Planning Intern - Summer 2025 (Level 2)

Role description

Recruitment ID: TEX-5381-141981

Appointment Type: Temporary Exempt, Full Time appointment – This position is excluded by the Charter from the competitive Civil Service examination process and shall serve at the discretion of the Appointing Officer.

Application Opening: November 22, 2024

Application Filling Deadline: January 17, 2025

Annual Salary: $79,118  annually 

Position Description:
The Planning Level 1 Internship is within the SFMTA Planning and Engineering Internship Program.  

There are 4 total internship postings: 2 for Planning and 2 for Engineering, each posting with a unique set of multiple positions. Applicants will only be considered for the positions associated with the internship posting(s) they apply for. Therefore, if you meet the minimum qualifications for multiple internship postings and would like to be considered for multiple sets of positions, you must apply to each posting separately. 

Read this job ad in its entirety before applying.  This job ad contains important information on timeline and terms of applying, including transcript, resume and cover letter requirements.  If after reading you have additional questions about the application process, please contact internships@sfmta.com. 

Filing Deadline:  January 17, 2025  

Invitations to interview will be sent tentatively between February 10 - 14, 2025 

Interviews will be conducted tentatively between February 24 - March 7, 2025  

Selected candidates will be notified tentatively between March 17 - 31, 2025 

The internship program offers seminars and field trips for interns to learn about various parts of the Agency. Attendance is mandatory at these events. Interns will also participate in PechaKucha presentations at the end of the summer. 

Work Schedule: 
We work in a hybrid and traditional environment, and you may be expected to work onsite in the office up to 5 days per week. In-office workdays are determined by the nature of the work and scheduled by your supervisor. Per the City’s Telecommuting Policy, interns must be based in the Bay Area for the extent of their internship. 

The internship follows a 40-hour workweek, generally between the hours of 8 AM and 5 PM, Monday to Friday. Work outside these hours may be required for fieldwork, outreach events, etc. Interns may be eligible for a flexible work schedule, subject to supervisor and division approval. Interns may work up to 1,040 hours in a fiscal year. Most intern positions will terminate at the end of summer; depending on the nature of the work, some positions may be eligible to continue into the school year, subject to supervisor and division approval. 

Intern positions may be available in the following Divisions and Sections: 

Streets Division: 
Planning interns within the Street Division are responsible for supporting project community outreach and engagement by attending stakeholder meetings, public meetings, and open houses, tabling at public events like Sunday Streets, soliciting and documenting community feedback through surveys, door-to-door outreach, phone calls, emails, surveys, and more; data collection and analysis (may involve fieldwork); assisting with policy development and/or report creation; conducting geospatial analyses and generating maps using ArcGIS; conducting surveys; support long-range transportation plans; and preparing presentations and/or project visuals. Responsibilities will vary depending on the team. 

Planning teams within the Streets Division include: 

Transportation Planning 

Livable Streets 

Curb Management 

Transit Division: 
The Transit Division performs a wide range of planning functions in support of San Francisco’s transit system. Key areas include short- and long-range service planning, street design improvements to reduce transit delay, program delivery support, transit business administration, and special events planning. Planning interns within the Transit Division are responsible for assisting with service planning and capital planning projects; supporting project community outreach and engagement; analyzing data; developing maps and graphics and performing spatial analysis. Responsibilities will vary depending on the team. 

Planning teams within the Transit Division include: 

Business Administration 

Program Delivery & Support 

Transit Planning 

Transit Operations 

Finance and IT Division: 
Planning interns within the Finance and IT Division are responsible for supporting funding applications and advocacy by evaluating funding opportunities, soliciting project proposals from implementing teams across the agency; conducting policy research, data collection and analysis (may involve fieldwork); assisting with policy development and/or report creation; conducting geospatial analyses and generating maps using ArcGIS; and preparing presentations and/or project visuals. Responsibilities will vary depending on the team. 

Planning teams within FIT include: 

Funding Strategy and Programs 

Asset Management 

Taxis, Access, and Mobility Services (TAMS) Division: 
Planning interns within the TAMS Division are responsible for evaluating different transit, bike, and pedestrian plans for impacts on accessibility; researching and developing best practices related to shared mobility accessibility; assisting in development of programs serving seniors and people with disabilities; tracking data for shuttle, scooter share, and bike share permittees; assisting with stop planning for commuter shuttles; and designing improved taxi stands and signage. Duties can include building or updating public dashboards, combining data from multiple data sources, writing memos, evaluating impact of program rule changes, conducting surveys and gathering stakeholder input, determining potential impacts to underserved or disadvantaged communities, and improving the range of transportation options available. This Division is also involved in helping standardize or set industry standards on emerging mobility trip and telemetry data, best practices for shared device permittees, and informing legislated changes. Responsibilities will vary depending on the team. 

Planning teams within the TAMS Division include: 

Taxis and Mobility Services 

Accessible Services 

Office of the Chief Strategy Officer (CSO): 
Interns within the Office of the Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) are responsible for supporting a portfolio of projects that advance agency-wide strategy execution, improve major program design and management, and enhance business process.  Interns will conduct research, economic assessments, and collect and analyze data. The work will include supporting analysis of strategic risks and opportunities, reviewing administrative processes to facilitate best practices; and preparing reports, surveys and/or presentations. Interns will attend interdepartmental and stakeholder meetings to learn about agency needs and priorities. Responsibilities will vary depending on CSO priorities. 

Planning Sections within the CSO include: 

Design Strategy and Delivery 

Government Operations 

Building Progress Program 

Facilities & Real Property Management 

Shelter and Platform Maintenance 

How to qualify

Minimum Qualifications:
Education: At the time of submitting application, you must be enrolled in an accredited university or a community college pursuing a degree in City Planning, Environmental Policy Management,  Environmental Studies, Geography, Public Administration, Public Policy, Transportation Planning, Transportation Management, Urban Planning, Urban Studies, any engineering degree and or a related field.  

You must be currently enrolled and continuing in an associate, undergraduate or graduate program or entering/continuing a graduate program in the Fall 2025 

Students enrolled in second-to-last or last semester and will soon graduate are also encouraged to apply as you may still be selected for the program within six months of graduation.

Experience: No previous experience is necessary.  

Notes:
1. Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications by the final filing date unless otherwise noted.

Desirable Qualifications:
The stated desirable qualifications may be used to identify candidates advancing to the interview process and/or to identify job finalist(s) at the end of the selection process when referred for hiring. 

Interest in public-sector careers in transportation, especially public transit, walking, and bicycling. 

Understanding of the impact of transportation decisions on marginalized communities, including people of color, people with low-incomes, and people with disabilities. 

Experience working with marginalized communities. 

Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively, including, but not limited to, examples drawn from: school, work, community activities, extracurricular activities, team sports and/or volunteering experiences. 

Demonstrated ability to communicate clearly and effectively. 

Ability to adapt to new situations, changing priorities, or unexpected challenges to meet project goals. 

Ability to analyze evidence, critically consider options, and draw conclusions from data.  

Knowledge of the principles, practices, and techniques of transportation planning as demonstrated in the classroom or job/internship. 

Applied knowledge of Microsoft Office, ArcGIS, AutoCAD, Adobe Creative Suite, and/or other software.