GIS Program Office (GPO) FAQs

The NY GIS Program Office (GPO) operates under the mission of delivering geospatial information and capabilities to benefit all of New York.

The GPO is part of the NYS Office of Information Technology Services, and has the mission to provide high-level, authoritative GIS data and services to users in all sectors. We coordinate, maintain and develop statewide framework data including Orthoimagery, Elevation, Streets, Addresses, Civil Boundaries, Public Safety Boundaries, and Parcels. In addition, the GPO provides New York State with a GIS Web Services platform to help users and application developers access the data. 

Anyone interested in an entry level GIS Position through NYS Office of Information Technology Services GIS Program Office needs to start the process through Civil Service Information Technology Specialist 1 & 2 Examinations. For more information about the various program areas and potential rolls at the GIS Program Office, click here.

The GPO is working hard to fill positions supporting our programs which so many have come to rely on.  If you or someone you know might like to join the GPO when these positions come available, there is an important and necessary step to take.  We typically bring new staff into the civil service title Information Technology Specialist 2. Your first step would be to go to this website and apply for an “exam”. At this point you don’t actually sit for an exam, instead you fill out a survey of your relevant college course work, experiences, certifications, and capabilities.  Then when an opening at the GPO becomes available, job relevant characteristics are selected from the same catalog, which hits the database with your survey results. Candidates are then scored by how well their profile matches the selected characteristics needed to fill a particular opening. At that point, unknown to you, you have just taken the "exam".  From that process, the GPO is provided a list of interested candidates. We then validate the survey entries, look at resumes, and start the interview process. 

Please note there is no charge for the application process. In addition, be aware that when filling out the survey GIS classes count towards ITS qualifications.

Additional resources for job seekers include:

• NYS Information Technology Services Employment Opportunities Website, click here
• The NYS GIS Association List of GIS Jobs, click here.