US Department of Transportation

US Department of Transportation’s paid Summer Transportation Internship Program for Diverse Groups (STIPDG), which is part of USDOT’s efforts to increase diverse representation in its workforce and inspire excitement about public service. I’d be pleased to boost information about STIPDG 2024 to your students and colleagues.

STIPDG is a paid opportunity for college and graduate students, running June 3-August 9, 2024. The internship includes substantive project-based work, a stipend, mentorship from federal staff, professional development programming, and paid housing and travel for students who do not reside near their assigned internship site. Interns are placed in Washington, DC and at USDOT offices around the country. The Washington Center administers this program in coordination with USDOT. There is no fee for students (or their institutions) to apply or participate. The internships are open to enrolled students in all academic areas and can include technical, research, communications, and administrative projects. Applications are due January 31, 2024.

People from groups under-represented in the federal workforce, including students of color, first-generation college students, students with disabilities, women in STEM, and LGBTQ+ students, are strongly encouraged to apply. Applicants must be US citizens. Please feel free to circulate signups for the following virtual sessions to students at your institution:

STIPDG Virtual Information Sessions (Oct 17; Dec 5)

STIPDG Application Tips and Support Webinars (Oct 25; Nov 14)

Students can visit the STIPDG website to learn more and apply. If STIPDG is not a fit, they can also read more about The Washington Center’s paid diversity internship programs at other federal agencies.

Site Planner III

Wheaton, Maryland

Description 

Are you an experienced, motivated landscape architect or urban planner?
Do you have a strong background in site design and interest in public space and planning excellence?
Are you a passionate team member who would like to help shape the future of parks in Montgomery County?

Come work for Montgomery County Department of Parks - Park Planning and Stewardship Division role of Site Planner (Planner III).

The Site Planner leads advanced professional design and planning projects requiring considerable complexity, responsibility, and technical expertise to advance and contribute to the improvement and development of parkland in Montgomery County. In a highly collaborative environment, the site planner is a subject matter expert who manages projects and studies, conducts related public outreach, solves problems and works toward achieving creative and equitable resolutions, and provides input to develop feasible park and trail planning and design recommendations.

The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) is a six-time National Recreational and Parks Association Gold Medal Award Winner. Behind the vast and diverse Montgomery County Department of Parks system is a career staff complement of nearly 800 employees, 421 parks and over 37,000 acres of park land that serves a diverse population of more than one million residents in the Washington, DC area. Go to our website to learn more: https://www.montgomeryparks.org/

Examples of Important Duties

• Develop programs of requirements, site analysis and feasibility studies, conceptual landscape plans, and preliminary proposals for park and trail improvements 

• Prepare graphics, reports, and other visual media to present complex ideas and solutions 

• Plan and conduct public outreach events both in-person and virtually 

• Coordinate with multi-disciplinary teams and stakeholders, both internal and external to realize complex projects 

• Fieldwork and occasional evening or weekend meetings are required.

Important Skills and Characteristics:

• Creative problem solving and innovative design and planning thinking 

• Collaborative spirit with ability to work proactively with diverse groups of people 

• Knowledge of the principles and concepts of landscape architecture including technical skills such as site design, grading, ADA standards for accessible design, and ecological and construction practices 

• Ability to develop and conduct public engagement to receive and incorporate community feedback and efficiently deliver projects 

• Track record of successful project management including organizational skills, workload management, coordination, and problem solving 

• Demonstrated ability to convey complex information visually using software including AutoCAD, GIS, Adobe Creative Suite, Sketchup, etc. 

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Advanced degree in Landscape Architecture, Planning, or field related to job functions

• Professional certification including Professional Landscape Architect (PLA/ASLA) or Certified Planner (AICP/APA) 

• Proficiency using AutoCAD, Adobe Creative Suite, Sketchup, GIS, and Microsoft Office Suite • Ability to communicate in another language 

• Knowledge of local, state, and federal regulatory requirements for site construction

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in natural resource management, environmental science, forestry, wildlife management, fisheries management, or related field; and

• Four years of progressively responsible experience; or

• An equivalent combination of education and experience.

• A valid driver's license or the ability to acquire one.

To view a full job description and to apply, please click here.

