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Connect with the Peace Corps
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If you are flexible in where you serve for the two-year Peace Corps Volunteer program, our experts can match you with a position and country based on your experience and preferences.
Serve where you’re needed mostGeospatial Information System Advisor
Environment
Job highlights
- Apply your expertise in spatial data to protect the Galapagos complex socio-ecosystems while surrounded by nature’s most extraordinary creatures.
- Strengthen Spanish language skills through daily collaborations and interactions.
- Experience a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its unique flora and fauna for an extended period.
Ecuador • South America
In partnership with: Charles Darwin Foundation for the Galapagos Islands
Get answers live — every weekday at .
Apply by
November 15, 2026Know by
January 1, 2027Depart on
May 30, 2027Duration
12 monthsAbout the project
If solving puzzles with spatial data is your superpower, we’ve got the perfect opportunity for you.
One of the Charles Darwin Foundation’s projects aims to improve data and knowledge management for the Galapagos socio‑ecosystems. Despite the abundance of scientific and environmental information produced in the archipelago, fragmentation and underuse of this data hinder informed decision‑making, policy development, and effective governance by the Galapagos National Park Directorate (GNPD) and researchers. The project seeks to develop digital tools and systems to organize, analyze, and share information, strengthening the entire open‑data lifecycle and supporting open science. Although the conceptualization phase and initial database mapping are underway, significant support is still needed to build and implement the required technological tools and strengthen the team’s capacity.
As a Geospatial Information System Advisor, you will identify opportunities to strengthen the team’s data collection, management, analysis, and visualization. You will facilitate the dissemination, validation, and adoption of new tools. Together, you will position the foundation to make data-driven decisions for evidence-based public policies that effectively contribute to the foundation’s mission.
Learn more about what Volunteers do in country by visiting our Ecuador project page.
Required skills
Qualified candidates will have the following criteria:
Bachelor's degree in environmental science, biology, forestry or a relevant field (e.g., computer engineering).
AND
Two or more years of training and experience using relevant data collection tools, such as geographic information systems (GIS), statistical software, and mapping applications.
Language: Spanish
A. Completed 4 years of high school Spanish coursework in the past 8 years
B. Completed college-level Elementary II Spanish semester (Elementary III in quarter system) within the past 6 years
C. Score between 50-62 on the Spanish College Level Examination Program (CLEP) exam in the past 6 years
D. Score Novice-High or Intermediate-Low on official American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) in Spanish within the past 6 years
Required behavioral competencies
These competencies are essential for all service assignments and are assessed in the application and interview process:
Motivation for and commitment to service
Adaptability and open-mindedness
Problem solving and resourcefulness
Behavioral maturity and professionalism
Photos from Ecuador
How you and the community will make an impact together:
Identify GIS information across projects to ensure institutional memory.
Analyze spatial data from scientific research projects using GIS.
Design, elaborate, debug, standardize, and publish geodata in geoportals.
Process, analyze, and manage geographic data and information generated by other projects.
Train volunteers, students, and staff in GIS practices.
You may also work on additional projects that meet the community’s interests and priorities, such as environmental education activities.
The Volunteer will live independently in a simple house on Santa Cruz Island, conveniently located next to the National Park Directorate. Tap water is only appropriate for showering or laundry; bottled water is the only suitable drinking water. The Volunteer should expect to commute by bike and occasionally, travel by boat to other islands. The Volunteer will have consistent access to the internet.
Learn more about the living conditions, including detailed information on culture, communications, housing, and health/crime statistics on our Ecuador country page. You can also delve into stories about local communities by reading our blog or Volunteer stories.
Meet a Volunteer in Ecuador
Maja S.
Health and Well-Being Volunteer
"[From my community] I learned to conserve resources by doing dishes once a day; taking short, cold showers; unplugging electronics while not in use; and taking advantage of natural light whenever possible."
See full Volunteer profile
After a 1-week orientation on topics such as health and safety, you will move to the Galapagos Islands where you will collaborate with the staff to assess needs and develop a work plan in line with their established goals.
Peace Corps/Ecuador will equip you with Spanish language resources and you may work with a local tutor who can help you build basic language skills to connect with the community.
No couples are accepted for this position.
Application process
From application to departure takes around nine months. Learn about the application process for Volunteer opportunities.
Medical/legal clearance
You will need to be cleared medically and legally in order to serve in Ecuador. Review information on medical clearance and legal clearance to learn about the process.
