Water Data Engineer

Who We Are

The Center for Geospatial Solutions (CGS) is a self-sustaining nonprofit enterprise. Founded to help bridge the gap between policy and practice, our mission is to enable people and the planet to meet the pace of change by expanding access to new technologies that power more sustainable and equitable outcomes.  

We are a fully remote team of award-winning professionals with decades of applied expertise and end-to-end GIS capabilities. By embracing whole-system thinking and state-of-the-art technology, we enable partners across public, private, and nonprofit sectors to tackle complex, real-world challenges—like housing affordability, ecosystem conservation, water management, and sustainable infrastructure—with greater clarity.

Our work liberates and connects key information, creates nuanced pictures of complex situations, and makes data easier to use, understand, and act on. We use tools like satellite data and artificial intelligence to deliver insights for impact.

At CGS, we believe that technology can be a tool for positive change. We are dedicated to building a diverse team that represents the communities and systems we live and work in. If you’re excited about this role but don’t meet every listed qualification, we encourage you to apply. We value potential, curiosity, and lived experiences, and know a more inclusive team makes us a stronger organization.

About the Lincoln Institute

CGS was established in 2020 at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy which seeks to improve quality of life through the effective use, taxation, and stewardship of land. A nonprofit private operating foundation whose origins date to 1946, the Lincoln Institute researches and recommends creative approaches to land as a solution to economic, social, and environmental challenges. Through education, training, publications, and events, the Lincoln Institute integrates theory and practice to inform public policy decisions worldwide and has office locations in Cambridge, Massachusetts; Washington, DC; Phoenix, Arizona; and Beijing, China.

Position Overview:

The Center for Geospatial Solutions is seeking a Water Data Engineer to lead the integration and analysis of complex water datasets from diverse sources, serving as both a technical expert and strategic bridge between stakeholders and development teams. This role will contribute directly to the Internet of Water (IoW), a bold, coalition-led effort to improve water data infrastructure and fundamentally transform water management. Since 2022, CGS has served as the official home of the IoW Coalition, advancing this shared vision by   developing and promoting new tools and best practices for modernizing the nation's water data infrastructure, in partnership with public agencies, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in water science/management and hydroinformatics or data science, and be passionate about leveraging technology to address critical water challenges.

Reporting to the Associate Director for Global Engagement for the Internet of Water, the Water Data Engineer will be responsible for harmonizing disparate water datasets, providing subject matter expertise on water systems, and facilitating communication between technical teams and external stakeholders. They will bring deep knowledge of water resources, strong analytical skills, and excellent communication abilities. The Water Data Engineer will play a critical role in translating complex water data into actionable insights for policy and practice and advancing the IoW mission of transforming water data infrastructure nationwide.

What You Will Do:

Technical Leadership

• Map and harmonize water datasets from different organizations, ensuring consistency and interoperability across diverse data sources including federal, state, local, nongovernmental, and international water resources, quality, infrastructure, and administration databases
• Collaborate with software developers, providing subject matter expertise for the development of data transformation pipelines and quality assurance protocols for water-related datasets
• Provide technical guidance on water data curation, management, and visualization best practices

Project Delivery

• Serve as the primary subject matter expert on water resources, including surface and groundwater hydrology, water quality, water infrastructure, and water administration
• Bridge technical teams by connecting back-end developers with front-end developers to ensure seamless data flow and user experience
• Find, interpret, and analyze complex water datasets using advanced statistical and computational methods
• Clean, transform, and analyze water data using scripting languages such as R, Python, or MATLAB
• Implement data standards and protocols for water dataset integration and management
• Collaborate with engineering teams to optimize data processing workflows and system performance
• Maintain documentation and metadata standards for water datasets and analytical processes

Stakeholder Engagement and Communication

• Collaborate with stakeholder engagement experts and software developers to create data products and visualizations that communicate water insights to diverse audiences
• Act as the primary liaison between internal technical teams and external stakeholders
• Translate stakeholder requirements and needs into technical specifications for development teams
• Communicate complex water data findings and technical concepts to non-technical audiences
• Facilitate workshops and meetings to gather requirements and present analytical results to diverse stakeholder groups

Team Management and Participation

• Assist the Associate Directors in recruiting, hiring, and onboarding water subject matter expert analysts and junior data scientists
• Manage and mentor a team of water data analysts, providing technical guidance and professional development opportunities
• Participate in IoW visioning and business development to expand our reach and our partner base

Who You Are

You get energy from solving messy, meaningful problems alongside smart, mission-driven collaborators. You're comfortable navigating change, curious about new tools and ideas, and excited to stretch your skillset when the work calls for it. You bring creativity, adaptability, and a sense of possibility to everything you do, and you’re not afraid to try, learn, and try again.

