accommodation due to a disability, please contact [email protected] or call 1 480 581 5378. If you require assistance with the application process, please contact [email protected].

Use of Technology in Hiring 

SWCA may use approved technology, including AI-assisted tools, to support parts of the application and recruiting process. All selection and hiring decisions are made by SWCA employees, and candidates are not selected or rejected by automated systems. We are committed to a fair, transparent, and human-centered hiring experience. 

Candidate Use of AI 

Candidates may use AI tools to help prepare application materials and interviews. However, all application materials, assessments, and interview responses must accurately reflect their own experience, skills, and qualifications. AI must not be used to fabricate experience, complete assessments on their behalf, or otherwise misrepresent their background or abilities. 

Equal Opportunity Employer 

SWCA Environmental Consultants is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We encourage applications from women, minorities, veterans, and individuals with disabilities. We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all employees can thrive. 

SWCA continues to invest deeply in career development programs, delivering our award-winning Career Landscape support resources to accelerate the growth of our staff. We recognize the valuable skills and experiences our internal team members bring to SWCA’s continued success. Qualified internal candidates are encouraged to apply and will be seriously considered for this position. We believe in promoting from within, where possible, providing our existing employees with compelling opportunities to advance their careers.

LI-EF1