GIS Administrator

GIS Administrator

Salary

$125,403.20 - $152,568.00 Annually

Location

Carlsbad, CA

Job Type

Full-Time

Job Number

092526

Department

Information Technology

Opening Date

09/25/2026

Closing Date

10/16/2026 5:00 PM Pacific

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

The Position

The Position

The GIS Administrator leads the City's enterprise GIS program team, Long-term GIS technology strategy, and oversees complex multi-server geospatial infrastructure. The position is the lead strategic and technical resource for ArcGIS Enterprise, enterprise geodatabases, system integrations, and major GIS modernization initiatives. Working across departments, the GIS Administrator develops solutions that improve operations, expand access to information, and advance the use of GIS across the organization. The position also leads the GIS team, establishes priorities, and provides technical leadership for the City's GIS program.

The Department

The IT Department - Data Services Division - transforms City of Carlsbads data into a trusted strategic asset that drives better decisions, stronger services, and measurable outcomes. Through enterprise GIS, data analytics, and citywide governance, the division connects information across departments, breaks down data silos, and ensures data is accessible, secure, and effectively managed.

Why Carlsbad?

In Carlsbad, you will find the many benefits of working for a city large enough to make a difference and small enough to get things done. Specifically, you will:

• Run the GIS group for a of a full-service city, that covers over 1,200 city employees who serve 115,000 residents, as well as support a thriving business community that includes corporate headquarters for leading technology, life sciences, and action sports companies.
• Serve in a leadership supervisory role. Answer questions, offer advice, moderate discussions.
• You will have the opportunity to work directly with ESRI experts through the ESRI Advantage Program (AP), using AP resources to support the GIS team with technical challenges, training, new technology, problem solving and other opportunities to advance the GIS program.
• Be part of a winning team that is considered a leader in GIS Innovation in San Diego County. Weve repeatedly received high honors for GIS projects including a Bloomberg What Works Cities Gold Certification for our GIS Open Data Portal and the ESRI Special Achievement in GIS Award for groundbreaking GIS apps in public sector.

Whats more, in Carlsbad you will enjoy a culture focused on excellence that rewards staff with:

• Flexibility: You want to come in late to watch your kid get an award for being awesome? Flex time can make that possible. Enjoy three-day weekends? Optional 9/80 schedules provide every other Friday off and we offer the ability to telecommute. We understand the importance of flexibility and will work with you to balance life and a career in a way that benefits us both. Telecommuting one or more days per week is available with this position.
• Development Support: Thinking of getting that graduate degree? Check out our tuition reimbursement program. Looking to develop your leadership abilities and work on stretch assignments? You can apply for Supervisor's Academy. We give you the opportunity to grow and develop because engaged successful employees make the city better too.
• Feedback: Want to know how youre doing? Well tell you. Curious about your career options? Lets talk. The City of Carlsbad invests in our employees and places a high priority on ongoing feedback and coaching, so you can do your best work.

What does a typical day as GIS Administrator Look like? Here are some of the things likely to fill your days:

• Managing the City's GIS program, technology roadmap, priorities, and long-term vision
• Overseeing and securing the City's ArcGIS Enterprise environment, GIS servers, databases, portal and other GIS infrastructure
• Supervising and supporting the GIS team, including setting priorities, reviewing work, approving time off and timecards, and conducting employee evaluations and other staff development activities
• Managing GIS software agreements, licenses, ESRI Advantage Program resources, and annual GIS technology costs
• Working with departments to develop GIS solutions for planning, public works, utilities, emergency response, community services, and other business needs
• Working with technical staff to publish and manage authoritative GIS data, web maps, and applications
• Troubleshooting GIS issues and working with GIS vendors and staff to find solutions to complex problems
• Supporting major GIS projects such as system migrations, upgrades, data modernization, and new technology implementations
• Developing Python scripts, workflows, and other automated processes to improve GIS data management and reduce manual work
• Working with ESRI technical resources and attending training, conferences, webinars, and other opportunities to stay current with GIS technology

You belong in Carlsbad

The City of Carlsbad embraces and recognizes the vital relationship of an inclusive, engaged work environment and innovative excellence. An equitable and inclusive work climate comprises personal experiences, values, and views shaped from differences of culture and circumstance. Our organization appreciates belonging, creativity, recognition and retention of its employees and is committed to hiring and developing motivated, productive and talented employees who provide services and enhance our quality of life. We work to embrace open and equitable access to opportunities for learning and development as our responsibility and goal.

