Virginia Tech School of Public and International Affairs

Summary:

The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) is seeking an intern to support the Transportation/Land-Use Connections (TLC) Program, along with similar technical assistance programs, in the Department of Transportation Planning. The employment period is expected to begin in January 2023 and end in June 2023 with the possible opportunity to extend. The Department of Transportation Planning supports the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB), the federally designated metropolitan planning organization (MPO) for the Washington, D.C. region. The TPB plays an important role as the regional forum for transportation planning in the National Capital Region. It prepares plans and programs that the federal government must approve in order for federal-aid transportation funds to flow to the Washington region.

Job ID/Number: iDTP-2022-30

Posted Date: 11/2/2022

Job Location: Washington, DC

Position Type: Internships

Division: Department of Transportation Planning

Description: 

POSITION SPECIFICATIONS

The successful candidate will provide assistance in a variety of TLC Program activities, including maintaining and enhancing the TLC website, helping to plan peer exchange events, and assisting with activities related to technical assistance projects in local jurisdictions. The successful candidate may also have the opportunity to work on other technical assistance programs that are similar to TLC.

The TLC Program provides support to local jurisdictions as they work through the challenges of integrating land-use and transportation planning at the community level. Since its inception in 2007, the program has funded more than 160 technical assistance projects that have provided consultant assistance to local jurisdictions for studies, plans and preliminary engineering. Projects are focused on topics such as transit station accessibility, mixed-use and transit-oriented development opportunities, pedestrian and bicycle planning, and streetscape design and corridor planning. In recent years, peer exchange events, including webinars and workshops, have been conducted through the program. The program also supports the role of the TPB/COG in funding small capital improvements through the federal Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside Program.

Work activities may include:

• Assisting with regular TLC technical assistance project activities, such as tracking key milestones, communicating with TLC project participants, and reviewing and processing project documents and reports.
• Maintaining and enhancing the TLC website.
• Attending TLC-related meetings in local jurisdictions on behalf of TPB/COG. Note: Necessary COVID-related protocols will be taken into consideration whenever the possibility of attending in-person meetings arises.
• Organizing TLC peer exchange events, including workshops and webinars.

The successful candidate will possess the following skills:

• Ability to communicate clearly and succinctly, including writing meeting reports, developing public-friendly documents and web text.
• Familiarity with planning concepts related to the promotion of walkable, mixed-use communities.
• Strong organizational and logistics skills.
• Familiarity with and basic knowledge of website maintenance and development is a plus.
• Familiarity with GIS and Adobe Creative Suite is a plus.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Applicant should be a current student or recent graduate in planning, transportation, policy or a related field. Graduate level preferred.

SALARY

$15.74/hour for undergraduate level students

$17.85/hour for graduate level students

HOURS AND EMPLOYMENT PERIOD

15-30 hours per week

The position is expected to begin in January 2023 and end in June 2023.

TO APPLY

Please send a cover letter and resume highlighting the skills and the relevant experience you would bring to this position and writing sample to: OHRM@mwcog.org Please visit our website at: www.mwcog.org

MWCOG is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer