Job Description

Tetra Tech International Development Services headquartered in Burlington, VA is currently accepting applications from qualified candidates for the position of Geospatial Officers for the Forest-PLUS 3.0 program. These positions will be located in the ForestPLUS 3.0 regional offices in Thiruvananthapuram, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Dehradun.

Forest-PLUS 3.0 is a three-year program of USAID implemented by Tetra Tech in India from December 2023 to December 2026. The purpose of the program is to provide technical assistance that supports the Government of India to strengthen sustainable, inclusive, and data-driven management of forest landscapes. Forest-PLUS 3.0 will build on, scale up, and institutionalize at a national level the solutions developed and piloted by Forest-PLUS 2.0, which was implemented from Dec 2018 to Dec 2023, to support India’s forest-based climate mitigation commitments by: (1) improving the sustainable management and eco-restoration of forest landscapes through technological innovations; and (2) strengthening the institutional and enabling environment for inclusive and resilient forest ecosystems.

Position Description/Summary:

The Geospatial Officers will work under the supervision of the Stakeholder Engagement and Outreach Manager with guidance from the GIS and Remote Sensing Specialist. The positions will be based in the regional offices in Thiruvananthapuram, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Dehradun where the Geospatial Officer will work closely with the Regional Director to support the State Forest Departments in the respective regions to use and adopt the tech tools developed by the program. The Geospatial Officer will play a key role in and contribute towards the utilization of GIS and remote sensing technologies for improving forest management. The Geospatial Officer will analyze various spatial datasets, conduct in-depth research, and create maps and visualizations to inform strategic decision-making by different stakeholders especially the State Forest Departments (SFDs). This position will require travel to the states in the region and to the field sites where the Forest-PLUS 3.0 tech tools are being scaled up. 

Responsibilities:

Regularly monitor the status of data collection by Van system (forest inventory data collection tool) and usage of other tech tools across forest divisions, identifying any delays or issues.

Create comprehensive reports summarizing data collection progress, highlighting achievements and potential areas for improvement.

Coordinate with Forest Divisions: Assist Forest Divisions in using the Van mobile app for data collection and other tech tools. This includes providing training, resolving technical issues, and answering questions.

Review system setup: Regularly review the tech tools setup for each Forest Division, ensuring accuracy and alignment with their specific needs; Identify the additional data analysis requirements.  

Provide support to develop and deliver training programs for frontline staff and GIS/IT cell staff within State Forest Departments (SFDs) on data collection, GIS mapping and analysis procedures for Working Plans and use and adoption of other tech tools. 

Drive the development and maintenance of spatial databases and GIS systems for the forest department. Stay up to date on emerging technologies and their potential applications in the landscape. 

Assist Forest-PLUS 3.0's GIS & Remote Sensing Specialist and other technical staff with generating

GIS layers from various sources.

Assist to perform statistical and spatial analysis of field data collected through the Van system, following the standardized formats and protocols outlined in the NWPC-2023 code.

Actively engage with Forest Department personnel to collect and analyze user feedback and translate it into actionable recommendations for system upgrades.

Identify opportunities for streamlining workflows, enhancing integration, and optimizing technology use within SFDs

Any other task required to be undertaken for the accomplishment of program objectives 

Qualifications:  

Bachelor’s degree or Postgraduate qualification in Geology, Geoinformatics, Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing, Computer science, Environmental Science, forestry, and sustainability 

Minimum of 2 or 5 years of applied GIS & RS experience preferred for Masters/Bachelors, respectively. Prior experience in Forestry and Natural Resource Management preferred.

IT skills, including the use and manipulation of complex databases and spreadsheets.

Proficiency with GIS desktop software and data management; knowledge of specialized software packages such as ESRI-ArcGIS, QGIS, Google Earth.

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills

Numerical skills with the ability to analyze data, effectively configure data, understanding of GIS data modeling and statistics. 

Experience/understanding on field data collection methods.

Strong communication and interpersonal skills, ability to work with all levels and functions within the organization.

Ability to work as a member of a team of professionals in a fast-paced and challenging environment.

Must be willing to travel to locations inside the forest areas 

Proficiency in English, Hindi, and the respective regional languages (Malayalam/Telugu/Bengali)

To be considered applicants must submit the following as part of the on-line process:

Cover Letter

CV in reverse chronological format

Please ensure that only the requested documents noted above are submitted. Only candidates who have been selected for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls, please.

About the Organization:

Tetra Tech combines the resources of a global, multibillion-dollar company with local, client-focused delivery in more than 550 locations around the world. Our reputation rests on the technical expertise and dedication of our employees — 27,000 associates working together to provide smart, scalable solutions for challenging projects. We are proud to be home to leading technical experts in water, environment, infrastructure, resource management, energy, and international development. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action/Americans with Disabilities/Veterans employer. 

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