GIS Student Intern - Future Shorelines Project

Florida International University is a top public university that drives real talent and innovation in Miami and globally. Very high research (R1) activity and high social mobility come together at FIU to uplift and accelerate learner success in a global city by focusing in the areas of environment, health, innovation, and justice. Today, FIU has two campuses and multiple centers. FIU serves a diverse student body of more than 56,000 and 290,000 Panther alumni. U.S. News and World Report places dozens of FIU programs among the best in the nation, including international business at No. 2. Washington Monthly Magazine ranks FIU among the top 20 public universities contributing to the public good.

Florida International University's (FIU) Institute of Environment and the GIS Center seek a talented and motivated Student Intern to contribute to the innovative Future Shorelines project. The Future Shorelines project (https://futureshorelines.fiu.edu) is a high-impact initiative focused on visualizing the effects of sea level rise on coastal communities through advanced modeling and interactive web-based tools.

The intern will play a key role in the project's technical development, focusing on data engineering and frontend visualization. This position involves designing and implementing robust data pipelines to process large-scale climate and geospatial datasets, as well as contributing to the development of user-facing interactive maps and visualizations. This is a unique opportunity to apply data science, programming, and geospatial skills to a real-world environmental challenge, contributing to cutting-edge research that informs public awareness and policy.

This is an entry-level position within a dynamic research team that provides immense opportunities for technical growth and professional development in the fields of data science, climate science, and geoinformatics.

Primary Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain data processing pipelines for large-scale geospatial and climate model outputs.
• Write and optimize scripts for data extraction, transformation, and loading (ETL) processes.
• Assist in the development and enhancement of frontend web mapping applications and data visualizations.
• Process, clean, and manage diverse geospatial data formats (e.g., GeoTIFF, Shapefile, NetCDF, GeoJSON).
• Collaborate with the project research team to implement new features and improve existing web tools.
• Assist in documenting code, workflows, and technical processes.
• Other duties assigned by the direct supervisor.

At least 3 semesters of FIU work experience or related experience outside the University with satisfactory or higher from prior student appointment.

Requires a letter of recommendation from one prior supervisor.

Requires prior completion of FIU Service Excellence training or completion within first 30 days.

Currently enrolled as a student at an accredited university.

Demonstrated experience with at least one programming language through coursework or personal projects.

A foundational understanding of geospatial data formats and concepts.

Ability to work in a team setting.

Advanced proficiency of Microsoft Office Suites.

Ability to take direction and work independently as needed.

Ability to maintain confidentiality when dealing with highly sensitive information.

Knowledge of PC operations and specialized software programs, such as PantherSoft and Salesforce.

Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, verbally, and in writing.

Possess a high sense of responsibility and customer service skills.

Ability to solve problems independently.

Organizational and time-management skills.

Currently enrolled in a Bachelor's or Master's degree program in Computer Science, Data Science, Engineering, GIS, or a related STEM field.

Strong proficiency in a programming language such as Python (preferred) or JavaScript. Experience with relevant libraries (e.g., Pandas, GeoPandas, GDAL, Rasterio) is a major plus.

Experience with or strong interest in frontend web development (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) and web mapping libraries (e.g., Mapbox GL JS, Leaflet, D3.js).

Familiarity with data pipeline concepts and tools.

Demonstrated problem-solving skills and the ability to work independently on technical challenges.

Strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively as part of a collaborative research team.

A desire to continuously learn new technologies and apply them to environmental science.

Experience with cloud computing platforms (e.g., AWS, Google Cloud) or containerization (Docker) is a plus.

Student Assistant

• Applicants must be currently enrolled as a student at FIU with a minimum of six (6) credits as an Undergraduate student or three (3) credits as a Graduate student during the Fall and Spring semesters.
• During the Summer semesters, Students need only remain enrolled and are not required to take credit hours, but cannot have graduated.
• Upon decreasing credit hours or graduating, student employment must end.

The schedule is flexible to accommodate academic coursework.

$15.00/hour

Criminal Background Check

This student appointment may be subjected to a pre-employment background check.

Extended Background Check is required if the job includes any of the following responsibilities. Some may also require a Fingerprint Check:

Prospective Employee

If you have not created a registered account, you will be asked to create a username and password for use of the system. It is recommended that you provide an active/valid e-mail account as that will be the main source of communication regarding your status within the process. In this account, you are able to track your applicant status in "My Applications".

To be considered eligible for the position as an internal candidate, departmental staff must meet minimum requirements of the position and be in good performance standing.

Before you begin the process, we recommend that you are prepared to attach electronic copies of your resume, cover letter or any other documents within the application process. It is recommended that you combine your cover letter and resume/curriculum vitae into one attachment. Attached documents should be in Microsoft Word or PDF format. All applicants are required to complete the online application including work history and educational details (if applicable), even when attaching a resume.

*This posting will close at 12:00 am of the close date.

Current Employee

As a current employee, you must log into Employee Self Service (ESS) to apply for this and any other internal career opportunity of interest. In this account, you are able to track your applicant status in "My Applications".

To be considered eligible for the position as an internal candidate, departmental staff must meet minimum requirements of the position and be in good performance standing.

Before you begin the process, we recommend that you are prepared to attach electronic copies of your resume/ curriculum vitae, cover letter or any other documents within the application process. It is recommended that you combine your cover letter and resume into one attachment. Attached documents should be in Microsoft Word or PDF format.

*This posting will close at 12:00 am of the close date.

Clery Notice

In compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act, the University Police department at Florida International University provides information on crimes statistics, crime prevention, law enforcement, crime reporting, and other related issues for the past three (3) calendar years. The FIU Annual Security report is available online at: https://police.fiu.edu/download/annual-security-fire-safety-report/.

To obtain a paper copy of the report, please visit the FIU Police Department located at 885 SW 109th Avenue, Miami, FL, 33199 (PG5 Market Station).

Pay Transparency

Florida International University 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.

FIU is a State University System of Florida member, Equal Opportunity, Equal Access, and Affirmative Action Employer for individuals with disabilities and veterans. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status. For inquiries regarding nondiscrimination, contact FIU's Office of Civil Rights Compliance and Accessibility at 305.348.2785 or email ocrca@fiu.edu.