GIS Team Lead at Colorado State University — Fort Collins, CO

Job Description

Position Summary

CEMML is a research, education and service unit within the Warner College of Natural Resources at Colorado State University (CSU). CEMML applies the latest and most appropriate science to promote the sustainable management of natural and cultural resources on Department of Defense (DoD) and other public lands. To learn more about CEMML’s contributions to land management, our mission, vision, and values, visit http://www.cemml.colostate.edu/.

One or more Geographic Information System (GIS) Team Lead positions are available with the Center for Environmental Management of Military Lands to provide support for the US Air Force Environmental GIS project, which provides comprehensive GIS support services and data maintenance of 73 environmental data layers for over US Air Force 100 installations. This position is located at the project’s Technical Support Center (TSC) in Fort Collins, Colorado, with an option for hybrid remote work up to 2 days per week.

This position will supervise 10-15 employees including off-campus GIS Analysts located at various military installations in the US and Japan, as well as lead a small team of on-campus employees responsible for a specific task. (Reach Back Support, Data Development, Data Integrity/QC, or Project Operations/Tracking Metrics).

For full consideration, applications must be received by 11:59 pm MT on July 27, 2026.

Essential Job Duties

• Coordinate and manage multiple sub-project efforts for the Air Force Standardization Project, ensuring scope, schedules, and deliverables are met while providing regular status updates to leadership.
• Supervise, mentor, and evaluate both on-campus and off-campus GIS staff across U.S. Air Force installations nationwide, monitoring workloads and ensuring consistent performance.
• Lead recruitment and hiring efforts, including developing position descriptions, interviewing candidates, and supporting selection decisions.
• Assign tasks, schedule work, and coordinate personnel across distributed teams, tracking progress and reporting metrics to the CEMML Principal Investigator.
• Provide technical and operational guidance on GIS data standardization, maintenance, and development, serving as a primary point of contact for installation-based GIS Analysts.
• Participate in weekly leadership meetings to deliver status updates and help guide project direction and procedures.
• Develop and maintain technical documentation, workflows, training materials, and project guidance to support standardized GIS practices across installations.
• Facilitate virtual presentations and Q&A sessions for project teams and stakeholders, and contribute to weekly and monthly reports for leadership, project sponsors, and USACE.

Supervision

This position can supervise both on and off-campus salaried employees as well as student and non-student hourlies or temporary staff.

Conditions of Employment

• Must be able to comply with all applicable regulations to obtain a Department of Defense Common Access Card (CAC) and public trust clearance. Furthermore, candidates are required at a minimum to complete a NACI/SF85 and successfully pass a federal background check to remain eligible for employment by CSU. Additional information regarding eligibility and qualification requirements can be found HERE.
• Pre-employment Criminal Background Check (required for all new hires),
• Must have a valid driver’s license or the ability to obtain a driver’s license by the proposed start date.
• The successful candidate must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. by proposed start date; CEMML will not provide visa sponsorship for this position.

Minimum Qualifications:

• BS or BA degree in computer science, information technology, geographic information systems, geography, environmental science, or related field
• Five years of demonstrated related work experience is required; course work will not be included.
• Experience supervising or leading a team or project effort
• Demonstrated experience working in a team environment, collaborative approach to work, and building effective professional relationships
• Ability to work independently, take initiative to resolve issues
• Demonstrated work experience applying spatial data standards.
• Demonstrate experience in all of the following: environmental-related GIS, Esri’s ArcGIS software, cartography, and data development and maintenance.
• Strong skills in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Adobe Acrobat
• Demonstrate superior verbal and written communication skills

Preferred Qualifications:

• MS or MA degree in computer science, information technology, geographic information systems, geography, environmental science, or related field
• More than 5 years of related work experience is desirable
• Demonstrated specialized experience in one of the following areas: Natural Resources, Cultural Resources, Environmental Compliance or Environmental Restoration
• Experience working in a highly structured organization and demonstrated knowledge of military instructions, directives, guidance, and environmental regulations and processes
• Demonstrated work experience with the U.S. Air Force GeoBase program, Spatial Data Standards for Facility, Infrastructure, and Environment (SDSFIE), and International Organization Standardization (ISO) or Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) metadata standards is preferred
• Experience using project management software (i.e. SharePoint, Smart Sheets) for project tracking, creating dashboards and calculating metrics is highly desired
• Existing National Agency Check with Inquiries (NACI) is highly desired

Application Instructions:

For full consideration please ensure all applications and required materials are submitted.

• Resume/CV
• Cover Letter than addresses both required and preferred qualifications.
• Unofficial Transcripts

Salary Range

72,500-77,500

Required Application Documents

To apply, please upload the following applicant documents. Ensure your materials fully address the required and preferred job qualifications of the position. Please note, applicants may redact information from their application materials that identifies their age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution.

Cover Letter, Resume/CV, Transcripts

Employee Benefits

Colorado State University is not just a workplace; it’s a thriving community that’s transforming lives and improving the human condition through world-class teaching, research, and service. With a robust benefits package, collaborative atmosphere, and focus on work-life balance, CSU is where you can thrive, grow, and make a lasting impact.

• Review our detailed benefits information here.
• Explore the additional perks of working at CSU here.
• For the total value of CSU benefits in addition to wages, use our compensation calculator.
• Lastly, click here for more information about why Fort Collins is consistently ranked in the top cities to live in!

Background Check Policy Statement

Colorado State University strives to provide a safe study, work, and living environment for its faculty, staff, volunteers and students. To support this environment and comply with applicable laws and regulations, CSU conducts background checks for the finalist before a final offer. The type of background check conducted varies by position and can include, but is not limited to, criminal history, sex offender registry, motor vehicle history, financial history, and/or education verification. Background checks will also be conducted when required by law or contract and when, in the discretion of the University, it is reasonable and prudent to do so.

EEO

Colorado State University (CSU) provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.