Informatics (Gis) Section Supervisor

Work Unit Overview: 

The mission of the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) is to ensure Montana's land and water resources provide benefits for present and future generations.  The DNRC - Forestry & Trust Lands Division (FTLD) manages approximately 5.2 million surface and 6.2 subsurface acres of state trust land for the benefit of the common schools and other endowed institutions.  The Division also provides Fire Protection and Forestry Assistance to State & Private lands as well as implements Federal Forest Management through the Good Neighbor Authority Bureau. The Division is divided into several core programs covering the management of forests across State, private, Tribal and Federal ownership as well as surface and subsurface trust lands interests within the program areas of minerals, real estate, and agriculture and grazing.  

The DNRC/FTLD - Informatics Program provides quality, cost effective informatics solutions for DNRC/FTLD to fulfill its mission to ensure Montana's land and water resources provide benefits for present and future generations.  Informatics provides comprehensive spatial data management systems through collaboration with the DNRC - Office of Information Technology.  The ESRI platform is the primary vehicle for managing data, mobile technology, WebGIS and remote sensing. 

Job Overview: 

The Informatics Section Supervisor is responsible for all Trust Lands areas of Informatics function. In coordination with business-side subject matter experts, this position is responsible for ensuring that overall program informatics objectives are being accomplished on state trust lands and within trust lands programs, that program-related technical data is adequate, accurate, and available for policy and field level use and decision-making, and that statewide staff have the adequate training, tools, and support available to make appropriate management decisions.  The Section Supervisor is responsible for strategic oversight of the Section budget and personnel management and works closely with the FMB Chief and other TLMD staff in all aspects of program development and maintenance.  The Trust Lands Informatics Section programs are utilized at the Division through collaboration with other Trust Lands staff and through collaboration with peer groups like the Division-level Data Work Group (DWG).  The Agency benefits overall through Informatics leadership and visioning.

Major Duties or Responsibilities:  This section should be a clear concise statement of the position's major duties and the approximate percent of work time for each duty.                                           

1. Forest and Trust Lands Informatics - This position provides oversight and direction to the Forest Informatics Analyst, the Trust Lands Informatics Analyst, and the Remote Sensing Analyst.  The position oversees statewide comprehensive Informatics planning for Forest Management Program ensuring that data, data systems and support tools follow applicable laws and rules and abide by objectives set forth in the SFLMP and Administrative Rules for Forest Management. 
2. Data Collection Tool Development - Responsible for working with Trust Lands subject matter experts (SMEs), staff and field practitioners to develop tools and models to be used or aid the practitioners in natural resource and land management decision making processes.  These tools and models will support data collection, data analysis, and decision support for the programs
3. Training - Responsible for assuring the development and sound deployment of tools and associated training utilizing a variety of training methods.
4. Data Management - This position is responsible for or may collaborate with SMEs on designing and maintaining the TLMD's versioned geographic information systems (GIS) data, geoprocessing scripts, and related databases. The position's duties include overseeing data management to include quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC), technical consulting, training, data analysis, collaboration, and occasional intern oversight. May lead, advise and/or collaborate on the creation, maintenance and management of the Division's GIS data sets and Python based geoprocessing scripts including data QA/QC and metadata maintenance.
5. Data Analysis and Processing - May lead, advise and/or collaborate on statistical and spatial analysis of tabular and spatial GIS data to address the Division's management questions, decisions and actions including remotely sensed analytical products and data sets for the Division. The tools, data sets and models produced from remote sensing may provide the basis for Division and Agency level leadership and visioning.
6. Cartographic Products and Training - Oversees the development and delivery of cartographic products as well as customized GIS training materials and instruction. 
7. Remote Sensing - Responsible for collaborating with SMEs, bureau staff and field practitioners to develop methods and models to incorporate remote sensed data into workflows to improve data accuracy and efficiency.  Remote sensed data includes imagery, LiDAR, digital elevation models, and other data collected or modeled from satellites, aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles.  The tools, data sets and models produced from remote sensing provide program direction and inform Bureau, Division and Agency level leadership.
8. Program Support -Coordinate with the program staff to provide program-wide support and direction as it relates to program datasets.
9. Special Projects -  May serve as the project leader or collaborate for major program-wide GIS planning efforts including any significant revisions to the program datasets, and development of new program-related tools and applications.
10. Quality Assurance / Quality Control - Oversee development of protocols to provide for quality assurance and quality control for data outgoing to and incoming from the field offices. 
11. Communication - Works closely with Informatics Analysts and program staff in developing applications and systems for the programs and in incorporating new technology related to the collection and management of data.
12. Budget Management - The Section Supervisor is responsible for working with the Bureau Chief in managing the section's personal services and operations budget, along with budgets associated with contracted services in which the section engages.
13. Contract administration - The Section Supervisor is responsible for Informatics and data contracts managed by the Section even when employees in the section are the primary contract administrators.  This includes program data-related contracts, contracts, technology related contracts and all training and planning related contracts.

