Principle Digital Cartographer & Map Experience Lead

About AllTrails

AllTrails is the world’s most popular and trusted platform for outdoor exploration. We connect people to the outdoors, help them discover new places, and elevate their experiences on the trail. With the most comprehensive collection of trails in the world, AllTrails supports inclusive access to nature for a global community of millions of trailgoers. Every day, we solve incredibly hard problems to get more people outside, for their wellbeing and the collective care of the natural world. Join us!

This is a U.S. based remote position. While this role does not require in-person attendance, we have a preference for candidates based in or near one of these cities: San Francisco CA, Portland OR, Seattle WA, Denver CO, and New York NY. Being in one of these cities creates opportunities to connect with teammates through Trail Days, co-working sessions, and local gatherings while still having the flexibility to work remotely. San Francisco employees are highly encouraged to come to the office one day per week.

   

About the role

We are looking for a visionary Principle Digital Cartographer & Map Experience Lead to define and lead the next generation of how maps are designed and experienced at AllTrails. Sitting at the intersection of design, data, and engineering, this role owns the visual and experiential layer of our maps—from cartographic styling systems to immersive 3D terrain experiences. You will report directly to the Head of Maps, acting as a critical leader within the Maps organization and a key partner across the company as you transform complex global geospatial datasets into intuitive, engaging, and highly functional map experiences. Maps are the heart of AllTrails, and this role will help set a new benchmark for digital cartography that inspires millions of people to confidently explore the outdoors at a global scale.

What you'll be Doing:

• Define and drive the end-to-end cartographic strategy across AllTrails products, owning and evolving a scalable cartographic system including style sheets, symbol hierarchies, labeling systems, and reusable components

• Create visually compelling, legible, and context-aware maps tailored to outdoor exploration, elevating maps from pure utility to inspiration, storytelling, and decision-making

• Define and own KPIs for the map experience (e.g., engagement, performance, navigation usage), lead a culture of experimentation and A/B testing around map styles and labeling density, and continuously optimize based on user behavior and performance constraints

• Translate complex geospatial datasets (trails, POIs, terrain, land ownership, etc.) into intuitive map layers, partnering with Data Science and Maps Backend to bring intelligence, personalization, and performance into the map experience

• Lead the development of 3D mapping experiences powered by high-resolution elevation data (e.g., LiDAR), shaping terrain visualization approaches such as hillshading, slope, aspect, and advanced rendering techniques

• Ensure map experiences are globally scalable and locally relevant by adapting to regional cartographic conventions, driving multilingual labeling strategies, and making region-specific visual adjustments while maintaining a consistent user experience worldwide

• Shape map experiences for offline and low-connectivity environments—core use cases for outdoor exploration—partnering with engineering and product teams on tile packaging, storage optimization, and sync strategies to ensure clarity and usability in the field

• Partner closely with Engineering to evolve next-generation tiling systems, rendering pipelines, and performance optimizations, contributing to architecture decisions across vector tiles, raster overlays, and hybrid approaches to ensure scalability and consistency across global regions

• Ensure high standards for data accuracy, trust, and responsible representation of geographic information, establishing principles and practices that reinforce user confidence in AllTrails maps

• Act as AllTrails’ cartographic authority, driving deep cross-functional collaboration across Product, Engineering, Data Science, and Design, managing a broad set of stakeholders, and operating with a forward-looking, industry-shaping mindset

Requirements:

Experience

• 10+ years of experience in digital cartography, geospatial design, or map product development

• Deep hands-on expertise with tools like Mapbox (GL JS, Studio, mobile SDKs)

• Strong experience working with elevation datasets, including LiDAR-derived products

Technical Depth

• Understanding of vector tile schemas, tiling strategies, and rendering performance

• Experience with GIS tools (e.g., QGIS, PostGIS) and geospatial data pipelines

• Familiarity with terrain visualization techniques such as hillshade, contours, and slope shading

• Ability to collaborate deeply with engineers on implementation details and system design

Craft & Design

• Exceptional eye for cartographic design, hierarchy, color, typography, and usability

• Ability to simplify complex datasets into clear, intuitive visual systems

• Passion for outdoor recreation and creating experiences that inspire exploration

Leadership

• Experience leading cross-functional teams and influencing product strategy

• Strong stakeholder management skills across technical and non-technical audiences

• Ability to operate at both strategic and hands-on levels

• Track record of driving global-scale impact through product and platform decisions

Bonus:

• Experience building or contributing to proprietary geospatial datasets

• Background in outdoor recreation, navigation, or adventure mapping

• Familiarity with real-time data, offline maps, or GPS navigation systems

• Experience with emerging 3D or immersive mapping technologies

• Proven track record building map experiences at companies like Strava, Stamen, Gaia GPS, or similar geospatial platforms

Perks & Benefits:

• Competitive and equitable compensation, including ownership through equity and performance-based bonuses

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision coverage to support your physical and mental well-being

• Unlimited PTO in addition to company holidays

• Dedicated time once a month to test and improve our product through company-wide no-meeting days

• Fully paid parental leave to birthing and non-birthing parents

• 401k Match & access to financial wellness resources through Origin

• Remote work stipend to help you design a comfortable and productive home office

• Annual learning stipend to invest in your long-term professional growth and skills

• Exclusive discounts on our subscriptions and merchandise for you and your friends & family

• An authentic investment in you as a human being and a professional—we value your identity as much as your output