Intern - Planning Division

The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) is recruiting externally for one (1) or more temporary positions of Intern within RIPTA’s Planning Division. This is a Non-Represented  position. 

Position:                    Intern – Planning Division (Temporary)

Posting Period:         April 9, 2026 through Successful Recruitment 

Salary:                        $20.00 Hourly 

Reports To:                Deputy Chief of Planning 

Union Affiliation:       Non-Represented

Summary of Position: 

This summer opportunity will introduce an intern to various aspects of transit planning including completion of planning studies, inventories, data analyses, research tasks, capital plans, service plans, public engagement efforts, and more. The intern will also be introduced to various departments and projects across the Authority dependent upon interest. Hours can be up to thirty-two hours per week or based on selected candidate’s availability. The internship is expected to begin in May or June and last through August. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: 

1. Assist members of the Planning department with daily activities with the goal of learning and understanding how transit planning is done; 
2. Gain practical experience by taking on special projects as assigned including bus stop inventory, public outreach, data analysis, and human services transportation coordination;
3. Get an opportunity to work alongside senior leaders of the Authority;
4. Present accomplishments to the Planning department and senior staff at end of internship;
5. Other duties as assigned. 

The above duties and responsibilities are not intended to limit specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position, nor are they intended to limit in any way the right of supervisors to assign, direct, and control the work of employees under their supervision. 

 Qualification Requirements: 

• Must be a high school graduate or hold a GED. If at the college or graduate level, the candidate should be pursuing studies in planning, urban studies, public policy, engineering, geography, or a related field;
• General knowledge of transit planning practices, or willingness to learn;
• Good interpersonal skills including the ability to remain flexible when encountering tight time schedules and to effectively interact with internal and external contacts;
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing;
• Demonstrated problem solving, analytical and investigative skills, including the ability to research, analyze and reconcile data;
• Experience with or demonstrated interest in bus stop design and accessibility, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and its applicability to transit projects, environmental review processes, and research in the transit planning field; 
• Excellent problem solving and time management skills;
• Ability to work well both independently and with a team;
• Proficiency in and experience with ArcGIS tools, Excel, R, Python, Power BI, or other statistical analysis or data visualization tools is a plus;
• Local knowledge and familiarity with Rhode Island is a plus. 

RIPTA reserves the right to consider any combination of education and experience that shall be substantially equivalent to the above education and experience. 

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

Independent Action: 

• Ability to independently plan, organize, prioritize, and manage projects and priorities with accuracy, and close attention to detail.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently with minimal supervision, follow directions well, and follow through with assignments until completed. 

Supervisory Responsibility: 

None 

Selection Process: 

• Interested applicants should submit their cover letter, resume and completed RIPTA employment application to RIPTA’s Human Resources Department;
• Applicants must provide RIPTA with a copy of degree and/or transcripts from accredited educational institution at the time of application;
• Applicants may be required to pass an oral interview and/or written assessment;
• Applicants will be required to pass a nationwide full criminal background check to be conducted by RIPTA;
• Selected applicant will be required to submit a Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) from their state of residence to RIPTA’s Human Resources Department when a conditional offer of internship has been made;
• Applicants claiming Military status should submit a copy of the DD-214 form. 

Elimination Process:

• Applicant is not a high school graduate or does not hold a GED, as outlined under “Qualification Requirements” of this posting;
• Applicant fails to provide a cover letter and a fully completed employment application and/or resume as outlined within “Selection Process” of this posting;
• Applicants fail to meet minimum required oral interview and/or skills assessment score, which the Authority has deemed as a passing score. 

Interested applicants should submit a cover letter, resume and RIPTA employment application to RIPTA’s Human Resources Department at 705 Elmwood Avenue, Providence, RI  02907, on-line at www.ripta.com/careers or via email jobs@ripta.com. Telephone calls will not be accepted regarding application status.

RIPTA is an Equal Opportunity Employer:  It is the policy of the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority that no employee or applicant for employment will be discriminated against regardless of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, disability status, veteran status, sexual orientation, marital status and/or gender identity or expression.