Supervision:  The Informatics Section Supervisor supervises three positions, two Informatics Analysts and one Remote Sensing Analyst.   

Note from the Manager

Dear Prospective Applicant,

As the Chief of the DNRC Trust Lands Forest Management Bureau, I want to express my sincere gratitude for your decision to apply for this position. DNRC Informatics is much more than traditional GIS.  The Trust Lands program maximizes the ESRI platform through intensive mobile technology apps, dashboarding, WebGIS (AGOL), Remote Sensing and complex ESRI Experience workflows.  The DNRC Informatics module is in lockstep with all business-side operations in conducting the Trust Lands Mission (Forestry, Minerals, Ag & Grazing, Real Estate, & Recreation) and subsequent management of 5.2 million surface acres (6.2 million subsurface) for the benefit of the K-12 public school system. 

Managing our trust lands is more than just a job, working with the DNRC is akin to being part of a family. We work hard and play hard. Take advantage of year-round recreation opportunities while living in Big Sky country. Both a regional destination, and an outdoor enthusiast's dream, Missoula is the place to be. Check out https://destinationmissoula.org/about-missoula to learn more about this position's home base.

Thank you for considering this opportunity, and we look forward to reviewing your application materials in detail. Your interest is a testament to the promising future in the Informatics we are building here at DNRC.

-Dan Rogers

Look at our program here: https://dnrc.mt.gov/TrustLand.

All applicants must submit the following (only electronic materials will be accepted):

• Resume
• Cover Letter

HELPFUL HINT: You must check the "relevant document" box to ensure your attachments are uploading correctly to the specific application.

Benefits:

• Paid Vacation, Sick Leave and Holidays
• Health, Dental, Prescription, and Vision Coverage
• Retirement Plans
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) - Employment with the State of Montana may qualify you to receive student loan forgiveness under the PSLF. Look here, https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service to learn more and see if you may qualify!

If you have any questions or would like to review the job description for this position, please email Makayla Mangold at Makayla.Mangold@mt.gov.

Minimum Qualifications (Education and Experience):

Bachelors degree in Geography Information Systems (GIS), Remote Sensing, Earth Science, or Forestry (natural resources discipline) with an emphasis in GIS natural resources management.

Four years of experience managing GIS systems.

One year of relevant supervisory experience.

Other combinations of education, certification, or experience may be substituted.

Required knowledge, skills, and abilities: - Thorough knowledge and skill in the areas of GIS, data management principles, natural resource and/or range management, forestry, natural resource policy, management and supervision, leadership, technical writing, public speaking, budget management, complex project management including experimental design, and statistical and spatial analysis techniques, remote sensing and geographic information systems. - Initiative, imagination, originality, and professional judgment to develop statewide agency policy, guidance, and recommendations, or solutions to specific on-the-ground situations or issues - Ability to establish and maintain relationships and to communicate and cooperate effectively with individuals possessing varying viewpoints and diverse personalities - Ability to work independently and to manage complex workloads and explicit deadlines - Strong verbal and written communication skills - Strong technical writing skills - Team management, building, and leadership skills - Ability to travel and to work in the field with exposure to adverse weather and on rough terrain

Required knowledge, skills, and abilities: 

• Thorough knowledge and skill in the areas of GIS,data management principles, natural resource and/or range management, forestry, natural resource policy, management and supervision, leadership, technical writing, public speaking, budget management, complex project management including experimental design, and statistical and spatial analysis techniques, remote sensing and geographic information systems.
• Initiative, imagination, originality, and professional judgment to develop statewide agency policy, guidance, and recommendations, or solutions to specific on-the-ground situations or issues
• Ability to establish and maintain relationships and to communicate and cooperate effectively with individuals possessing varying viewpoints and diverse personalities
• Ability to work independently and to manage complex workloads and explicit deadlines
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Strong technical writing skills
• Team management, building, and leadership skills
• Ability to travel and to work in the field with exposure to adverse weather and on rough terrain

Special Information:  Candidates must be eligible to work in the United States.  A valid driver's license is required with less than 12 conviction points in the most recent completed 36 months. 

Eligibility to Work: In accordance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act, the person selected must produce within three days of hire documents that show authorization to work in the United States. Examples of such documentation include a birth certificate or Social Security card along with a driver's license or other picture I.D., or a U.S. passport, or a "green card".