CAREERS IN GIS

International organizations, such as the ones listed below, provide some assistance in developing countries when it comes to finding GIS jobs.  Simply put, everyone needs maps.  All organizations included on the list have GIS/mapping needs to further their purposes (either currently or in the past few years) in various parts of the world.  Having staff that not only know GIS but also know about local culture, environment, language, or politics provides a massive benefit.  Possessing these skills allows the international organizations to move their plans forward with much greater speed.  As a result, they will reach their goals of helping the environment or the people they are trying to assist more quickly.

As with most employment opportunities around the world, networking is necessary.  Acquiring a job with one of the organizations below is not extremely easy in certain cases, but it is still possible.  Here are a few bits of advice when exploring the given options.

1) Do a simple keyword search for GIS on each organization’s website.  If that does not produce anything, try a Google search with the organization’s name and GIS.

2) Follow the maps.  If you see a map associated with a project, try to find out who made it.  That will likely lead you to a GIS source within the organization.

3) Locate contact information on who may be in charge of hiring staff.  It can be a project coordinator or a human resources department.  Some of the organization’s websites have links to available jobs.  However, if there is no job link do not be afraid to email a contact that you may find.  You never know what an inquiry may produce.

4) Examine the requirements for working with the organization.  Certain skill sets, certificates, or citizenship are often necessary to acquire a position.  But once again, I would still inquire about projects that spark your curiosity.

I intend to update the list below with even more international organizations so please stay tuned for future posts about this subject.  Happy job hunting!

Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development (ACTED)
AlertNet
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC)
Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED)
Conservation International (CI)
Cooperative for Relief and Assistance Everywhere (CARE)
European Commission Humanitarian Aid Department (ECHO)
Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET)
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit (FSNAU)
Inter-American Development Bank (IADB)
International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)
International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)
International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED)
International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR)
International Organization for Migration (IOM)
International Relief and Development (IRD)
International Rescue Committee (IRC)
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
Management Systems International (MSI)
MapAction
National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (varies by country or region)
Network for Information, Response and Preparedness Activities on Disaster (NIRAPAD)
Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA)
Oxfam International
Panthera
Snow Leopard Conservancy
Snow Leopard Trust
Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA)
The Nature Conservancy
United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA)
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
United Nations Joint Logistics Centre (UNJLC)
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA)
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
United Nations Operational Satellite Applications Program (UNOSAT)
United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)
World Bank
World Food Programme (WFP)
World Health Organization (WHO)
World Resources Institute (WRI)
World Wildlife Fund (WWF)

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