Career Opportunity

San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency Student Intern Program, Summer 2024 – 5380 Planning Intern (Level 1)

Recruitment: RTF0141960-01155832

Published: November 09, 2023

Accepting applications until: January 15, 2024

Apply using SmartRecruiters, the City and County of San Francisco's application portal Learn More

About:

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) connects San Franciscans with their communities to enhance the economy, environment and, ultimately, the quality of life in the city. As an agency within the City and County of San Francisco, the SFMTA is responsible for managing the city’s transportation network. The agency has more than 6,000 employees who are responsible for the management of all ground and some underground transportation in the city. The SFMTA has oversight over public transit, as well as bicycling, paratransit, parking and curb management, street operations, walking, and taxis.

Please visit the “About Us” section of our website at https://www.sfmta.com/about-sfmta to learn more about the department’s core values, Racial Equity Initiative, leadership team, history, budget and more.

Role description

The internship is open to students who will be returning to school in Fall 2024. Students enrolled in second-to-last or last semester and will soon graduate are also encouraged to apply. Applicants must be pursuing a degree in City Planning, Environmental Policy Management,  Environmental Studies, Geography, Public Administration, Public Policy, Transportation Planning, Transportation Management, Urban Planning, Urban Studies, any engineering degree or a related field. The 5380 classification is open to undergraduate students with no prior planning internship experience.

Read this job ad in this entirety before applying.  This job ad contains important information on timeline and terms of applying, including transcript, resume and cover letter requirements.  If after reading you have additional questions about the application process, please contact internships@sfmta.com.

• Filing Deadline: January 15, 2024
• Invitations to interview will be sent tentatively between February 14-23, 2024
• Interviews will be conducted tentatively between February 26-March 8, 2024
• Selected candidates will be notified tentatively between March 18-29, 2024

The internship program offers weekly seminars and field trips for interns to learn about various parts of the Agency. Attendance is mandatory at these events. Interns will also participate in Pecha Kucha presentations at the end of the summer.

This role is exempt from the San Francisco Civil Service Rules, and employment is at the discretion of the appointing officer. The internship follows a 40-hour workweek, generally between the hours of 8 AM and 5 PM, Monday to Friday. Work outside these hours may be required for fieldwork, outreach events, etc. Interns may be eligible for a flexible work schedule, subject to supervisor and division approval. Interns may work up to 1,040 hours in a fiscal year.

Work Schedule
We work in a hybrid and traditional environment, and you may be expected to work onsite in the office up to 5 days per week. In-office workdays are determined by the nature of the work and scheduled by your supervisor.

Intern positions are available in the following Divisions and Sections:

Streets Division:

Planning interns within the Street Division are responsible for supporting project community outreach and engagement by attending stakeholder meetings, public meetings, and open houses, tabling at public events like Sunday Streets, soliciting and documenting community feedback through surveys, door-to-door outreach, phone calls, emails, surveys, and more; data collection and analysis (may involve fieldwork); assisting with policy development and/or report creation; conducting geospatial analyses and generating maps using ArcGIS; conducting surveys; support long-range transportation plans; and preparing presentations and/or project visuals. Responsibilities will vary depending on the team.

Planning teams within the Streets Division include:

• Transportation Planning
• Livable Streets
• Curb Management

Transit Division:

The Transit Division performs a wide range of planning functions in support of San Francisco’s transit system. Key areas include short- and long-range service planning, street design improvements to reduce transit delay, program delivery support, transit business administration, and special events planning. Planning interns within the Transit Division are responsible for assisting with service planning and capital planning projects; supporting project community outreach and engagement; analyzing data; developing maps and graphics; and performing spatial analysis. Responsibilities will vary depending on the team.

Planning teams within the Transit Division include:

• Business Admin
• Program Delivery & Support
• Transit Planning
• Transit Operations

Finance and IT Division:

Planning interns within the Finance and IT Division are responsible for supporting funding applications and advocacy by evaluating funding opportunities, soliciting project proposals from implementing teams across the agency; conducting policy research, data collection and analysis (may involve fieldwork); assisting with policy development and/or report creation; conducting geospatial analyses and generating maps using ArcGIS; and preparing presentations and/or project visuals. Responsibilities will vary depending on the team.

Planning teams within FIT:

• Funding Strategy and Programs
• Asset Management

Taxis, Access, and Mobility Services (TAMS) Division:

Planning interns within the TAMS Division are responsible for evaluating different transit, bike, and pedestrian plans for impacts on accessibility; researching and developing best practices related to shared mobility accessibility; assisting in development of programs serving seniors and people with disabilities; tracking data for shuttle, scooter share, and bike share permittees; assisting with stop planning for commuter shuttles; and designing improved taxi stands and signage. Duties can include building or updating public dashboards, combining data from multiple data sources, writing memos, evaluating impact of program rule changes, conducting surveys and gathering stakeholder input, determining potential impacts to underserved or disadvantaged communities, and improving the range of transportation options available. This Division is also involved in helping standardize or set industry standards on emerging mobility trip and telemetry data, best practices for shared device permittees, and informing legislated changes. Responsibilities will vary depending on the team.

