Current Employees: If you are currently employed at any of the Universities of Wisconsin, log in to Workday to apply through the internal application process. Job Category: Academic Staff
Employment Type: Regular
Job Profile: GIS Specialist
Job Summary: The Center for Health Disparities Research (CHDR), led by Director Dr. Amy Kind and Deputy Directors Drs. Nicole Rogus-Pulia and Andrea Gilmore-Bykovskyi, invites applications from highly motivated individuals to join our dynamic, growing, and multidisciplinary team. As a Geographic information system (GIS) specialist with CHDR, you will have the opportunity to contribute to research projects with far-reaching influence, including the largest study of its kind on social determinants of health in the context of Alzheimer's Disease. Broadly, our work is focused on mechanisms of health disparities - the ways fundamental factors such as race, ethnicity, and identity interact with a complex array of geopolitical, socioeconomic, health care, cultural, social, psychological, physiological, genetic, and cellular factors to produce different population health outcomes.
We are seeking a highly motivated individual to join our team and provide technical and analytical expertise for spatial analyses and research. The individual will conduct geospatial data analysis, manage and produce datasets, and create maps and other data visualizations in support of various projects currently being conducted at the Center for Health Disparities Research. The specialist will join a dynamic team that works on multi-unit projects, both internal and external to UW-Madison. These projects range from the production of a robust geospatial research dataset in an Azure cloud platform for distribution among a 24-site consortium, the creation of data visualizations for publications, and working with data analysts and IT professionals in moving forward research in health disparities.
Under the guidance of CHDR's Director of Geospatial Operations, the successful GIS specialist will assist the CHDR scientific team with the expansion of geographically-based metrics and tools for research and the development and validation of geographically-linked metrics of socioeconomic factors related to healthcare disparities and outcomes. The Neighborhood Atlas® https://www.neighborhoodatlas.medicine.wisc.edu demonstrates the impact of geographic information science on furthering research on and interventions in the social determinants of health.
- This position may require some work to be performed in-person, onsite, at a designated campus work location. Some work may be performed remotely, at an offsite, non-campus work location.
Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities:
- Excellent organizational skills, strong attention to detail, and the flexibility to work both independently and collaboratively.
- Excellent interpersonal skills with strong oral and written communication skills.
Key Job Responsibilities: - Collaborates with other IT staff to deliver project deliverables and visuals
- Gathers, verifies, and coordinates data used for spatial analysis, data sciences, field operations, mapping, and data visualizations across programs and other agencies
- Creates maps and performs a wide range of geospatial analyses in support of a variety of projects
- May support geospatial field data collection efforts
- Adheres to established cartographic standards and quality assurance/quality control processes
- May train and consult with GIS users as needed
- Manages a wide variety of project-specific and reference geospatial data in accordance with defined data management standards
Department: School of Medicine and Public Health, Center for Health Disparities Research, GIS Core
The Center for Health Disparities Research (CHDR) is a dynamic multidisciplinary Center housed within the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health (SMPH). Broadly, CHDR focuses on mechanisms of health disparities - with a particular focus on the social exposome and its relationship to health. CHDR is the home to the team that refined and curates the Area Deprivation Index and its data democratization portal, the Neighborhood Atlas®. CHDR is also home to the Neighborhoods Study, an NIH funded national initiative to examine the adverse social exposome's impact on neuropathology and brain health biomarkers. CHDR investigators represent all areas of the translational research spectrum, from basic science to community participatory research.
CHDR also has strong relationships with local, state and federal government, non-profit organizations, and industry entities.
Compensation: - The starting salary for the position is $90,097 annually; but is negotiable based on experience and qualifications.
- Employees in this position can expect to receive benefits such as generous vacation, holidays, and sick leave; competitive insurances and savings accounts; retirement benefits. For more information, refer to the campus benefits webpage. SMPH Faculty /Academic Staff Benefits Flyer 2026
Required Qualifications: - Minimum of one year of experience with geographic information science, cartography, geography, or a related field
Preferred Qualifications: - Experience with data collection, data management, REDCap, or similar research databases.
- Experience in harmonizing varied data sources and manipulating geospatial time series data.
- Experience with large scale geocoding processes including custom geocoding solutions.
Education: Bachelor's Degree Preferred
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Your cover letter should address how your training and experience align with the required and preferred qualifications listed above. Application reviewers will rely on these written materials to determine which applicants move forward in the process. References will be requested from final candidates. All applicants will be notified once the search concludes and a candidate is selected.
University sponsorship is not available for this position, including transfers of sponsorship and TN visas. The selected applicant will be responsible for ensuring their continuous eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without the need of an employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment. [This position is an ongoing position that will require continuous work eligibility. If you are selected for this position you must provide proof of work authorization and eligibility to work.
Contact Information: Kim McFarlane,
[email protected]Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information.
