Geospatial Scientist

Why do you need to choose between doing important work and having a fulfilling life?  At Ardent , we have both. Ardent employees are committed to solving our customers’ most difficult problems—and we are committed to the well-being, personal goals, and professional development of our employee. We are “All In.” We put forth our strongest effort possible to get the mission accomplished and we do it together. We respect the skills and experience you bring to the Ardent team. And we provide a rewarding environment to help you succeed. 

We offer highly competitive benefits, professional development opportunities, and an exceptional culture that embraces flexibility, innovation, collaboration, and career growth. A collective service mindset underpins our work, and a shared camaraderie to serve clients, colleagues and our communities set us apart. Our full commitment to being 'All In' for our employees and our clients is not just our approach, it is our standard. If this sounds like the perfect fit for you, choose Ardent and make a difference with us. 

Ardent is seeking a Geospatial Scientist, Data Publishing and Cataloging  to join our team.

This is a remote position.

Position Description:

Ardent is seeking a Geospatial Scientist, Data Publishing and Cataloging to lead data management and modernization initiatives under a DHS program. This role is responsible for providing subject matter expertise in geospatial data cataloging, metadata governance, and publication practices to support mission-critical geospatial infrastructure across the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Candidate will serve as the primary point of contact for geospatial data governance and publishing efforts and will provide expert guidance to advance the agency’s geospatial data infrastructure and accessibility. The ideal candidate brings deep subject matter expertise in geospatial science, a strong understanding of metadata and data management best practices, and experience advising on large-scale government geospatial programs.

Responsibilities and Duties:

• Serve as the primary point of contact for geospatial data acquisition and quality management.

• Lead efforts for acquiring, validating, and integrating new geospatial datasets.

• Develop and enforce QA/QC protocols for data accuracy, metadata, and compliance.

• Manage delivery of geospatial data per Government schedules and specifications.

• Coordinate high availability and disaster recovery strategies for data systems.

• Monitor geospatial systems and implement automated backup and recovery tools.

• Oversee access control and Data Use Agreement (DUA) automation and compliance.

• Provide 24/7 on-call technical support for incidents and system issues.

• Maintain and publish the HIFLD Data Catalog with accurate and updated metadata.

• Develop and update SOPs and documentation on data management processes.

• Research and apply federal standards and best practices in data governance.

• Lead creation of proof-of-concept geospatial products using DHS or GMO platforms.

• Prepare white papers with recommendations for improving data processes and tools.

• Collaborate with stakeholders on geospatial demonstrations, briefings, and exchanges.

• Support software renewals, license management, and interconnectivity agreements.

Requirements: 

• 7+ years of demonstrated experience supporting geospatial data management and publishing for federal government programs.

• Deep understanding of geospatial sciences, including:

  • Cartography and spatial visualization

  • GIS systems and geospatial platforms

  • Data symbology and standardization

  • Metadata development and governance

• Proven ability to support or lead efforts of similar size and scope in a government setting.

• Strong communication and collaboration skills with experience interfacing with executive and technical stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience supporting DHS or similar federal geospatial initiatives.

• Proficiency with platforms such as ArcGIS Enterprise, GeoPlatform.gov, Esri Geoportal Server, or similar.

• Familiarity with metadata standards such as FGDC and ISO 19115.

• Experience with geospatial interoperability frameworks and data-sharing initiatives.

• Graduate degree in GIS, Geospatial Science, Geography, Data Management, or a related field.

Due to the nature of the work we support, all candidates in consideration for this role must be willing to undergo the government issued background investigation process. We highly encourage all Veterans and those with disabilities to apply.

Ardent is an equal opportunity employer. We will not discriminate in employment, recruitment, advertisements for employment, compensation, termination, upgrading, promotions, and other conditions of employment against any employee or job applicant on the bases of race, color, gender, national origin, age, religion, creed, disability, veteran's status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or any other basis protected by state, local, or federal law.