What You Will Need:

• Master's degree in Water Resources Engineering, Hydrology, Hydroinformatics, Environmental Engineering, or related field, or Master's degree in Social Sciences (e.g. Geography, Planning, Public Policy) with a concentration or specialization in water resources, water policy, or water management, or equivalent professional experience
• Expertise (5 years experience minimum) in water resources, including surface and groundwater hydrology, water quality assessment, and water infrastructure, with particular knowledge of water issues in the arid U.S. West
• Proficiency in data analysis and scripting languages (R, Python, MATLAB, or similar)
• Experience with data cleaning, transformation, and statistical analysis of large datasets, including time series and geospatial data
• Strong understanding of water data systems, collection methods, and quality assessment protocols
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with ability to translate technical concepts for diverse audiences
• Demonstrated experience in stakeholder engagement, including facilitating meetings, conducting interviews, gathering requirements, and presenting technical findings to non-technical audiences
• Proven track record of working with interdisciplinary teams and managing relationships with external partners, clients, or government agencies
• Experience serving as a technical liaison or bridge between development teams and end users or stakeholders
• Experience working with government agencies, water utilities, or water management organizations

You will be preferred if you have:

• Experience with GIS software and spatial analysis of water resources data
• Knowledge of western US water law, policy, and administration frameworks
• Familiarity with cloud computing platforms (e.g. AWS, GCP) and modern data engineering tools (e.g. Docker)
• Background in machine learning applications for environmental or water resources analysis
• Experience with water resource management issues in low and middle income countries

Lincoln Institute of Land Policy Mission

The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy seeks to improve quality of life through the effective use, taxation, and stewardship of land. A nonprofit private operating foundation whose origins date to 1946, the Lincoln Institute researches and recommends creative approaches to land as a solution to economic, social, and environmental challenges. Through education, training, publications, and events, we integrate theory and practice to inform public policy decisions worldwide. With locations in Cambridge, Massachusetts; Washington, DC; Phoenix; and Beijing, we organize our work around the achievement of six goals: low-carbon, climate-resilient communities and regions; efficient and equitable tax systems; reduced poverty and spatial inequality; fiscally healthy communities and regions; sustainably managed land and water resources; and functional land markets and reduced informality. 

Our Benefits

Include but are not limited to (a) 3x employer contribution towards retirement matching your employee contribution up to 15%, (b) health insurance, (c) dental insurance, (d) vision insurance, (e) 100% reimbursement of the health care deductible through a health reimbursement account, (f) short-term disability coverage, (g) long term disability coverage, (h) paid parental leave, (i) voluntary insurances such as accident insurance, (j) health care flexible spending, (k) dependent care flexible spending, (l) paid time off for holidays, vacation, personal, sick, bereavement, and jury duty, (m) office closure between December 24 – Jan 1 each calendar year, (n) flexible schedule and option for a compressed 4 day workweek, (o) tuition and staff development reimbursement, (p) pet insurance, and (q) Employee Assistance Program. 

Application Process

Please submit a cover letter and resume. The cover letter should succinctly describe your interest to join the team; why you are qualified; and what relevant expertise and experience you offer. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Compensation Overview

The salary market range for this role is posted above and dependent on level of education and years of experience. We value internal and external equity and encourage those who may be missing qualifications to submit their materials still.

Our Values

Cooperation and Teamwork, Forthright Feedback, Initiative, Acceptance of Responsibility, Multicultural Sensitivity

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy is dedicated to creating an inclusive work environment by hiring, training, promoting, and carrying out personnel procedures with respect to compensation, benefits, transfers, layoffs, or terminations, on the basis of individual merit, experience, and ability without regard to race (including traits historically associated with race such as hair texture, length of hair, protective hairstyles or cultural or religious headdresses), color, religion, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), ancestry, citizenship status, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital or domestic/civil partnership status, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, military service, serious medical condition, expunged juvenile record, personal appearance, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, status as a victim, credit information, homelessness status, reproductive health decision making, or any other characteristic protected by law or otherwise.

Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision

Lincoln Institute of Land Policy will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information.

Non-Smoking Organization

Lincoln Institute of Land Policy is a Non-Smoking organization. Smoking and the use of tobacco products are prohibited at all times and on all property owned, leased, or under the control of Lincoln Institute of Land Policy at all times, including, but not limited to indoor and outdoor grounds, walkways and sidewalks, parking lots, company vehicles, and private vehicles parked on Lincoln Institute of Land Policy property.

MA Polygraph Statement

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.