Utility GIS Specialist

Corning Natural Gas Corp•City of Corning, NY

3d•$75,000 - $85,000

About The Position

The Utility GIS Specialist is the primary technical resource for ESRI-based geographic information systems supporting natural gas and electric distribution operations at Corning Natural Gas Corporation (CNG), Pike County Light & Power Company (PCLP), and Leatherstocking Gas Company (LGC). The position creates, validates, and maintains GIS mapping and asset records using GPS/GNSS surveys, as-built records, engineering drawings, field inspections, work orders, and other approved sources. It establishes enterprise-wide data standards, editing procedures, and quality-control workflows while keeping each company’s records separate and appropriately controlled. The Specialist works with Engineering, Gas Operations, Electric Operations, Information Technology, contractors, and consultants to support construction, operations, asset management, regulatory reporting, emergency response, damage prevention, and system planning. The role administers GIS datasets, geodatabases, map services, and applications; maintains accurate facility locations and attributes; processes construction records and survey data; and produces maps, drawings, and data products. It also supports GIS quality assurance, security, system integrations, field and mobile applications, user training, project coordination, and operational and regulatory mapping needs. The position is primarily office-based, with periodic travel and field visits to company facilities, construction sites, and service territories. Field work may involve outdoor and utility operating environments and associated hazards. The employee must follow safety rules, personal protective equipment requirements, and safe-driving practices.

Requirements

Associate’s degree in GIS, geomatics, surveying technology, engineering technology, CAD, or a related discipline; an equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
Minimum of two years of full-time GIS experience using ESRI software.
Demonstrated proficiency with ESRI ArcGIS, including ArcGIS Pro, and management of spatial databases and published GIS content.
Working knowledge of GPS/GNSS data collection, coordinate reference systems, positional accuracy, metadata, and spatial data processing.
Knowledge of natural gas and electric distribution systems, utility asset mapping, and construction documentation.
Ability to administer multiple company GIS environments, maintain data ownership and access controls, and establish standards, procedures, and quality-control workflows.
Ability to interpret construction drawings, as-builts, survey information, utility plans, and easements, and investigate and resolve data discrepancies, including connectivity and topology issues.
Ability to work independently, prioritize competing requests, meet deadlines, and demonstrate strong organization, analytical judgment, and attention to detail.
Effective written and verbal communication skills, including explaining technical matters to field personnel, engineers, contractors, and management.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office and familiarity with Autodesk or other CAD software.
Ability to apply company policies and safety, cybersecurity, records, and regulatory requirements.
Valid driver’s license.

Nice To Haves

Experience with GPS/GNSS data collection.
Experience with ArcGIS Pro and ESRI mobile field applications.
Experience with utility mapping or asset records.
Experience with natural gas or electric distribution systems.
Experience supporting multiple operating companies or service territories.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary point of contact and technical lead for ESRI GIS data maintenance and mapping for CNG, PCLP, and LGC gas and electric distribution systems.
Administer company GIS datasets, geodatabases, map services, and applications while preserving company-specific data models, permissions, ownership, and regulatory requirements.
Maintain accurate spatial locations and attributes for gas and electric facilities, including mains, services, valves, regulators, meters, poles, conductors, transformers, switches, and underground cables.
Organize supporting records, including as-built drawings, work orders, easements, real estate records, and inspection records.
Reconcile discrepancies among GIS records, CAD mapping, field conditions, and source documents; identify opportunities to improve legacy records.
Maintain version control, change tracking, backups, access controls, and documentation according to company procedures.
Coordinate, process, validate, and maintain GPS/GNSS data for existing and newly installed facilities.
Establish and follow standards for coordinate systems, positional accuracy, collection methods, metadata, and field documentation for each service territory.
Evaluate field data for completeness and accuracy, resolve discrepancies with existing records, and maintain traceable survey records.
Work with construction, engineering, operations, and contractors to capture new, relocated, retired, or modified facilities.
Review, process, and incorporate work orders, construction records, as-built drawings, and GPS/GNSS data into the correct company GIS environment.
Establish consistent workflows for completed projects and verify required attributes and records before publishing updates.
Track outstanding as-built information, follow up on incomplete, late, or conflicting records, and escalate issues requiring engineering review or field confirmation.
Produce GIS-based construction drawings, exhibits, and data products for capital projects, system improvements, maintenance, and facility relocations.
Perform quality-control reviews for spatial accuracy, attribute completeness, duplicate records, connectivity, topology, and data-model consistency.
Maintain documented procedures for editing, review, validation, correction, and publication, as well as records of data sources, limitations, unresolved discrepancies, and company-specific exceptions.
Protect company GIS information by following user access, data security, record retention, backup, and change-management requirements.
Coordinate approved data exchanges and integrations with work management, asset management, customer information, outage management, inspection, and mobile field systems.
Identify workflow improvements using ESRI tools, automation, mobile data collection, and dashboards; coordinate with Information Technology, vendors, and consultants on upgrades, licensing, data conversion, cybersecurity, and technical support.
Produce maps, map books, exhibits, and data extracts for facility locating, One Call activities, third-party design requests, engineering, construction, operations, and maintenance.
Create and maintain maps, inspection forms, mobile applications, and records for applicable leakage, valve, corrosion, regulator station, electric inspection, and other maintenance programs.
Prepare GIS information for emergency response, outage and incident support, system planning, asset management, risk assessment, and regulatory reporting.
Ensure GIS records used for operational and regulatory purposes are current and support applicable federal, New York, Pennsylvania, and local requirements.
Coordinate GIS work for capital projects, system improvements, asset inventories, data conversions, and GPS surveys across CNG, PCLP, and LGC.
Review contractor and consultant GIS deliverables for compliance with company specifications, data standards, and required formats.
Work with departments to set priorities, resolve data issues, meet deadlines, and fulfill map and data requests.
Provide technical guidance and training to GIS and mobile application users.
Perform other GIS, mapping, and related technical duties as assigned.