Junior Urban Planning Researcher & Project Management Consultant

Boston, Massachusetts

About Rivera Consulting, Inc:

Established in 2015, Rivera Consulting is a Boston-based management and strategy consulting firm. We are a diverse set of multi-disciplinary practitioners who work at the intersection of planning, engagement, and equity. Since 2019, the company has grown by 300% and doubled the size of our team, where we integrate mixed-method research, organizational development, and urban planning to advance new solutions to complex problems.

• Research: Social Science, Geography, and Values Led. We leverage our lived experiences, cultural competency, and mixed-method research skills to design community informed strategic planning processes, plans, evaluations, and assessments.

• Urban Planning: Equity Advisors and Inclusive Planning. Our social justice and equity framework is interdisciplinary and rooted in literature reviews, practices, and principles related to social determinants of health and transit equity as well as reparative urban design methodologies like mutual learning, spatial accessibility, and disaggregate data.

• Organizational Development: Asset-Based Change Management. We leverage emergent facilitation, coaching, capacity building, and mixed-method research to improve learning, culture, and collaboration as well as to strengthen strategic and organizational decision-making for your day today work.

Overview of Role and Responsibilities:

Rivera Consulting seeks a full-time Junior Urban Planning Researcher & Project Management Consultant, an entry level role, to work closely with our firm’s President and Founder Wilnelia Rivera in addition to members of our firm’s research and urban planning team. We are seeking a detail-oriented candidate that is passionate about social change, urban planning, and community-informed research. As a multi-disciplinary firm, the consultant will work primarily with the President and Senior Research Consultant as a project manager across the firm’s portfolio of urban planning and research-based clients.

The Project Manager will have the opportunity to engage with a variety of non-profit, municipal, and state-based clients. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to project management of client project plan, agenda development, facilitation support, final deliverable creation, and client status updates.

This individual will lead meeting follow-up needs and collateral production in collaboration with the firm President (and other staff assigned to similar client engagements) to ensure timely delivery and progress with clients. They will provide thought partnership with the President and relevant staff on how to best design and implement client engagements, stakeholder convenings, and research-based tasks. This individual will communicate with the internal Rivera Consulting team, our project partners, and community stakeholders, manage risks and issues to project goals, and will monitor progress to ensure that client engagements remain on schedule. This is a great opportunity for anyone interested in learning about building an inclusive team for a growing start-up business that is focused on innovative urban planning research and change management practices to catalyze new results for communities across Massachusetts. The Equity Researcher & Project Management Consultant will be given the opportunity to take an active role in Rivera Consulting projects throughout all phases of client engagement, be it discovery research, project design and implementation, stakeholder facilitation, or final deliverable creation and content.

Assignments and needs will vary based on the client, project need, and firm capacity. Applicants must have strong self-accountability as well as organizational and interpersonal skills. Experience working with, advocating for, and supporting intersectional values, as well as BIPOC and TGNC communities are critical. We are looking for someone with entry level experience that is an excellent writer and comfortable working in a fast paced, values-driven start-up environment. Previous experience in working with executive leaders and/or senior managers will also be considered. Applicants with undergraduate degrees is a plus, but not a requirement. Previous lived and work experience will be valued in tandem with overall education. This position can be done remotely, with access to a shared workspace in downtown Boston.

Essential Qualifications:

• Familiarity with Massachusetts, its planning system, and its cities and towns

• 1-3 years experience working in government, non-profit, or community settings with a focus on urban planning, policy advocacy, or education;

• Strong writing skills and an ability to self-edit as well as copy edit and write collaboratively

• Ability to exercise sound judgment and manage multiple tasks and workflow productively

• Must excel working independently as well as in collaboration with President, Senior Consultants, their clients and other team members of the RC team (as applicable)

• Project manage assigned clients that fall under the research and urban planning portfolio

• A baseline understanding and background in the policy areas of housing, transit, environmental justice, and economic opportunity

• Comfort with project management tools and willingness to both adapt and provide recommendations to current firm management systems

• Background and skills in Microsoft excel, graphic visualization, and powerpoint presentation techniques

• Ability to establish and maintain consistent client and internal communication schedule

• Punctuality and strong time management skills

• Experience in group facilitation approaches and meeting agenda development

• Ability to organize own time and act on own initiative

• Experience in a community-facing or otherwise public-facing role at any level—for example, in political campaigns, community organizing, retail, food service, community-based research, or direct service provision