Key Responsibilities

GIS ADMINISTRATOR

May perform other duties within this job series. For a full list of duties, please click here: GIS Job Family

Under the direction of the GIS Manager, participates in the design, development, and implementation of the GIS to meet various needs and functions of various city departments.

Coordinates with other GIS staff to plan, design, and implement procedures that enhance access and responsiveness of GIS.

Maintains the enterprise geodatabase and uses relational database technologies to prepare and deliver GIS products and applications.

Develops automated programs to make routine database maintenance procedures more efficient.

Designs and develops tools for displaying or retrieving GIS information from relational databases using modern database utilities and develops strategies for integrating GIS with other existing city databases and applications.

Configures and maintains intranet/internet web-based GIS applications.

Administers GIS servers and workstations including application software upgrades and patches, and the addition and configuration of peripheral devices.

Utilizes a variety of programming tools (Visual Basic, Visual Studio, Python, C, C++, C#) to create automated system administration scripts, models, and other automated routines.

Researches and provides recommendations for computer hardware and GIS software purchases. Establishes projected equipment and supply requirements.

Participates in the development and implementation of goals, objectives, policies, and priorities for the enterprise GIS.

Maintains and continually upgrades knowledge of GIS functionality. Attends and participates in local professional group meetings, online professional list serves and/or blogs; stays abreast of new trends and innovations in the field of GIS, database design, and related hardware and software.

Qualifications

GIS Administrator

May perform other duties within this job series. For a full list of duties, please click here: GIS Job Family

• Comprehensive knowledge of geographic information systems (GIS) theory and practices, as well as with general principles and practices of enterprise information technology systems and structures.
• Geographic concepts of location, scale, resolution and generalization.
• Advanced ArcGIS skills.
• Operation and maintenance of plotters, digitizers, and scanners.
• Working with relational database systems, specifically MS Access and SQL Server, and in the creation and maintenance of the systems.
• Proficient in the use of Visual Basic, C++ or C# to create and edit new and existing programs used for GIS and geodatabase processing.
• Creating and analyzing complex land-based data systems involving interdepartmental interactions. Requires familiarity with techniques of spatial analysis of areas and networks.
• Project management principles and techniques to manage system administration tasks and conversion/implementation projects.

Experience & Education

Equivalent to a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in geography, planning, landscape architecture, civil engineering, natural resources, or computer science including coursework in GIS.

All education required of the GIS Associate Systems Administrator in addition to:

At least five years of progressive experience designing, implementing, and maintaining complex geodatabases in a relational environment, principally with ESRI SDE and MS SQL Server. Must also have substantial GIS project experience using ESRI GIS software products, and programming experience with Visual Basic, C++ and/or C#.

• Medical Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Flexible Spending Account
• Life Insurance
• Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance
• Retirement under the CalPERS program, 2% @ 62 formula, Classic Members (those who are enrolled in CalPERS at another local agency) have the 2% @ 60 formula
• Bilingual Pay
• Holidays - 11 scheduled
• Floating Holiday- 2
• Paid vacation
• Computer purchase loan
• Tuition reimbursement

A detailed list of our benefits can be found here: Carlsbad Benefits

Additional CalPERS information can be found here: CalPERS

01

Initial in the box below that you acknowledge "see application" and "see resume" are not valid responses to the questions below.

02

The GIS Administrator role requires a broad range of technical, operational, strategic, and interpersonal skills. Briefly describe in a few sentences how your experience has prepared you to oversee a large organization-wide GIS program, including infrastructure, data, applications, integrations, users, vendors, and future technology planning. (200 words or less)

03

Describe your experience managing GIS data modernization or migration projects such as moving from legacy GIS workflows to service-based, web-based, or self-service GIS. What was your role? (200 words or less)

04

This position will require collaboration with leaders and managers to understand how GIS solutions can fit or be improved within existing business processes. Briefly describe your experience managing GIS expectations with departments and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders. (200 words or less)

05

Describe your experience with GIS automation and integration such as Python, FME, APIs, data pipelines or integrating GIS with other enterprise applications and databases. Provide an example of a critical workflow you supported and how you approached troubleshooting when it was not operating correctly. (200 words or less)

06

Describe your approach to mentoring GIS technical staff and how you share knowledge and skills to develop the team and expand team capabilities. (200 words or less)

Required Question

Employer Carlsbad, City of (CA)