GIS Route Developer

Adventure Cycling seeks a detail-oriented, digitally minded GIS Route Developer to develop routes for the Adventure Cycling Route Network (ACRN) on our Ride with GPS (RWGPS) Experiences digital navigation platform. This role is focused on getting high-quality, navigable routes into riders’ hands.

You will begin your time here by drawing on a significant library of existing route opportunities, turning them into published ACRN routes that best serve our member base, working digital-first in GIS and our route geodatabase rather than in traditional print cartography.

The ideal candidate pairs strong GIS and data skills with real-world bike travel experience and geographic knowledge, so they can judge rider safety, road conditions, and the best routing choices. They are comfortable writing clear standard operating procedures (SOPs), troubleshooting data problems, and working with route partners and researchers to get routes right.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

ACRN Route Development and Release

• Turn existing route opportunities into ACRN routes published on the RWGPS Experiences platform
• Coordinate route releases to ensure a well-planned flow of new route content
• Prioritize the route development backlog based on member demand, route readiness, and program goals
• Prepare route data, cues, points of interest, and services information so routes are accurate and easy to navigate
• Update and maintain previously published routes as conditions, services, and detours change

GIS & Geodatabase Management

• Build, edit, and quality-check route geometry and attribute data in GIS
• Troubleshoot data errors, sync issues, and export problems between the geodatabase and RWGPS
• Write or adapt scripts and tools (for example, Python, SQL, or ArcPy) to automate repetitive route development and QA tasks

Route Quality, Safety & Rider Experience

• Apply bike travel and geographic experience to evaluate traffic, shoulders, surface, grades, and services along each route
• Choose the safest and best routing options, and flag segments that need field verification or rerouting
• Triage member route feedback (Route Intel) and turn valid reports into route corrections

Partnerships & Stakeholder Coordination

• Manage relationships with route organizations, local partners, and route researchers as needed
• Coordinate with researchers and volunteers to gather, verify, and update on-the-ground route information
• Collaborate with the routes team on route content, narrative, and the Route Rating System so published routes stay consistent

SOPs & Operations

• Document and continually improve SOPs for the ACRN route development and publishing workflow
• Track progress, backlog, and release metrics, and report them to the routes team
• Keep process documentation current so others on the team can step in and support the work
• Share in management of ACA cartography email and field customer service needs from members and route users

Qualifications & Skills:

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE:

• Hands-on experience with GIS software (ArcGIS Pro, QGIS, or similar) for editing, analyzing, and managing linear or route data
• Experience working with spatial databases or geodatabases, including attribute management and data quality control
• Familiarity with digital navigation and route-planning platforms such as Ride with GPS, Strava, Komoot, or Garmin Connect
• Personal bike travel or bike touring experience, with the judgment to assess route safety and rideability
• Strong organization and project management skills, with a track record of hitting recurring deadlines
• Coding and technical troubleshooting for geodatabases is a huge plus. This includes scripting in Python, ArcPy, or SQL, and diagnosing data, schema, and sync issues
• Clear written communication, including the ability to write step-by-step documentation and SOPs
• Ability to work independently and manage relationships with external partners

DESIRED EXPERIENCE:

• Experience with GPX, KML, GeoJSON, and other route and spatial file formats and conversions
• Knowledge of the U.S. Bicycle Route System (USBRS) and Adventure Cycling’s route network
• Experience with data pipelines, APIs, or automating GIS workflows
• Experience collecting and processing user feedback or crowdsourced data
• Experience working with diverse communities, including BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and other groups underrepresented in cycling
• Experience with Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop)

About Adventure Cycling:

As the largest nonprofit cycling organization in the country, Adventure Cycling has an impactful voice in policies and programs that advance the safety and accessibility of cycling. Adventure Cycling serves through its members and the bike travel community. Our cycling community encourages and supports countless cyclists each year as they explore the beauty and history of America while tending to their mental and physical well-being. For nearly half a century, Adventure Cycling has created life-changing experiences that deepen appreciation for our country’s diverse cultures, communities, landscapes, and people. Adventure Cycling headquarters are based in Missoula, MT, and we acknowledge and honor the Indigenous peoples who consider this land their home. The area’s natural abundance was stewarded by many peoples including the Blackfeet, Crow, Shoshone, Cheyenne, Kootenai, Pend d’Oreilles, and Salish for millennia before colonization, and continues to be to this day.

Physical Requirements:

This is a primarily computer-based role requiring extended periods of screen work. Elements of job duties may require occasional moving of up to 15 pounds and the ability to occasionally stoop, kneel, or crouch. Optional field verification of routes may involve cycling or driving. Candidates not able to meet such demands can work with staff or others to accommodate.

Compensation, Schedule and Benefits:

This is a full-time, exempt position (average 40 hrs/week). Schedule varies by supervisor, but is generally M-F, 8am-5pm Mountain Time. Benefits include paid time off, holidays, an additional fully paid one-week bike vacation (a.k.a. “bike respite”), medical, dental, and vision coverage, life insurance, and retirement plan. Adventure Cycling Association is an equal opportunity employer.

How to Apply:

Submit your resume and cover letter through Submittable. In your cover letter, please share your GIS experience, any coding or database troubleshooting work, and your bike travel background. Work samples such as maps, scripts, or published routes are welcome. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with interviews scheduled to begin mid-late November. Application deadline: 11/18/2026