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Geospatial Analytics Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

PhD and current Faculty/Professor status in Geospatial Analytics, Computer Science, Remote Sensing, or a related field. • Deep Domain Expertise: 12+ years of experience in remote sensing and ...

Required : • PhD and current Faculty/Professor status in Geospatial Analytics, Computer Science, Remote Sensing, or a related field. • 12+ years of experience in remote sensing and satellite ...

STRATEGIC MARKET ANALYST

Inglewood, CA

$97K - $121K/yr

Working knowledge of geospatial analytics tools (ArcGIS). * Experience with data transformation tools such as Excel Power Query. * Strong written and verbal communication skills with experience ...

Data Analyst

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$123K - $160K/yr

Previous experience working with geospatial analytics and spatial datasets. * Experience with large-scale time-series and mobility datasets (e.g., GTFS, GPS traces, transit logs). * Experience with ...

Intelligence Analyst

Hawthorne, CA · On-site

$95K - $120K/yr

Perform geospatial analysis/movement analysis using internal/external data sources and platforms. * Utilize data aggregators and OSINT tools to conduct open-source research, and leverage social media ...

PhD and current Faculty/Professor status in Geospatial Analytics, Computer Science, Remote Sensing, or a related field. * Deep Domain Expertise: 12+ years of experience in remote sensing and ...

PhD and current Faculty/Professor status in Geospatial Analytics, Computer Science, Remote Sensing, or a related field. * Deep Domain Expertise: 12+ years of experience in remote sensing and ...

Sr. Intelligence Analyst

Hawthorne, CA · On-site

$120K - $160K/yr

Perform geospatial analysis/movement analysis using internal/external data sources and platforms. * Utilize data aggregators and OSINT tools to conduct open-source research, and leverage social media ...

Intelligence Analyst

Hawthorne, CA · On-site

$95K - $120K/yr

Perform geospatial analysis/movement analysis using internal/external data sources and platforms. * Utilize data aggregators and OSINT tools to conduct open-source research, and leverage social media ...

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Geospatial Analytics information

See California salary details

$21.7K

$76.5K

$120.4K

How much do geospatial analytics jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 11, 2026, the average yearly pay for geospatial analytics in California is $76,480.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $53,800.00 and $79,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Geospatial Analytics professional, and why are they important?

To thrive in Geospatial Analytics, you need strong spatial analysis skills, proficiency in geographic information systems (GIS), and a background in geography, computer science, or related fields. Familiarity with tools such as ArcGIS, QGIS, remote sensing software, and programming languages like Python or R is typically required, along with relevant certifications. Analytical thinking, problem-solving, and effective communication are crucial soft skills for interpreting complex spatial data and presenting findings to diverse stakeholders. These skills and qualifications are important for delivering actionable insights that inform decision-making across industries such as urban planning, environmental management, and logistics.

What is a geospatial job?

A geospatial job involves analyzing and interpreting geographic data using tools like GIS (Geographic Information Systems), remote sensing, and spatial analysis software. Professionals in this field work on mapping, spatial data management, and geographic problem-solving to support sectors such as urban planning, environmental management, and transportation.

What is the difference between Geospatial Analytics vs GIS Analyst?

AspectGeospatial AnalyticsGIS Analyst
Required CredentialsBachelor's in Geography, GIS, or related field; proficiency in spatial analysis toolsBachelor's in Geography, GIS, or related field; GIS certifications often preferred
Work EnvironmentData analysis, modeling, and visualization in offices or remote settingsMap creation, data management, and spatial data editing in GIS software environments
Industry UsageUsed across industries like urban planning, environmental science, and transportation for data-driven decisionsPrimarily in government agencies, consulting firms, and environmental organizations for mapping and data management

While both roles involve spatial data, Geospatial Analytics focuses on analyzing and interpreting geographic data to derive insights, whereas a GIS Analyst primarily manages and creates geographic information systems and maps. Both roles often overlap but serve different core functions within the geospatial industry.

What are some common challenges faced by professionals in geospatial analytics, and how can they be addressed?

Professionals in geospatial analytics often encounter challenges such as managing large, complex datasets, ensuring data accuracy, and integrating information from diverse sources. To address these, it's important to develop strong skills in data cleaning, validation, and familiarity with various GIS and remote sensing tools. Collaboration with IT specialists and subject matter experts can also help streamline workflows and improve data integration. Staying updated on the latest industry software and best practices is key to overcoming technical hurdles and delivering actionable insights.

What does a geospatial engineer do?