Planning teams within the TAMS Division include:

• Taxis and Mobility Services
• Accessible Services

Office of the Chief Strategy Officer (CSO):

Interns within the Office of the Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) are responsible for supporting a portfolio of projects that advance agency-wide strategy execution, improve major program design and management, and enhance business process.  Interns will conduct research, economic assessments, and collect and analyze data. The work will include supporting analysis of strategic risks and opportunities, reviewing administrative processes to facilitate best practices; and preparing reports, surveys and/or presentations. Interns will attend interdepartmental and stakeholder meetings to learn about agency needs and priorities. Responsibilities will vary depending on CSO priorities.

Sections within the CSO include:

• Design Strategy and Delivery
• Government Operations
• Building Progress Program
• Facilities & Real Property Management
• Shelter and Platform Maintenance

How to qualify

Minimum Qualifications:

Education: At the time of submitting application, you must be enrolled in an accredited university or a community college pursuing a degree in City Planning, Environmental Policy Management,  Environmental Studies, Geography, Public Administration, Public Policy, Transportation Planning, Transportation Management, Urban Planning, Urban Studies, any engineering degree or a related field.  

• You must be returning to your associate, undergraduate or graduate program or entering/continuing a graduate program in the Fall 2024
• Students enrolled in second-to-last or last semester and will soon graduate are also encouraged to apply.

Experience: No previous experience is necessary. However, previous internship experience may be used to determine the possible level of classification into which you are hired.

Desired Qualifications

The stated desirable qualifications may be used to identify candidates advancing to the interview process and/or to identify job finalist(s) at the end of the selection process when referred for hiring.

• Interest in public service and understanding of impact of work on the diverse community in San Francisco.
• Applied knowledge of Microsoft Office, ArcGIS, AutoCAD, Adobe Creative Suite, and other software
• Strong transportation and/or planner knowledge as demonstrated in classroom and/or job internship.
• Ability to convey messages effectively.
• Ability to work collaboratively such as participation in club, team sport, or organization.

What else should I know?

Important Information for Applying – Please read carefully:

Use the ‘Easy Apply’ feature at the top of the application page to pre-fill the page. This will also automatically attach your resume to the application.

You must attach the following:

1. Proof of your community college, undergraduate or graduate school education (Master’s or PhD program). This can be official or unofficial transcript, diploma, class schedule, or other document that shows your current enrollment or student status with your school.
   Submission date for college transcripts may be extended if it is impossible to obtain by January 15, 2024. Applicants must submit a signed statement explaining why transcripts cannot be obtained by the filing date. Extension requests will be granted on a case-by-case basis. It is the applicant’s sole responsibility that all application materials and support documentation be received in a complete and legible form.
   AND
2. Cover letter (PDF only, limited to 2 pages) briefly addressing your interest in Urban Planning, Transportation, Architecture, city government, community engagement, and career goals.  Also include any relevant information related to the desirable qualifications listed on this job ad.

Applications without these attachments will be considered incomplete and may not move on in the hiring process. If you have any questions or need assistance, you may  email internships@sfmta.com.

The selection process will include evaluation of applications in relation to minimum requirements. Applicants meeting the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement to the interview.

Depending on the number of applicants, SFMTA may establish and implement additional screening mechanisms to comparatively evaluate the qualifications of candidates. If this becomes necessary, only those applicants whose qualifications most closely meet the needs of SFMTA will be invited to participate in the oral/performance interview.

Your resume and cover letter will be used for scoring in selection processes and/or interviews.

Verification:
Applicants will be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. More information can be found at: https://sfdhr.org/information-about-hiring-process#verification. Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco.

What else should I know?

Staying Connected
Applicants will be contacted by email about this recruitment and, therefore, it is their responsibility to ensure that the email address on the application is accurate and accessible. Also, applicants must ensure that our emails are not blocked by a spam filter. To prevent blocking, applicants should set up their email to accept mail from @smartrecruiters.com and @sfmta.com.

After successfully submitting the application, you will receive a confirmation email that your application has been received. You should retain this confirmation email for your records. Failure to receive this email means that your application was not submitted or received.

Additional Information Regarding Employment with the City and County of San Francisco:

• Information About the Hiring Process
• Conviction History
• Employee Benefits Overview
• Equal Employment Opportunity
• Disaster Service Worker
• ADA Accommodation
• Right to Work
• Copies of Application Documents
• Diversity Statement

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.