Job Opportunity:
Employee type: Full time, Permanent
Location: Salmon Arm or Kamloops
Compensation: $80,000 to $90,000 annually
Come Grow with Us! FORSITE is actively looking for a GIS Specialist based out of Salmon Arm/Kamloops to join our team.
WHO WE ARE
With 10 locations throughout Canada and the US, Forsite is a leading provider of integrated forest land development and management services. Our staff are industry leaders in forestry technology, strategic planning, resource and land management and professional forestry. Forsite is committed to growth, innovation and maintaining a safe and respectful working environment.
At Forsite we will excel by being a flexible, adaptable, people-oriented business that grows and profits by creating value for our customers and opportunities for our employees. We will apply our skills, knowledge and technologies to be the best forest management company. We value fostering and sustaining an environment of diversity and inclusion where everyone can reach their full potential.
WHAT YOU WILL DO
We're looking for an Intermediate GIS Analyst with strong Python skills to join our geomatics team. We work primarily in forestry and natural resource management, and the problems you'll be solving are grounded in that world — stand delineation, terrain analysis, road networks, riparian buffers, harvest planning, and more. This isn't a click-and-render GIS role — the majority of your time will be spent writing and maintaining Python pipelines that process spatial data at scale. If you enjoy solving problems with code more than navigating software menus, this is the job.
Geospatial Development
- Use ArcGIS Pro and ArcPy as core tools — you'll be expected to write production-quality ArcPy code, not just run tools from the GUI
- Build and maintain Python-based geospatial pipelines using libraries like GDAL, Shapely, GeoPandas, Rasterio, PDAL, and PyQGIS
- Work with large raster and vector datasets, including LiDAR point clouds, DEMs, and land cover data
- Optimize processing workflows for performance, including parallel and distributed approaches
AI and Computer Vision
- Apply machine learning and computer vision techniques to spatial analysis problems (object detection, image classification, semantic segmentation)
- Contribute to model development, training, and evaluation using frameworks such as PyTorch or TensorFlow
- Help integrate AI outputs into production geospatial workflows
Data and Problem Solving
- Diagnose and solve spatial data problems independently — data quality issues, schema mismatches, projection inconsistencies, edge cases in complex datasets
- Collaborate with team members across geomatics, forestry, and engineering to scope and deliver solutions
- Document your work clearly so others can pick it up
WHAT YOU WILL NEED
- A bachelor's degree in Geography, GIS, Computer Science, Forestry, or a related field (or equivalent practical experience)
- Strong Python skills — not just scripting, but writing clean, maintainable code that others can read and build on
- Hands-on experience with geospatial Python libraries (GDAL, GeoPandas, Rasterio, Shapely, or similar)
- Solid working knowledge of ArcGIS Pro and ArcPy, including building and deploying custom toolboxes and automating geoprocessing workflows
- Familiarity with forestry-based GIS analysis — working with forest inventory, cutblock data, terrain models, or similar natural resource datasets
- Familiarity with machine learning or computer vision concepts and at least one major framework (PyTorch, TensorFlow, scikit-learn)
- Solid understanding of spatial data structures, coordinate systems, and raster/vector formats
- Experience working with large datasets — knowing when to tile, chunk, or parallelize
Nice to have:
- Experience with LiDAR data processing in a forestry context — individual tree detection, canopy height models, terrain classification
- PostgreSQL and SQL experience — writing queries, managing spatial data with PostGIS, understanding schema design
- Esri web stack experience: ArcGIS Portal, publishing and maintaining feature services, web maps, and hosted layers
- Familiarity with forest inventory systems, tenure data, or provincial data standards (e.g., BC's VRI/RESULTS/FTEN)
- Familiarity with cloud platforms or HPC environments
- Exposure to object detection or semantic segmentation for remote sensing imagery
WHO YOU ARE
You're more comfortable in a code editor than a GIS interface. You approach messy datasets as puzzles to solve rather than problems to hand off. You write code that your future self — and your colleagues — will thank you for. You can explain a spatial concept to someone who's never opened a shapefile, and you can hold your own in a technical review with people who have.
You work well without constant direction. You ask good questions when you need to, and you know when to make a call and move forward.
WHAT WE PROVIDE
- In addition to a challenging and rewarding work environment, Forsite provides work/life flexibility, competitive wages, a solid benefits package, supported professional development and a company matched pension program. Forsite welcomes applications from everyone and is looking for the most suitable individual for the position available with the skills and knowledge to effectively complete the duties required of the position.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION
At Forsite, we are committed to fostering a work environment where everyone feels valued, respected and empowered to succeed. We believe that diverse perspectives drive innovation and strengthen our team. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, identities and experiences, including but not limited to Indigenous peoples, racialized individuals, persons with disabilities, women, LGBTQ2+individuals, and veterans. If you require accommodation during the hiring process, please let us know – we are happy to support you.
We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted.
