Top Skills For GIS Professionals

April 26, 2024

Glasses focusing on Python Programming Language Organizations rely on geographic information science (GIS) for applications ranging from navigation in autonomous vehicles to mobile games played in real-world spaces. GIS specialists reveal valuable insights by employing best practices of spatial data collection, analysis and visualization. Their discoveries fuel problem solving and strategic decision making in organizations such as scientific and technical services firms, government agencies, humanitarian nonprofits and the military.

As GIS techniques continue to evolve, users can leverage spatial data to deepen our understanding of patterns and relationships in the world around us. To make the most of this potential, professionals must hone their capacity for spatial thinking and GIS technical skills. If you are interested in pursuing a career at the forefront of geospatial thinking, exploring the GIS skills that are most needed in today’s organizations could be a vital step.

What Skills Are Important for Roles in GIS?

Succeeding as a spatial problem solver starts with acquiring a toolkit of fundamental GIS competencies. Roles in this field call for a combination of creative thinking and technical knowledge, which means becoming highly familiar with an array of essential platforms, tools and methods. Common roles in the GIS field include:

GIS Analysts
GIS Technicians
GIS Specialists

GIS practitioners are responsible for compiling accurate information, creating detailed maps and performing in-depth analyses. By learning approaches to data processing and cartographic design, they can offer new perspectives on the physical processes and social interactions that take place on the earth’s surface. A theoretical understanding of geographic relationships enables experts to spot noteworthy connections in the data and draw meaningful conclusions.

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Proprietary platforms like ArcGIS as well as open source platforms are capable of synthesizing relevant information from physical maps, global positioning systems, geocoding and a variety of remote sensing systems. Skilled users can layer the resulting digital maps with a vast range of scientific and economic data. In turn, these capabilities can be harnessed for goals like showing urban planners unmet needs for housing or transportation and informing policymakers about the effects of climate change.

That’s why it’s crucial for professionals to convey their discoveries through clear and compelling visualizations. Mapping software has become more versatile and easier to use over the years while advances make it possible to represent spaces with unprecedented levels of detail. 3D GIS offers an additional dimension of complexity so users can represent elevation, depth or other variables.

In-Demand Skills for Roles in GIS

According to the U.S. Department of Labor and Lightcast, the following skills help GIS professionals stand apart when applying for the positions of GIS Analyst, GIS Technician or GIS Specialist.

Transferrable Skills	GIS Skills
Python SQL Data Anlalysis Computer Science	Geographic Information Systems ArcGIS Spatial Data Infrastructure Spatial Analysis GIS Applications

Source: Lightcast, 2024

Transferable Skills for Jobs in GIS

The following skill set is not exclusive to the Geographic Information Systems field and can be developed across a wide variety of educational and professional backgrounds.

Python
Python is an interpreted, high-level, general-purpose programming language. Thanks to its rich ecosystem of libraries such as ArcPy, GDAL and GeoPandas, Python is used extensively in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to automate tasks, perform spatial analysis, manipulate and analyze geospatial data and build mapping applications.
Data Analysis & Data Visualization
Data Analysis & Visualization enables professionals to interpret complex geospatial data sets and uncover patterns, trends and relationships within them. These processes help turn geospatial data into clear graphic representations with multiple layers of useful findings.
SQL
SQL (Structured Query Language) is a standard programming language specifically designed for managing and manipulating relational databases. In GIS roles, SQL is crucial for querying, updating and managing spatial databases, allowing users to efficiently retrieve and analyze geospatial data stored in a relational database system and then integrate this data with GIS software for spatial analysis and mapping applications.
Computer Science
Computer science plays a pivotal role in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) by providing the foundational technologies and algorithms for processing, analyzing and visualizing spatial data.

GIS Skills for Industry Professionals

Professionals who strengthen their GIS skills may excel as GIS analysts, technicians, project managers or developers. Completing a master’s or graduate certificate in Geographic Information Science and Technology (GIST) can prepare you to lead the next generation of innovative projects.

Geographic Information Systems
GIS as a skill involves using geospatial concepts, data analysis techniques and mapping principles to solve complex spatial problems.
ArcGis & GIS Applications
Expertise in industry-leading software like ArcGIS by Esri is crucial when building a career in the GIS field. Learning ArcGIS equips GIS professionals with a versatile and powerful toolkit, enabling them to execute their tasks with greater efficiency and innovation. Using these tools can enhance the value and effectiveness of GIS professionals in a wide range of contexts.
Data Analysis
Spatial analysis is a foundational skill in GIS that is similar to data analysis. However, it is primarily concerned with geographic data, which has inherent spatial attributes such as location, distance, area, shape and relationship to other spatial objects.
Spatial Analysis
The management of robust spatial data infrastructures that support the collection, storage, analysis and dissemination of geographic information is a crucial skill for GIS professionals.

What Skills Are Required for GIS Analysts?

What Is a GIS Analyst? GIS Analysts are professionals skilled in using GIS technology to analyze spatial and geographic data. As GIS goes to work in an expanding variety of fields, GIS Analysts need to be prepared to adapt to the unique requirements of different types of geographic analyses.

GIS Analysts may be responsible for tasks such as:

Creating maps
Database management and administration
Using geographic data for spatial analysis
Automating processes with programming languages
Remote sensing interpretation
Manage data collected by surveyors

According to labor analytics provider Lightcast, when hiring for GIS Analysts, companies prefer to hire candidates with the following skills:

Project Management: GIS analysts are expected to have skills in project management and should be familiar with Agile methodologies, Scrum methodologies and workflow management.
Computer Science: GIS analysts should have experience with solutions architecture and software development in order to successfully fulfill job expectations.
Programming Languages: Python and SQL are critical to the day-to-day work of a GIS analyst.

When applying for a Geographic Information Systems analyst role, professionals can further differentiate themselves with skills or experience in cybersecurity, DevOps or the systems development life cycle.

GIS Leadership Skills

A broad understanding of management principles and effective communication is often a major advantage in a GIS career. When experts perceive how spatial data contributes to achieving larger objectives for an organization or industry, they can manage projects efficiently and convey strategically relevant information to decision-makers. Professionals who integrate analytical thinking with organizational knowhow become effective leaders for technical teams.

GIS project managers need to see the big picture, selecting and executing the most appropriate methods for data sourcing, evaluation and management. For example, the technical choices that go into maintaining relational databases affect whether key insights can be easily highlighted and shared across multiple departments in an organization.

Once those requirements are established, a leader must be able to set and enforce expectations for team members. Resources such as project management tools and open source software can help team members work together and meet deadlines. By communicating with executive leadership, project managers can demonstrate why spatial information is important and ensure that analysts and technicians have the support they need to do exceptional work.

About USC’s GIS Graduate Programs

The University of Southern California offers a comprehensive selection of online and residential GIS programs. This includes both GIS master’s degrees and GIS graduate certificates. Click on the programs below to learn about our leading geographic information science education.

GIS Master’s Degrees

GIS Graduate Certificates

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