21Y Career Guide
21Y: Geospatial Engineer
Career transition guide for Army Geospatial Engineer (21Y)
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Top civilian roles for 21Y veterans, with average salary and market demand data.
Geospatial Analyst
Surveyor
Skills to develop:
Cartographer/GIS Technician
Skills to develop:
Remote Sensing Technician
Skills to develop:
Urban and Regional Planner
Skills to develop:
Salary estimates from VWC career data
Hidden Strengths
Cognitive skills your 21Y training built — and where they transfer.
System Modeling
Geospatial engineers construct and maintain complex geospatial databases, requiring a deep understanding of how geographic data is structured, related, and utilized to represent real-world environments for military operations and strategic planning.
This translates to the ability to design, implement, and manage complex data systems in civilian settings, including understanding data relationships, optimizing database performance, and ensuring data integrity.
Resource Optimization
Supervising topographic surveying, cartography, and photolithography activities requires careful allocation of personnel, equipment, and time to meet mapping and intelligence requirements efficiently and effectively.
This skill enables you to strategically manage resources, including personnel, budgets, and materials, to achieve project goals within defined constraints and timelines.
Team Synchronization
As a topographic engineering supervisor, coordinating teams across various topographic engineering missions demands strong leadership and communication to ensure seamless collaboration and mission success.
This translates directly to managing teams, fostering collaboration, and ensuring everyone is working in sync towards a common goal. You can effectively delegate tasks, resolve conflicts, and motivate team members to achieve optimal performance.
Situational Awareness
The role requires a comprehensive understanding of the operational environment, including terrain analysis, threat assessment, and the impact of geographic factors on military operations, enabling informed decision-making and proactive planning.
You possess a keen ability to assess complex situations, anticipate potential challenges, and make informed decisions based on available information. This skill allows you to proactively identify and mitigate risks, ensuring smooth project execution.
Non-Obvious Career Matches
Urban and Regional Planner
SOC 19-3051.00You've been creating and managing geospatial data for military operations, so you already understand how location impacts decision-making. You can use that knowledge to help communities plan for the future, optimizing land use, transportation, and infrastructure. Your system modeling skills are directly applicable to urban planning scenarios.
Logistics Analyst
SOC 13-2081.00You've been optimizing resources and managing teams to accomplish topographic engineering missions. You can transfer those skills to analyzing supply chain operations, identifying inefficiencies, and recommending improvements to optimize logistics processes. Your experience with situational awareness will be crucial in anticipating potential disruptions.
Emergency Management Specialist
SOC 29-9099.02You've developed a deep understanding of terrain analysis and its impact on operations. You can leverage that knowledge to help communities prepare for and respond to natural disasters and other emergencies. Your geospatial expertise will be invaluable in developing evacuation plans and coordinating disaster relief efforts. You excel in situational awareness under pressure.
Training & Education Equivalencies
Geospatial Engineer Training, Fort Leonard Wood, MO
Topics Covered
- •Geospatial Data Management
- •Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
- •Remote Sensing and Imagery Analysis
- •Surveying Principles and Techniques
- •Cartography and Map Production
- •Geodesy and Coordinate Systems
- •Spatial Data Visualization
- •Military Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT)
Certification Pathways
Partial Coverage
Requires study of specific surveying instruments, data collection techniques, and legal aspects of boundary surveying, as well as passing the CST exam.
Experience requirements typically necessitate 4 years of professional GIS experience. Additional coursework or experience in advanced GIS analysis, database management, and project management may be needed.
Recommended Next Certifications
Technical Systems Translation
Military systems you've used and their civilian equivalents for your resume.
| Military System | Civilian Equivalent |
|---|---|
| Terrain Analysis Tools (TAT) | Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software such as ArcGIS, QGIS |
| Military Grid Reference System (MGRS) | Latitude/Longitude, UTM coordinate systems |
| Digital Topographic Support System (DTSS) | Digital mapping and cartography software like Global Mapper |
| Geodetic Survey Equipment (e.g., Trimble GPS receivers) | Commercial GPS survey equipment from Trimble, Leica, Topcon |
| Imagery Exploitation Software (e.g., SOCET GXP) | Remote sensing and image analysis software like ENVI, ERDAS IMAGINE |
| Joint Precision Airdrop System (JPADS) | GPS-guided cargo delivery systems |
| Topographic Production System (TOPO) | Cartographic design software, Adobe Illustrator, CAD |
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