GIS Intern

Summary of Position:

Colorado Open Lands (COL) is a nonprofit land trust that works to enhance Colorado’s quality of life by protecting its most treasured asset: open lands. Since 1981, COL has helped landowners conserve more than 660,000 acres across the state. The GIS Intern will work with GIS and Stewardship staff to complete a discrete project that supports the department. Primary responsibilities include reviewing land/boundary descriptions and identifying and correcting inaccuracies in our GIS database. The GIS Intern will be based in our Lakewood, Colorado, office with opportunity for both in-office and telework.

The GIS Intern will be mentored in COL’s Stewardship and GIS Programs.  Specifically, the GIS Intern will gain direct, transferable experience with:

• GIS data editing and database management
• GIS analysis
• review of easement baseline documentation and easement deeds
• general functions and operations of a statewide land trust

This is a volunteer internship position that will last between 10 and 14 weeks depending on the intern’s availability. It is a great opportunity if you are looking to obtain college credits through an internship experience. The intern will complete a project that may earn class credit. Colorado Open Lands can work with you and your institution to meet the necessary requirements.

Primary Responsibilities:

Geographic Information Systems (60%)

• Employs the use of simple geoprocessing tools from the spatial analysis toolbox in ArcGIS Pro to identify and correct errors in vector datasets.
• Edits vector datasets using editor tools, such as Traverse, Edit Vertices, Move, and Split in ArcGIS Pro.
• Maintains and updates databases using GIS software.

Document Review (40%)

• Reads and interprets various types of land descriptions in conservation easement deeds and compares descriptions to GIS datasets.
• Reviews maps in conservation easement baseline reports.
• Produces a detailed report of errors, edits, and corrections in GIS dataset.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Working towards obtaining a college degree or certification in geographic information systems and has taken at least three college-level courses related to GIS OR has obtained similar experience through other opportunities.
• Intermediate skills with ESRI mapping software including ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Online.
• Experience editing spatial data and an understanding of geographic coordinate systems.
• Ability to complete tasks with a high level of detail, accuracy, and consistency.
• Eager to learn and apply new ideas and technologies.

EEO Statement:

Colorado Open Lands provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetics, or other protected status. For information about Colorado Open Lands, please visit our website at www.coloradoopenlands.org.