Professional Development Fellow

General Definition of Work

Performs professional work related to planning, monitoring, analyzing, and project management associated with OMNIRIDE’s local and express bus programs, as well as commuter rail and ridesharing.  This position undertakes both routine and special project assignments working with multiple departments within the agency.   Primary tasks will emphasize data gathering and analysis. Work is performed under the supervision of the Operations Director.

Essential Functions

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable an individual with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Designing, conducting, and coordinating projects on issues with implications for management decisions related to planning, funding, budgeting, grant administration, intergovernmental relations, and operations related to OMNIRIDE’s transportation services.

Conducting research into new and/or innovative programs of interest.

Collecting, entering, and analyzing transportation operations statistical data to assess potential impacts of various courses of action.

Preparing and presenting technical reports on transportation-related issues.

Providing information to federal, state, and local agencies and the general public on transit matters.

Attend various meetings of regional significance with other staff and assist with representing the agency at regional events.

Benefits Gained by the Employee:

The successful candidate will gain extensive knowledge of multiple transit modes by concentrating on planning, operations, and organizational dynamics.  The intern will also develop an understanding of intergovernmental relations between local, regional, state, and federal agencies.  This experience will cover traditional modes of public transportation including commuter rail and commuter bus, as well as ridesharing applications.   The successful candidate will also be exposed to innovative services such as route deviation bus service (flex-route) using Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) and electronic “smartcard” technologies.  This position performs regularly supervised professional management and administrative work.  

Description and Schedule for Orientation: 

The position generally will last for six months to one year.  In order to gain a broad understanding of OMNIRIDE’s overall public transportation goals and objectives, as well as the organizational structure of a growing multi-modal transportation agency, the successful candidate will be oriented to each of the different programs offered by OMNIRIDE early on.  Performance evaluation will be continuous and of a constructive nature; as the intern’s level of knowledge and experience grow, tasks of increasing complexity will be assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Any combination of education and experience equivalent to a recent college graduate or upperclassman preferably with a major in planning, government, political science, public administration, business, transportation, geography, or a related area.  Interest in public transportation and strong written, oral, and computer skills (MS Office) are required, GIS experience is desired.

Job Specifications

General knowledge of transit operations and planning practices and theories; general knowledge of federal transit administration rules, regulations, policies and procedures governing applicable transit program areas; general knowledge of principles and practices of data collection, statistical analysis, and report generation.

Skill in organizational and time management; skill with computer spreadsheets, databases, and word processing programs; skill in the use of personal computers, associated software packages, hardware, and peripheral equipment.

Ability present ideas in a clear and concise manner across a broad range of audiences; ability to multi-task and to work in a team-focused environment; ability to prioritize work; ability to interpret and apply federal, state, and local regulations governing public transit systems; ability to interpret and apply Federal Transit Administration regulations and guidance related to assigned activities; ability to use methods and techniques used in analyzing transit service performance and productivity; ability to write clear, concise reports, presentations, and other documentations; ability to understand, follow, and communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing; ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with associates, contractors, department directors and management, other departments, outside agencies, and the general public.

Working Conditions

This work is sedentary and requires little to no exertion of force; work regularly requires speaking or hearing, using hands to finger, handle or feel and repetitive motions, frequently requires walking and sitting and occasionally requires standing, stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling, reaching with hands and arms and pushing or pulling; work has standard vision requirements; vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word and conveying detailed or important instructions to others accurately, loudly or quickly; hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels and to receive detailed information through oral communications and/or to make fine distinctions in sound; work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data, visual inspection involving small defects and/or small parts, using of measuring devices, operating motor vehicles or equipment and observing general surroundings and activities; work has no exposure to environmental conditions; work is generally in a moderately noisy location (e.g. business office, light traffic).

The statements in this job description are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by incumbent(s) assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified.