Overview
The Managing Director’s Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems (OTIS) is charged with driving change through our transportation and infrastructure systems. OTIS student interns will support a variety of transportation programs and teams. Interns will work on projects to support policy, technical, administrative, and engagement activities in the public sector. Learn more and apply at City of Philadelphia Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems (OTIS) Internship
Interns will report to a single supervisor within a particular program on a regular basis and may support various OTIS staff members, depending on project needs and intern skills and interests. Opportunities are available in program teams as detailed below.
Multimodal Planning: Interns will work with the Office of Multimodal Planning on transportation projects throughout the city within core program areas. The Complete Streets program focuses on implementing the high-quality bike network, slow zone and pedestrian enhancement projects, transit priority projects, and multimodal coordination in street concepts. Vision Zero leads the City to improve traffic safety on city streets through data driven approaches as outlined in the Vision Zero Action Plan. The Electric Vehicle Strategy program which seeks to expand access to public electric vehicle charging. Regardless of specific assignment, Multimodal Planning interns will work on multiple projects and programs designed to make Philadelphia’s streets safer and more accessible for all. Tasks may include transportation data analysis, development of marketing or educational materials, community outreach support, street corridor design, researching and writing policy memos, mapping and data collection.
Indego Bike Share System: Intern will work with OTIS staff on various tasks related to the City’s Indego bike share program. Interns will help with bike share planning, stakeholder engagement, and the system expansion process. Applicants should have a strong interest in bike share, community engagement, and equitable transportation.
Chinatown Stitch Project: The intern will work on tasks supporting one of Philadelphia’s most transformative infrastructure projects: the Chinatown Stitch. Funded by over $160 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) grants, this project will cap portions of the Vine Street Expressway and introduce traffic calming and safety improvements. Day-to-day tasks may vary widely, reflecting the dynamic nature of the project, and will involve collaboration with diverse partners including community groups, consultants, elected officials, and City of Philadelphia staff.
Grants and Funding Strategy: Intern will work closely with the Grants Team, gaining hands-on experience across both pre-award and post-award operations. In the pre-award phase, the intern will assist with identifying grant opportunities, preparing proposals, developing maps and budgets, improving the grant strategy and revising grant applications. During the post-award phase, they will support grant administration by centralizing grant agreements, creating and maintaining grant profiles, reviewing progress reports, and ensuring compliance with grant regulations.
Federal Infrastructure Strategy: Intern will work with OTIS’s Infrastructure Solutions Team (IST) on tasks pertaining to the implementation of major infrastructure projects (complete street improvements, bridges and structures, airport improvements, water and utility systems upgrades, resiliency and flood mitigation) funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). Intern will support the team through research and analysis of current federal, state, and City policies, project review, data compilation, and technical writing. The intern’s work will advance policy interventions to ensure the nearly $1B investment from BIL grows generational wealth for underserved communities. The intern will assist with piloting strategies to grow workforce and business opportunity with infrastructure investments for Philadelphians.
Communications: The intern will work with the OTIS Communications Manager on creating and implementing communication strategies for OTIS, highlighting the important work and projects of OTIS and its partner agencies. Tasks may include drafting press releases, blogs, and talking points; developing social media content and toolkits; drafting and updating website content, analyzing and creating reports based on social media and ad campaign metrics; supporting press conferences, ribbon cuttings, and other public-facing events.
Qualifications
Current enrollment in an undergraduate or graduate program with coursework in city planning, engineering, transportation, data analysis, urban studies, geography, public policy, communications or other related field.
While many interns have a background in transportation policy and planning, any applicants with the required skills and interests from different areas of study are encouraged to apply. Internships are primarily intended for graduate students, but upper-level undergraduate students with equivalent work experience and skills may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Learn more and apply online at: City of Philadelphia Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems (OTIS) Internship | SmartRecruiters
To apply for this job email your details to meryl.klein@phila.gov
About City of Philadelphia
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