Railroad Operations Intern (Undergraduate Students)

The Railroad Operations (RROPS) Intern will support the Commuter Rail and Ferry department on a variety of critical projects, delivering safe and reliable service as well as procurement for the future operator of the commuter rail contract. The Commuter Rail and Ferry Department is made up of several teams, including the Chief Railroad Officer (Transportation, Mechanical, Engineering, and Construction Coordination), Rail Modernization, Capital Investment, Customer Communications, and Ferry.

The most qualified (or ideal) candidates would be enrolled in an undergraduate / bachelor’s degree program business / management, public policy, engineering, project management, or related field and have at least one year of experience in operations planning (such as GIS, database management, visualization software, and graphic design). We are looking to hire one (1) intern, who will work onsite (up to 40 hours per week) for at least three (3) months.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities 

• Perform administrative and office support activities, including creating, revising, and formatting presentations, reports, spreadsheets, and other documents.
• Update and maintain Excel spreadsheets, charts, and graphs.
• Assist with the design and preparation of PowerPoint presentations.
• Monitor, organize, and update online records and folder systems ensuring accurate, secure, and easily retrievable information.
• Support printing, copying, and document distribution.
• Collect weekly updates from senior leadership and prepare summaries / reports.
• Coordinate and prepare information, materials, and presentation decks for meetings and presentations, including support for senior managers.
• Attend meetings and record, transcribe, and summarize discussion topics for reports and memos.
• Proofread documents to ensure accuracy, consistency, and completeness prior to distribution.
• Schedule, plan, and assist with the coordination of meetings, events, and special projects.
• Track the status of ongoing projects and follow up as necessary to ensure timely completion.
• Keep management informed by reviewing and analyzing reports, summarizing information, and identifying trends to support efficient workflow and communication.
• Respond to inquiries from customers, vendors, and coworkers in a professional and courteous manner.
• Establish and maintain professional working relationships with peers, senior-level executive staff, and a diverse workforce.
• Follow departmental procedures while maintaining the security, integrity, and confidentiality of data and information.
• Evaluate workflows and assist with reallocating resources or redesigning processes to meet office and customer service needs.
• Conform to shifting priorities, demands, and timelines.
• Participate in team / staff meetings, organization events, fieldwork, project teams, or other duties as needed.
• Additional responsibilities may include focusing on one or more departments or locations. See applicable addendums or hiring manager for department or location specific functions. 
• Perform all other duties and projects that may be assigned.

* The statements contained in this job description are intended to describe the general nature and complexity of the work being performed by staff assigned to this job and do not represent an exhaustive list of all duties, tasks, and responsibilities required of staff assigned to this position. The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here-in are representative of those an employee may encounter while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations can be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Minimum Education 

• Enrolled, for entire duration of employment, in the undergraduate / bachelor’s degree program of an accredited college / university in business / management, public policy, engineering, project management, or related field.

Minimum Experience and Required Skills

• At least one year of professional experience in planning, operations, policy, engineering, or project management.
• Completed coursework, on-the-job experience, or other experiences demonstrating an interest in public service, transit, or transportation (and how it operates).
• Desire to improve public transportation because you believe in making people’s lives better.
• At least one year of experience working with tools or data that support planning, including GIS, database management, visualization software, and graphic design.
• Ability to pass a writing and spreadsheet assessment.
• Above average ability to communicate effectively in English, both in written and oral forms.
• Highly organized, motivated, and have great attention-to-detail.
• Above average ability to work effectively in diverse, collaborative, fast-paced environments as well as independently.
• Ability to independently commute to assigned work locations in the Boston, MA metro area, as required by the role.
• Authorized to work in the United States (international students in CPT, STEM, or OPT programs through a university are eligible to apply). The MBTA does not provide visa sponsorship, such as H1-B status.

* The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and complexity of the work being performed by staff assigned to this job and do not represent an exhaustive list of all duties, tasks, and responsibilities required.