Meet Jed Roberts, Senior GIS Analyst

Where are you from and where do you live now?

I spent my formative years on the western shores of Michigan’s lower peninsula. I made the move to Oregon for graduate school (go Beavers!) and have been in Portland ever since.

What do you do at FLO?

I lead mapping and data analysis projects aimed at helping our clients with siting analysis, environmental cleanup, climate resilience, and natural resource management. These projects typically involve working with complicated and disparate datasets and weaving them together to create actionable insights for our clients.

What’s rewarding about your job?

I get great satisfaction from providing simple ways to digest complex data, and in this line of work, that’s typically a smartly designed map!

Why is what you do important?

There are so much amazing geospatial data out there. Decision makers need those data to support crucial work. But it can be difficult to make sense of it all. It’s my role to identify the most useful data, bring it to life, and connect it with the people who need it.

What skills do you bring to your work?

I listen, and I see the forest and the trees.

What do you like to do off the clock?

I love to explore new places—cities, wilderness, and everything in between.

If you were not a senior GIS analyst, what would you be? 

A landscape designer.

What’s on your bucket list?

Mastering an instrument; visiting every continent; and taking in a NFL, NBA, or MLB game in every major U.S. city.