• Availability within the standard weekday work day hours and with some evening weekday client meeting, including ability to attend some in-person meetings and events related to client engagement

If Interested, please email resume and cover letter to gina@RiveraConsult.com with the subject line “Project Management Consultant Application”

Equity Researcher and Urban Planning Consultant (Hybrid/Remote)

Boston, Massachusetts

About Rivera Consulting, Inc:

Established in 2015, Rivera Consulting is a Boston-based management and strategy consulting firm. We are a diverse set of multi-disciplinary practitioners who work at the intersection of planning, engagement, and equity. Since 2019, the company has grown by 300% and doubled the size of our team, where we integrate mixed-method research, organizational development, and urban planning to advance new solutions to complex problems.

• Research: Social Science, Geography, and Values Led. We leverage our lived experiences, cultural competency, and mixed-method research skills to design community informed strategic planning processes, plans, evaluations, and assessments.

• Urban Planning: Equity Advisors and Inclusive Planning. Our social justice and equity framework is interdisciplinary and rooted in literature reviews, practices, and principles related to social determinants of health and transit equity as well as reparative urban design methodologies like mutual learning, spatial accessibility, and disaggregate data.

• Organizational Development: Asset-Based Change Management. We leverage emergent facilitation, coaching, capacity building, and mixed-method research to improve learning, culture, and collaboration as well as to strengthen strategic and organizational decision-making for your day today work.

Overview of Role and Responsibilities:

Rivera Consulting seeks an Equity Researcher and Urban Planning Consultant, an Associate level role, who is passionate about community-informed data analysis, visualization, and inclusive planning and engagement. The Research Consultant will support research-driven client work across Rivera Consulting’s urban planning and qualitative research portfolios. This individual will have the opportunity to engage with a variety of urban planning projects in and around Massachusetts, with a particular focus on housing and transportation planning, community engagement, and spatial analysis to support planning an equitable public realm. This position is designed for recent Master's-level graduates in city, urban or transit planning or those that hold comparable professional experience and skill sets. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• A passion for and commitment to social justice and equity as well as an inclusive and deeply democratic society. A bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 2 years relevant professional experience required; a master’s degree may be substituted for relevant or similar work experience

• Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods research, including people centered data collection and analysis

• The utilization of GIS, Tableau, or other spatial analysis tools in service of urban planning research, equity, and mobility

• Stakeholder management and interviews

• Editing, writing, and final deliverable creation for varied clients across the municipal and nonprofit sectors

• Support the firm in visualization and data analysis of primary clients and department prospecting

As a member of the Research Team, the Equity Researcher and Urban Planning Consultant is supervised by the Senior Research Consultant for direct supervision and works closely with the President overall as well as other assigned staff and/or subcontracts on shared client projects.

Essential Qualifications:

• Familiarity with Massachusetts, its planning system, and its cities and towns

• Educational background in city, transit and/or urban planning, sustainability, geography, social determinants of health, economics, statistics, or another discipline that emphasizes research skills, specifically for interpreting quantitative information for policy or decision-making purposes on a neighborhood or municipal level

• Background in quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods research techniques, especially equity oriented research

• Excellent writing skills and the ability to self-edit and write collaboratively

• A deep knowledge and understanding of urban planning spatial analysis tools, including experience in analyzing, summarizing, and visualizing municipal zoning regulations and parcel information for the purpose of existing conditions analyses and policy recommendations

• Experience with data analysis of publicly accessible data

• Mastery Experience In GIS—please include a brief description from a project on which you worked in your cover letter

• Experience with data visualization techniques and approaches, including using infographic tools like Venngage

• A foundational understanding and background in the policy areas of housing, transit, environmental justice, and economic opportunity

• Strong project management skills, including time management

• Availability within the standard weekday work day hours and with some evening weekday client meeting, including ability to attend some in-person meetings and events related to client engagement.

