Job Details
Level: Experienced
Job Location: Washington DC - Washington, DC
Remote Type: Fully Remote
Position Type: Fixed Term
Education Level: 4 Year Degree
Salary Range: $94,000.00 - $107,000.00 Salary
Travel Percentage: Up to 10%
Job Shift: Any
Job Category: Information Technology
Front End Software Developer
Who We Are
The Center for Geospatial Solutions (CGS) is a nonprofit geospatial technology enterprise established at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy. Founded to help bridge the gap between policy and practice, our mission is to enable people and the planet to meet the pace of change by expanding access to new technologies more sustainable and equitable outcomes for all.
Our award-winning team brings decades of applied expertise and end-to-end GIS capabilities to liberate and connect key information across sectors, crafting innovative solutions for mission-focused organizations. By embracing whole-system thinking with state-of-the-art technology, our work enables better decision-making and unlocks the power of land, water, and people. Using tools like satellite data and artificial intelligence, CGS accelerates positive change in key focus areas, including Ecosystem Conservation, Water Scarcity & Quality, Social Equity, and Sustainable Infrastructure.
CGS was founded at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, which seeks to improve quality of life through the effective use, taxation, and stewardship of land. A nonprofit private operating foundation whose origins date to 1946, the Lincoln Institute researches and recommends creative approaches to land as a solution to economic, social, and environmental challenges.
Position Overview
We are seeking a skilled Front-End Software Developer to join our team. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in data science and integration tools/scripting, developing user-friendly, responsive web applications with a focus on geospatial and tabular data visualization. This role is critical in implementing open-source clients for data search, filtering, and visualization, leveraging both ESRI REST services and open-source approaches such as OGC APIs and data standards.
This position will play a key role in enhancing our ability to present complex geospatial and environmental data in accessible, interactive formats for a wide range of users, from policymakers to researchers and the general public.
This is a full-time position that reports to the Associate Director, Data Visualization within the Center for Geospatial Solutions.
What You'll Do
- Design and implement responsive, user-friendly web interfaces for geospatial and tabular data visualization applications using JavaScript, HTML, CSS, and the ArcGIS API for JavaScript framework.
- Develop open-source clients that integrate with both ESRI REST services and open standards like OGC APIs or cloud-native formats like zarr, (geo)parquet, and Cloud-optimized GeoTiff for data search, filtering, and visualization.
- Create interactive maps and data dashboards using modern JavaScript frameworks and libraries (e.g., React, Vue.js, D3.js, Leaflet).
- Develop and implement solutions for visualizing vector and raster data, including time-series applications, leveraging libraries such as Plotly, Chart.js, or similar frameworks.
- Implement efficient data loading and rendering techniques for handling large geospatial datasets, including streaming of cloud-native data formats.
- Collaborate with back-end developers to design, implement, and test APIs for data retrieval and processing.
- Partner closely with designers and project leads to transform mockups and wireframes into fully functional, interactive GIS applications, ensuring alignment with creative vision and project goals.
- Ensure cross-browser compatibility and optimize applications for maximum speed and scalability.
- Write clean, maintainable, and well-documented code.
- Write and automate unit and integration tests.
- Participate in code reviews and contribute to the improvement of our development processes.
- Stay updated with the latest trends and best practices in front-end development, geospatial technologies, and data visualization.
- Contribute to the open-source community by developing and maintaining public repositories.
Qualifications
What You'll Need
- Undergraduate degree in Computer Science, Web Development, GIS, or a related field, or additional 4 years of front-end web application development.
- 2+ years of professional experience in front-end web application development.
- Strong proficiency in JavaScript, HTML5, and CSS3.
- Experience with modern JavaScript frameworks and libraries, particularly Vue.
- Familiarity with geospatial libraries and frameworks such as Leaflet, OpenLayers, and ArcGIS API for JavaScript.
- Proven experience with data visualization libraries like Plotly, D3.js, or similar frameworks.
- Experience working with RESTful APIs and JSON data formats.
- Knowledge of data formats (e.g., GeoJSON, KML, Shapefile, coverageJSON, netCDF, cloud-optimized GeoTiff, Zarr, (Geo)Parquet), and standards (e.g., OGC).
- Familiarity with version control systems, preferably Git.
- Understanding of responsive design principles and cross-browser compatibility issues.
- Familiarity with ESRI technologies and ArcGIS REST services is highly desirable.
- Knowledge of OGC API standards and implementation experience is a significant advantage.
- Experience with cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Google Cloud, Azure) for hosting and serving geospatial data is a plus.
- Excellent problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
- Strong communication skills and ability to work in a collaborative team environment.
- Passion for open-source development and contributing to the geospatial community.
- Experience in developing custom widgets or plugins for GIS applications.
- Preferred candidates will have experience in cartography or design to enhance the visual presentation and usability of GIS applications, contributing to both aesthetic and functional aspects.
- Experience with Python is also preferred, as most back-end data providers you will work with are implemented in Python.