Summer Policy Intern

Bike Durham seeks to hire a summer intern to support our priority for accelerating the delivery of public safe streets and transit infrastructure projects in Durham.  

The intern will research and organize information about the delivery of currently funded safe streets and transit infrastructure projects.  The deliverables will include a written summary of progress that has been made on projects in the past year, delays that have been encountered, and analysis of obstacles to be addressed.  This may include comparisons to peer cities, a literature review of best practices, and interviews with staff at the city, regional, and state levels. 

Bike Durham is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to use events, advocacy and education, to empower all people to walk, bike and ride transit more often. Our vision is a Durham where everyone has access to safe, affordable and sustainable transportation regardless of who they are or where they live.

Bike Durham currently has four full-time and six part-time staff.  This intern position will work closely with the executive director, the advocacy campaign coordinator, the communications specialist, and our volunteer advocacy committee. 

Policy Intern Position Description

Primary duties and responsibilities of the policy intern include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Research and recommend metrics to be tracked to hold governments accountable for progress toward delivery of safe streets and transit infrastructure projects.
• Identify existing datasets and new data collection processes needed to track performance for the recommended metrics
• Analyze and report on current performance for the recommended metrics and obstacles to improvement
• Prepare case studies or peer reviews of policy or procedural changes at the local, regional, or state level necessary to accelerate infrastructure project delivery.
• Participate in community engagement activities

Qualified candidates will bring with them:

• Coursework in public policy, planning, engineering, or project delivery topics and techniques
• Coursework or experience in research, data analysis, and report writing
• Strong organizational and time management skills; ability to meet goals and deadlines while working independently
• Excellent interpersonal skills; ability to build trust and maintain relationships with diverse individuals by race, gender, age, economic status and an array of key stakeholder groups
• Strong communication skills; ability to write and speak clearly and persuasively, including in public settings
• High degree of professionalism, sensitivity to political dynamics, and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, frequently changing environment
• Passionate about public transit, labor, environmental justice, and equity.
• Experience working in an environment where commitment to justice based on race, ethnic origin, gender, age, sexual orientation and physical ability is an important institutional value.