Hi everyone,

I’m looking for advice on breaking into geospatial data engineering, particularly within conservation. My background is in software development, data engineering, and technical training/teaching, and over the past year, I’ve been upskilling in GIS—working with tools like PostGIS, QGIS, and Python (GeoPandas, Folium, etc.). I’ve also built projects using conservation datasets (e.g., IUCN species sightings) and worked with spatial databases.

My main concern is that, while I have strong technical skills in spatial data, I lack formal experience in conservation. I understand that GIS for environmental work isn’t just about the tech—it also requires domain knowledge in ecology, land management, and policy. I have an interest as a hobby and I volunteer at my local zoo.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on:

• What would be a good entry point for someone with my background?
• Are there junior or part-time roles that would allow me to build conservation-specific knowledge while applying my data engineering skills?
• Would volunteering, open data projects, or short-term contracts be a good way to gain experience?
• Are there any organizations, job boards, or communities that focus on GIS in conservation where I might find opportunities?

I’m planning to attend the meet-up on the 28th to get more insights, but in the meantime, I’d really appreciate any advice from those already in the field.

Thanks in advance

Manish Gadhvi 

www.linkedin.com/in/mgadhvi/