MBTA Health and Equity Research Intern
Purpose and Scope
Capital Programs consists of a team of approximately 300 professionals responsible for the delivery of the MBTA's $8.2 billion, five-year Capital Program. Program priorities include Reliability, Modernization, and Expansion. MBTA capital projects encompass the design and construction of new and the rehabilitation/modernization of existing assets. These projects advance the MBTA’s goal to become the safe, reliable, robust, and resilient transit system the region will require in the future.
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA or the “T”) is seeking Interns/Co-ops interested in learning about and assisting with the management of the MBTA’s Capital Program in design and construction. Project interns will be exposed to MBTA public policy, financial practices, project execution policies and technical challenges related to delivering Capital Program projects.
The term of this assignment is anticipated to be from either 3 or 6 months, depending on the student’s availability.
Based on best fit, Project Interns will be placed with one of Capital Programs’ four teams:
- Capital Delivery manages the design, construction, and turnover of Commuter Rail, Bridge and Structures, Systemwide Transit, Blue Line, and Bus capital projects, as well as providing technical expertise and support for capital project delivery to departments across the MBTA. Capital Delivery works closely with OCE, Operations, Engineering and Maintenance, Railroad Operations, Customer Experience, Customer Technology, Capital Planning, Capital Finance, and others to safely, effectively, and efficiently delivery projects that improve the MBTA’s infrastructure, safety, operations, and customer experience. Capital delivery closely monitors scope, quality, safety, and cost on all projects to provide the best value to the MBTA. Capital Delivery subgroups are Transit, Commuter Rail, Structures, and Operations Support.
- Capital Support provides a variety of administrative, field and technical support services to all project delivery groups within the MBTA Capital Program as well as external departments such as South Coast Rail. These services include Project Controls, QA/QC, construction field staff, contract services, and transit-oriented development (TOD) project delivery oversight, among others. Capital Support staff work integrally with the MBTA Capital Program project teams to deliver capital projects safely, on-time and on budget.
- Capital Transformation’s mission is to execute strategic capital investments that will yield long-term improvement to the quality of service for MBTA riders and neighboring communities. Capital Transformation’s programs focus on holistic collaboration to work most effectively with internal departments while minimizing disruptions to service. Our methods include accelerating work wherever possible and increasing accountability through transparent reporting on the delivery of outcomes.
- Capital Program Strategy and Innovation (CPSI) endeavors to develop and establish the Capital Programs vision and set priorities to meet our ridership needs with a focus on improving customer service and experience with a safe, reliable and, faster service; and at lower costs. CPSI was established to support the development of the overall Capital Program through a focus on Strategy; Innovation; Safety Assurance; Small Business Enterprise (SBE); Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE); Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI); and continued progress on our Program Management Information System (PMIS).
- Office of the Chief of Capital Programs encompasses the Administration Team that works to keep Capital Programs running smoothly and efficiently by taking care of the behind the scenes tasks that keep things moving forward. From on-boarding, training, and coordinating meetings, to document standardization and communications, we do it all!
Principal Duties and Responsibilities
MBTA has a history of adopting new priorities, decision-making frameworks, and design approaches to address the changing needs of our community, for example disability access, greenhouse gas reductions, and small-business job creation. In an effort to explore disciplines that will bring new perspectives to MBTA, we are seeking an intern with public health expertise to identify human health-related factors that may influence infrastructure project delivery. Under the supervision of the Director of Resiliency and Equity, the Health and Equity Intern will conduct a research project that provides the MBTA with new approaches to enhance the system’s equity.
Capital Delivery seeks an intern/co-op student for the following duties and tasks:
- Conduct literature review and best-practices research to identify health equity frameworks that could be applied to transit infrastructure decision making.
- Conduct literature review and best-practices research to identify public health factors that could be used as indicators of transit equity and/or considerations for infrastructure design and construction processes.
- With guidance from MBTA staff, develop recommendations of top health frameworks and factors that could be applied to the MBTA.
- Prepare memorandum with findings and recommendations.
- Present findings and recommendations to MBTA interdepartmental leadership.
- Attend internal MBTA meetings (virtual and/or in person)
Minimum Experience and Required Skills
- Full-time enrollment in a Bachelor’s or Graduate degree program in public health. Relevant disciplines such as environmental health and social work may be considered.
- Demonstrated experience in self-directed research. No prior experience in transportation or public transit is required.
- Undergraduate bachelor’s student intern candidates shall have completed (4) semesters or (5) trimesters; Graduate degree student intern candidates shall have been accepted to a graduate studies program and be within 24 months of matriculation.
- All candidates should have strong oral, written and interpersonal skills; effective organizational, analytical, multi-tasking and interpersonal skills; the ability to use Word, Excel, and Database applications;
- The ability to pass: a Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) check; and the MBTA’s medical requirements, including a drug and alcohol screening.
- All MBTA employees, including full-time, part-time, temporary and contract employees, and interns, must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, unless a medical or religious exemption has been filed and approved. The MBTA also strongly encourages employees to receive booster doses of the vaccine. All employees must complete a COVID-19 Vaccine Attestation Form before starting work. This form can be found online at https://www.mbta.com/org/mbta-employee-vaccine-attestation-form.
Please note the pa rate is $16.50 - $24.00 depending on grade level and experience.