State of Maryland

A HCD Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Professional Trainee has no experience or training, but demonstrates an aptitude to work with geospatial data and systems, and develop and implement GIS solutions for the Maryland Department of Housing and Development (HCD).  HCD, as a housing finance agency, offers a broad range of financial services that include bond finance, mortgage lending, municipal and small business lending, cashflow loans, tax credit programs and loan servicing, as well as housing voucher and grant administration for community revitalization.  HCD’s commercial partnerships and stakeholders include community and investment banks, sub-services, trustees and bond holders. HCD's lending and financing programs are inherently time critical, and there are extensive dependencies on personally identifiable information (PII), as well as other sensitive and non-public information.   Employees in this classification do not supervise other positions.

Employees in this classification receive constant oversight for their tasks and assignments.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using by the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the classification specification.

The HCD Geographic Information Systems Professional Trainee is differentiated from the HCD Geographic Information Systems Professional I in that that the HCD Geographic Information Systems Professional Trainee has no experience or training in developing and implementing GIS solutions and performs technical assignments only under direction and guidance while the HCD Geographic Information Systems Professional I performs the duties under close supervision.

Shadows more senior employees as they perform a full range of technical duties;

Develops understanding and proficiency with commodity technologies utilized by agency;

Enables the Department to expediently respond to opportunities and challenges via Information Technology;

Participates on projects requiring GIS services, maps and data;

Works with business users to define geographic needs;

Has responsibility for the development and maintenance of geospatial databases;

Converts data received from internal and external sources to make them usable in GIS;

Uses GIS technology to perform spatial analysis and database development, extraction and manipulation to support a variety of applications;

Maintains metadata and documentation, performs topology checks and other data quality checks to identify and correct errors or emissions in geospatial data;

Performs user training on GIS applications and tools;

Performs installations and upgrades for GIS software;

Performs other related duties.

Limited knowledge of line-of-business programs, their respective missions, and the role of information technology;

Limited knowledge of computer operating systems and PCs;

Limited knowledge of ip networks, and client-server architecture;

Limited knowledge of GIS development software;

Limited knowledge of database design fundamentals;

Limited skill in design, development and enhancement of geospatial maps;

Limited skill in connecting software to various datasources;

Limited skill in synthesizing multiple products and technologies into a blended, hybrid solution using niche products;

Limited skill in reviewing and interpreting event logs;

Limited skill in automating and monitoring recurring tasks;

Limited skill in delivering solutions and achieving outcomes via Information Technology;

Limited ability to analyze organizational needs, architect business solutions, and monitor/administer systems/software to optimize performance;

Limited ability to use acquired institutional knowledge to achieve organizational efficiencies;

Limited ability to understand programs needs of computers and software and technology;

Limited ability to recognize data-connectivity requirements;

Limited ability to collect field survey data utilizing GPS equipment.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions.  Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is assigned to Bargaining Unit G, Engineering, Scientific and Administrative Professionals classes.  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded from collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.

This classification is one level in a Non-Competitive Promotion (NCP) series.   NCP promotions are promotions by which employees may advance in grade and class level from trainee to full performance levels in a classification series.  In order to be non-competitively promoted to the next level in a NCP series, an employee must: 1) perform the main purpose of the class as defined in the Nature of Work section of the class specification; 2) receive the type of supervision defined in the class specification, and 3) meet the minimum qualifications of the classification.  

Director, Division of Classification and Salary