Why Work at makepath?

When we founded makepath, we wanted to create a company that would be the kind of place where we want to work.

makepath is unique in the marketplace because we are a leading geospatial, data visualization and AI company focused on the Open Source ecosystem.

We think that makes us one-of-a-kind…but if we are wrong, and there are other companies that also play in this area, let us know at contact@makepath.com! We’d love to connect with them.

What makes makepath truly special is our people, our culture, and the way we come together to do great things.

Here is a quick list that we compiled with the help of our team to answer the question: why work at makepath?

1. Work on Interesting Projects

At makepath, you will work on cutting edge projects that involve large amounts of data.

For example, we used machine learning to interpret historical satellite and aerial imagery (dating back to the 1920s), and also made an interactive dashboard visualizing foot traffic patterns in different geographic areas across the U.S.

We are also building the future of geospatial data science through our involvement in Open Source projects.

We try to have meetings that are truly needed (an always-evolving judgment call, to be sure) so you can focus on deep work.

In short, you won’t be bored.

2. Contribute to Open Source

Build a meaningful and visible portfolio of contributions that will help you for the duration of your career.

Become a core maintainer of an active Open Source project by working on one or more of the six Python libraries we focus on, or on one that you dream up!

For example, we contributed to the recent Bokeh 3.0 release. We also built up Xarray-Spatial features that enhanced the functionality of Microsoft’s Planetary Computer Initiative.

3. 4-Day Workweek

We want your best 40 hours every week.

And we also want you to have a life!

The makepath team has the option of working only four days per week.

Yes, you read that right. The choice is yours…will you do 4 days x 10 hours, or 5 days x 8 hours?

If you get your work done by Thursday, your Fridays are yours!

That means more time to spend with family, pursue hobbies, connect with your community, or do whatever it is that matters to you most.

4. Collaborative Culture

We see the world as an expanding pie, not as a zero-sum game.

That means we help each other, root for each other, and stand by each other.

You will mentor and be mentored, coach and be coached, and you will support and be supported by your peers.

For example, team members on the Technical team empower teammates in Marketing and Operations to make Open Source contributions.

5. Serve Down, Lead + Manage Up

We consciously work to flip the traditional ways people think about management structures.

What does this mean?

You don’t report to someone— you collaborate with them.

At makepath, when someone reports to us, we ask ourselves: “How can I serve this person better? What blockers can I remove so we can achieve our shared objectives?”

If we report to someone, we think about how we can lead them, and empower them to better help us. That could mean managing deadlines, calendars, and communication to meet shared goals.

6. Live Anywhere

We are a truly global company. Our team spans North America, Europe, South America, and Asia. We’re timezone experts :)

It’s important to us that you live where you want to live, and we strive to enable cross-timezone collaboration with processes and tools that help us get work done.