A geospatial engineer analyzes and interprets geographic data using GIS (Geographic Information Systems), remote sensing, and mapping tools. They develop spatial models, create maps, and support decision-making processes in fields like urban planning, environmental management, and infrastructure development.

What does geospatial mean?

Geospatial refers to data that is related to specific locations on the Earth's surface, often used in geospatial analytics roles to analyze spatial patterns and relationships. It involves working with geographic information systems (GIS), mapping tools, and spatial data analysis techniques to support decision-making and problem-solving.

What is the meaning of geospatial data?

Geospatial data refers to information that identifies the geographic location and characteristics of natural or man-made features on the Earth's surface. In geospatial analytics, this data is used with GIS tools and spatial analysis techniques to interpret patterns, relationships, and trends related to location-based information.

What is geospatial analytics?

Geospatial analytics is the process of gathering, analyzing, and interpreting data that is associated with specific locations on the Earth. It combines geographic information systems (GIS), satellite imagery, GPS data, and other spatial data sources to uncover patterns, relationships, and trends. Geospatial analytics is widely used in fields like urban planning, environmental science, disaster response, and business intelligence to make data-driven decisions based on location-specific insights.
What are popular job titles related to Geospatial Analytics jobs in California? For Geospatial Analytics jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What cities in California are hiring for Geospatial Analytics jobs? Cities in California with the most Geospatial Analytics job openings:
Visiting Staff Scientist

Visiting Staff Scientist

Planet

San Francisco, CA • On-site

Full-time

Posted 29 days ago


Job description

Job Summary:
Planet is a company that designs, builds, and operates the largest constellation of imaging satellites in history. They are seeking a distinguished Visiting Staff Scientist to lead the development of proprietary geospatial foundation models and collaborate with a multi-disciplinary team to create AI/ML solutions that leverage PlanetScope data.
Responsibilities:
• Develop Planet’s Proprietary GFM: Lead the research and development of a foundation model specifically trained on Planet imagery, incorporating the time-axis to create high-cadence time-series embeddings.
• Benchmark Geospatial Architectures: Systematically evaluate and compare existing GFMs (e.g., TerraMind, Prithvi, Clay) against PlanetScope data to assess performance, computational cost, and transferability.
• Capture Dynamic Earth Events: Design embeddings and workflows optimized for detecting short-lived, high-impact events such as floods, rapid surface-water expansion, and fire.
• Multi-Sensor Integration: Explore the synergy between PlanetScope, Sentinel-1 SAR, and other commercial SAR data to ensure robust time-series analysis even under cloud cover.
• Human-in-the-Loop Innovation: Use embeddings to design active learning workflows that prioritize labeling and reduce the annotation burden for time-sensitive mapping tasks.
• Academic & Technical Leadership: Publish findings in top-tier journals and present at conferences (e.g., IGARSS, CVPR), highlighting PlanetScope’s unique value in the foundation model ecosystem.
• Mentor & Collaborate: Oversee the technical direction of a dedicated postdoc and collaborate with Planet’s research scientists to transition prototypes into operational products.
Qualifications:
Required:
• Distinguished Academic Background: PhD and current Faculty/Professor status in Geospatial Analytics, Computer Science, Remote Sensing, or a related field.
• Deep Domain Expertise: 12+ years of experience in remote sensing and satellite image analysis, with a proven track record in building AI-based models for environmental change (e.g., flood-extent, water dynamics).
• Multimodal AI Fluency: Extensive experience with foundation models, contrastive learning (CLIP-like models), and multi-model vision-language models (MMVLMs).
• Advanced Geospatial Toolkit: Proficiency in multi-sensor integration (Landsat, Sentinel-2, PlanetScope, Sentinel-1) and high-resolution mapping at varying scales (3m, 10m, 30m).
• Technical Proficiency: Expert-level Python skills and experience with the scientific stack (xarray, Dask, NumPy, Rasterio, GeoPandas) and deep learning frameworks.
• Scale-Minded Research: Experience building automated pipelines for preprocessing and labeling planetary-scale datasets.
• Collaborative Spirit: A history of leading research labs and a desire to work in a fast-paced, industrial R&D environment.
Preferred:
• Specialized Environmental Research: Extensive experience specifically in flood damage quantification and methane-related water dynamics.
• Proven Funding & Publication Record: History of leading NASA-funded or similar high-impact geospatial research projects.
• Architectural Knowledge: Direct experience fine-tuning or modifying specific GFM architectures like TerraMind or Prithvi.
Company:
Planet is an aerospace and data analytics company that builds small satellites and delivers information about the changing planet. Founded in 2010, the company is headquartered in San Francisco, USA, with a team of 501-1000 employees. The company is currently Late Stage.