GIS Career Pathways: Product Engineer
Like many people in GIS, I didn’t start here in the USA. I earned my bachelor’s degree in Architecture in India. I then came to the USA and completed a master’s degree in community planning at the University of Cincinnati. During grad school, I discovered ArcGIS as a user. I was immediately drawn to how it could be used to understand and solve almost any problem in the community planning field or in other fields; from that point on, ArcGIS completely shifted my career path.
I joined Esri in 2011. I started as a Support Analyst in Support Services, where I enjoyed working with users, and later became a Group Lead. Those years taught me how to break down complex issues, communicate clearly, and always keep the customer's perspective in mind, and customers always come first. I brought those lessons with me when I transitioned into Product Development in 2020, where I now work as a Senior Product Engineer in the ArcGIS Enterprise team.
What I Do
My focus is on ArcGIS Enterprise product releases across Windows and Linux environments. A big part of my role is ensuring that upgrades and installations work smoothly throughout the development cycle. That means testing builds early and often, documenting results, and collaborating with teams across the organization to catch and fix issues before release.
I'm also involved in some of the back-end framework projects that support ArcGIS Enterprise, especially around our Kubernetes-based architecture. It’s a great learning opportunity that’s expanding my understanding of cloud-native systems.
In addition, I help organize holistic testing events for ArcGIS Enterprise twice a year. These are opportunities for teams across Esri and our distributor colleagues to test new features and ArcGIS Enterprise upgrades in realistic scenarios, and they’ve become something I enjoy facilitating. They bring out the best of cross-team collaboration and always surface valuable insights.
A Day in My Life
No two days are quite the same, but my work tends to center around:
- Planning and coordination – reviewing new features and planning test cases
- Running and reviewing upgrade tests in Windows and Linux environments
- Collaborating – daily syncs with developers, QA, and product owners
- Troubleshooting – digging into issues, logs, and configurations
- Documenting and communicating – keeping everyone informed and aligned
It’s a healthy mix of technical problem-solving and team-oriented work, which keeps things interesting and dynamic.
Skills That Help Me Succeed
On the technical side, familiarity with enterprise systems, scripting, and troubleshooting in both Windows and Linux environments is key. Understanding how our customers use the software helps me test it more effectively and build smarter solutions.
But the soft skills are just as important, especially Emotional Intelligence. It involves being aware of how emotions impact behavior, relationships, and decision-making. In simpler terms, it's about being smart with feelings - both yours and those of people around you.
I say this because we work in an environment where many, many teams and personalities are involved in delivering the end product, and we need to all work together to make it happen.
Additionally, Communication is critical—I need to be able to explain complex issues clearly to both technical and non-technical teams. Collaboration drives everything, and being open to feedback and different perspectives makes the work better. I also lean heavily on adaptability and a willingness to keep learning, especially as our technology evolves.
Why I Love This Role
What I’m most proud of is the role I play in keeping our upgrades working reliably throughout the dev cycle. It’s not flashy, but it’s foundational, and I know how much customers rely on that stability. I also really value the collaborative culture here. I get to work with smart, passionate people who care about what they do. And the chance to learn from cloud-native technologies and help shape backend systems has been a rewarding part of my growth.
My Advice for You
If you're just starting your career, don’t worry if your path isn’t “typical.” Mine certainly wasn’t. What matters is staying curious, saying yes to opportunities that stretch you, and bringing your unique background into the work. GIS is a field that thrives on diverse perspectives, and there’s always more to learn.
I encourage you to visit the Esri Careers webpage to browse through various GIS roles that may suit you now or in the future.
Bonus Tip: Bring Your A-Game Every Day!
Show up every day with your absolute best! When you arrive ready to conquer the day, you open the door to endless opportunities. By seizing these opportunities, you not only elevate yourself but also contribute to the growth of our community. This growth, in turn, directly benefits our customers, the very reason we are all here for.
Let's collectively strive to show up with enthusiasm and dedication, bringing our A-game each and every day!
Stay Mappy 🙂