If Interested, please email resume and cover letter to gina@RiveraConsult.com with the subject line “Equity Researcher & Urban Planning Consultant””

Capital Projects Manager

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania/Lənape Haki-nk (Lenni-Lenape) Land

Organizational Overview:

Fairmount Park Conservancy brings parks to life. We work with the City of Philadelphia and its communities to steward our parks and nurture our shared environment, cultural resources, and public health. We lead capital projects and historic preservation efforts, foster neighborhood park stewardship, attract and leverage investments, and develop innovative programs throughout the 10,200 acres that include Fairmount Park, six other watershed parks and more than 130 neighborhood parks and gardens around the city.

Position Overview:

The Capital Projects Manager (CPM) manages a portfolio of projects and provides oversight for the design and construction of important projects in the public realm. These may include park landscapes, infrastructure, and recreation facilities. They will direct all phases of project management including procurement/contracting, initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, controlling, and closeout phases to ensure projects are completed on time, within budget, to stakeholder requirements and with minimal operational disruption. Key focus areas include scope, budget, schedule, quality, and risk management for projects in the range of $2M - $7M.

Responsibilities:

• Working with the Director of Capital Projects (DCP) to maintain, develop, and implement Project Plan including definition, scope, budgets, schedules, incorporating input from appropriate team members, consultants, and clients

• Represent FPC at meetings with landscape architects, civil engineers, and general contractors for all phases of a project

• Define, monitor, and control allocated project resources, maintaining financial, and progress forecasting to ensure capital projects are delivered according to Project Plan Implement project tracking mechanisms, including budgets and schedules, to be able to provide timely and concise updates on project progress to senior management and key stakeholders capturing key decisions, developing assumptions, identifying, and managing all risks and dependencies to safeguard delivery

• Develop and maintain project documentation, including the necessary approvals where relevant, so that an accurate record exists for review and regulatory purposes

• Acting as a liaison between landscape architects, civil engineers, contractors, and city stakeholders

• Work closely with internal teams and external partners to understand design and functional requirements are met or exceeded

• Work closely with consultants, vendors, and contractors to meet or exceeds FPC’s participation goals for workforce and MBWE and locally owned business contracting.

To view a full job description and to apply, please click here.

Travel Demand Management Specialist

Fort Collins, Colorado

The City of Fort Collins, Colorado is seeking a Travel Demand Management (TDM) Specialist to support the City’s new TDM program: Shift Your Ride. The Shift Your Ride Travel Options program will complement and expand upon the work already conducted by FC Moves to further the vision, mission and goals of this department and support higher level goals, such as the City’s ambitious climate goal to be carbon neutral by 2050. This position partners with consultants during program development and serves as the program administrator for implementation and ongoing strategic program facilitation. The TDM Specialist ensures the ongoing improvement and expansion of access to sustainable travel options to reduce congestion and greenhouse gas emissions, lower vehicle miles traveled, improve air quality, and enhance the overall quality of life in the community. This position represents the City as key contributor and collaborator with a wide variety of stakeholders including but not limited to; other City departments, local/ regional/ state agencies, community groups, residents, developers, and external employers/employees.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Develops and builds on City relationships and partnerships with existing and new employers, developers, property management companies, schools and universities, hospitals, the visitor and tourism industry, and other institutions and organizations to develop sustainable commuting and trip reduction programs.

• Develops and promotes policies incentivizing sustainable modes including local and regional transit, e-scooter and bike share, ridesharing, electric vehicles and teleworking.

• Collaborates with the three program areas within FC moves – Mobility Management and Planning, Active Modes, and Education, Outreach and Engagement to effectively integrate TDM-related work.

• Research and acquire tools and software programs to support the implementation of the TDM program.

• Administers residential and employer travel surveys.

• Attends events to promote the Shift Your Ride Program and sustainable mobility options, which may include Bike to Work Day, Open Streets and other related events.

• Monitors legislation and policies related to TDM and provides input and recommendations as needed.

• Lends expertise and advocates for the integration of TDM into plans, processes, policies and programs such as; the City’s development review and city code processes, and the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Transportation Improvement Program.

• Pursues and manages grants.

• Leads or supports the development and execution of communications and marketing materials, creative engagement campaigns, events and initiatives promoting Shift Your Ride Travel Options Program and TDM strategies.

• Support the City’s Electric Vehicle Readiness Roadmap (EVRR) by promoting EV options and programs such as a future EV Group Buy Program.

To view a full job description and to apply, please click here.