Senior GIS Applications Engineer

King County, WA

• $123K — $157K *
Education, Government & Non-Profit
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 4 years applied experience in GIS technology
  • Strong programming skills with GIS applications
  • Advanced skills in spatial data visualization and analysis
  • Experience with Esri Extensions, Python, and SQL Server
  • Bachelor's degree in Geography or related field, or relevant experience

Responsibilities

  • Develop GIS systems and applications using Python and various tools
  • Automate workflows on SQL Server backend, replacing manual processes
  • Create documentation and training for analysts
  • Design GIS approaches meeting technical standards
  • Incorporate and maintain relevant spatial and tabular data
  • Conduct spatial analysis and produce graphical reports
  • Use AI tools in GIS development and automation
  • Foster strong client relationships and gather feedback

Benefits

  • Support for professional growth through training budget
  • Participation in conferences such as Esri Developer Summit
  • Flexible hybrid work model with a mix of remote and onsite
  • County-issued equipment for remote work
  • Opportunities to work on innovative GIS projects
Full Job Description
Salary: $123,947.20 - $157,110.10 Annually
Location : King Street Center - 201 S Jackson St, Seattle, WA
Job Type: Career Service (Exec)
Job Number:
Department: KCIT - Information Technology
Division: Engineering Division
Opening Date: 09/28/2026
Closing Date: 10/12/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
FLSA: Exempt
Bargaining Unit: C19 : PROTEC17-Information Tech
Full- or Part-Time: Full Time

Summary
The King County Information Technology (KCIT) GIS Center is looking for an experienced Senior GIS Applications Engineer to join the Geo Engineering team. You'll build and modernize the GIS applications and automated workflows that King County departments depend on, across application development, spatial analysis, and data development and maintenance. The systems this team builds get used across nearly every part of county government. Your first major project will involve a full redesign of legacy GIS workflows for one of our King County agencies, partnering with another senior engineer to understand current processes, interfaces, and database structures, then rebuilding them into clear, automated workflows a junior analyst can operate day-to-day while you own and evolve these systems over time. You'll then work on migrating our ArcGIS Enterprise environment from on-premises to Azure which includes applications, services, and databases. It isn't a lift-and-shift, but a thoughtful re-imagining of how our GIS infrastructure should work.

The King County GIS Center has earned national recognition, winning Esri's Enterprise GIS Award in 2025 for more than three decades of GIS leadership, as well as Exemplary Systems in Geospatial awards from the Geospatial Professional Network for work ranging from our Aerial Imagery Program to an AI-assisted SEPA response letter generator. You'll join a collaborative team of ten, working in small project groups using Agile practices, leading meaningful initiatives while working closely with experienced engineers and GIS professionals. We invest in professional growth through an annual training budget and regular conference attendance, including the Esri Developer and Technology Summit and the Esri User Conference. Strong GIS fundamentals and solid Esri experience are the key foundations we're looking for, along with the drive to keep learning. If you do your best work with people to review your approach, share the hard parts, and build on each other's thinking, you'll like it here. Even if you don't meet every requirement, we want to hear from you. We're excited to hear from candidates who bring different strengths and perspectives.
Job Duties

  • Develop critical and complex systems and applications using Python, other languages and tools, and vendor-managed platforms including ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS Enterprise, ArcGIS Experience Builder, and ArcGIS Solutions.
  • Build documented, automated workflows on a SQL Server backend using Python and other scripting, replacing manual and undocumented processes.
  • Produce the documentation and training that lets analysts run those workflows day to day.
  • Design approaches that align with requirements, architecture and design, technical, and end-user documentation standards.
  • Acquire and incorporate relevant spatial and tabular data for project themes. Where that data doesn't already exist internally or externally, develop it yourself. Keep all project-related GIS data up to date as new or improved information becomes available.
  • Perform and report on detailed research and spatial analysis to meet business requirements, and design, produce, and deliver the maps, tables, and other graphic products that communicate those findings.
  • Apply AI-assisted tools to GIS development and automation work, and help the team figure out where they genuinely earn their place in a workflow.
  • Contribute to the development of governance, group charters, and agreements.
  • Build and maintain effective working relationships with clients and stakeholders. Consult with them as needed to assess results, identify any necessary refinements, and revise products and services to reach a satisfactory outcome.

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

Subject Matter Skills
  • Four (4) years of applied professional experience in the application and use of GIS technology
  • Applied professional experience with current and emerging GIS technologies
  • Strong programming skills building GIS applications and data integrations
  • Advanced skill producing complex maps and spatial data visualizations, and running spatial analysis
Software Skills
  • Applied professional experience with Esri Extensions, Python, Model Builder, and Arcade
  • Applied professional experience with current versions of ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Enterprise, and ArcGIS Solutions
  • Experience building web applications using modern frameworks
  • Working knowledge of relational databases, particularly SQL Server
General Skills
  • Advanced analytical, problem-solving, and troubleshooting skills
  • Ability to balance and prioritize a workload of multiple competing priorities
  • Strong customer service skills
  • Skill in analyzing customer business needs and translating them into technical requirements
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills
  • Skill in working with a variety of individuals from diverse backgrounds
  • Collaborative, with a good work ethic, a cooperative spirit, and creative thinking, able to take initiative and move work forward inside a team while guiding and assisting others as needed
  • Willing to question whether the existing approach is still the right one, propose something ambitious, and adjust when it doesn't pan out
  • Eager to pick up unfamiliar tools and put them to work, and to bring new approaches to the team rather than waiting for direction
  • Skill in capturing undocumented processes and turning them into clear, usable documentation and training for others
Desired
  • Bachelor's degree in Geography, or in a science or technology field with significant GIS application, or an equivalent combination of GIS experience and knowledge
  • Hands-on experience applying AI tooling to real technical work, such as code generation, automation, or data processing
  • Applied experience with ArcGIS Experience Builder Developer Edition, or building web applications with React, TypeScript, the ArcGIS Maps SDK for JavaScript, or similar tooling
  • Experience working in a cloud environment such as Azure or AWS
  • GISP certification

Supplemental Information
Hybrid Work: KCIT works in a hybrid model, with days in the office as well as telecommuting. The ratio of remote to onsite work will be dependent on business needs and is subject to change. The primary onsite location is the King Street Center - 201 S Jackson St, Seattle, Washington.

Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.

King County has a robust collection of tools and resources to support working remotely. The individual selected for this opportunity will join an innovative and progressive team that is redefining how we work as we transition to the department's hybrid environment. Employees will be provided with a County-issued laptop and must maintain a home workspace with an internet connection where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours.

Work Schedule: The normal workweek for this position is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Alternative work schedules may be considered by your manager. This position will participate on the After-Hours Support (AHS) team rotating across a pool of 12 to 15 staff (24x7, 7-day rotation Monday-Sunday).

FLSA Status: This position is FLSA Exempt and is not eligible for overtime pay.

Classification: IT Engineer-Senior (job code: 741301)

Union: PROTEC17 - Information Technology

Who May Apply: This recruitment is open to all qualified applicants. We value diversity, diverse perspectives and life experience and encourage people of all background to apply.

Application Process

Applicants must complete the online application to include:
  1. Employment history going back at least seven years if possible (or more to include all relevant experience).
  2. A resume including all relevant experience.
  3. A cover letter detailing how you are an excellent fit for this position.

If you are interested in pursuing this position and supporting King County's vision for unified, equitable, and high-performing government, please follow the application instructions carefully. Provide us with your work history as applicable, ensuring that you provide details that highlight your ability to fulfill the requirements for this position.

If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, or you would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process, please contact Angelia Remolana at

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