Planning and Transportation Researcher

Full Time Position | Posted September 4, 2024

The Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission (CMRPC) seeks candidates for the full-time (37.5 hours/week) position of Planning and Transportation Researcher to join our multi-disciplinary transportation planning team working on a variety of exciting projects within our region.

The central Massachusetts region is experiencing rapid change, and many communities rely on CMRPC to make informed decisions. As a regional planning agency that serves over 600,000 residents, we recognize that the need for region specific research and data analysis is growing. This is a unique opportunity for someone with exceptional data and research skills to assist CMRPC in building our research and data analysis capacity.

About CMRPC

CMRPC is the Regional Planning Agency (RPA) serving the people who live and work in southern Central Massachusetts. Our mission is to improve the quality of life for those who live and work in the region. Join our team with supportive colleagues making real impacts in the communities of Central Massachusetts. CMRPC supports the complete team member as we work on meaningful, innovative, and exciting projects while respecting and supporting the individual’s wellness and a balanced and fulfilling work life.

CMRPC offers a flexible, supportive, and family-friendly work environment, and a commitment to ongoing professional development. We take pride in the diversity of our workforce and encourage all qualified people to apply. CMRPC is an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, religious creed, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, veteran’s status and/or ancestry. Reasonable accommodation will be provided where needed.

CMRPC’s office includes almost 60 full-time employees located in the Worcester Central Business District in a transit-accessible and bike-friendly office, LEED-certified building. Free parking is provided in the attached garage. For further detail on CMRPC, please visit www.cmrpc.org.

Typical Duties

The planning and Transportation Researcher will assist with the ongoing development, improvement and publication of CMRPC data products including Socio-Economic Projections, Community Snapshots and Asset Management Dashboard. In addition, this position will assist with the design and implementation of a research agenda to guide data development to support the implementation of various plans, Including regional plans such as 2050 Connections (the region’s Long Range Transportation Plan), regional safety plan, asset management report, bicycle and pedestrian plan.

Specific duties will include:

Developing analysis and plans for various transportation planning focus areas, including coordination of planning activities that involve the integration of roadway and transit concerns with land use, economic development, and environmental concerns.
Analyzing roadway & transit datasets using advanced database and GIS tools and methods.
Support the expansion of a qualitative-quantitative mixed methods approach at CMRPC in collaboration with colleges and other departments
Assist with the CMRPCs socioeconomic forecasting and scenario planning program which models regional projected households, housing unit demand, labor force, and jobs in collaboration with several external partners.
Create new tools and processes that make it easier for staff, member communities and the public to work with and understand data.
Foster relationships between the research and data community in Greater Worcester and Massachusetts to encourage collaboration.
Work with staff and public officials to develop data-driven solutions to specific transportation problems.

Qualifications

Master’s degree in Urban/Transportation planning, Urban Analytics, Urban Informatics, Public Policy, or Economics with five to seven years of experience or other relevant field with at least 5 years of work experience is preferred. Candidates with a Bachelor’s degree may be considered with at least 7 years of relevant work experience.

The successful applicant will demonstrate all or most of the following skills:

Demonstrated proficiency with quantitative research methods and statistical modeling. Experience applying these methods in a regional planning, transportation, and/or policy context preferred.
Proficiency with GIS, R, Python, PostgreSQL, or other statistical and data management tools preferred.
Experience working with diverse data sets from federal, state, and local agencies, including U.S. Census Bureau (Ex: American Community Survey, Decennial Census, Economic Census), U.S. Department of Transportation (Ex: National Household Travel Survey), MassDOT, and private data sources such as StreetLight and INRIX.
Experience and detailed knowledge of best practices for data cleaning, aggregation, interpretation, and visualization. Some experience with dashboards, interactive visuals desirable such as Tableau or Power BI.
Understanding of basic demographic principles and understanding of recent U.S. and local population trends.
Experience with transportation planning software such as Replica or Remix.
Strong project management and organization skills; the ability to scope projects collaboratively with staff and non-technical partners and deliver projects within a budget and on schedule.
Conduct planning analysis using transportation planning procedures, Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and other tools.
Interpersonal skills to work with other members of a planning team, including developing consensus on solutions, facilitating public participation, and implementing action plans.
Excellent written communication skills, including the ability to write technical reports and non-technical letters and memos.
Excellent verbal communications skills, including the ability to make presentations, work with state and local officials to address specific transportation problems, and facilitate discussions at committee meetings.

This is a full-time position with an excellent state employee benefits package. Standard work week is 5 days (37.5 hours/week). Starting salary will range from $64,360.00 to $75,000.00 depending on qualifications and experience. Offers will be commensurate with relevant experience. In addition to competitive compensation, CMRPC offers a great work environment and an excellent benefits package. CMRPC offers a flexible, supportive, and family-friendly work environment, and a commitment to ongoing professional development.

This position is exempt under the guidelines of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. Candidates must have legal authorization to work in the USA and a valid driver’s license and/or the ability to arrange transportation to meetings in different parts of the region. Candidate must be willing to adhere to all active and future public safety requirements (including mask and/or vaccination mandates). While many CMRPC staff work remotely in part, all staff must be available for in-person meetings within the region as needed, and it is expected that staff be available for in-office work as is appropriate for their work assignments.

If you can bring a competitive streak, relevant skills and experience, and a strong work ethic to CMRPC in this capacity, please submit your Resume, Letter of interest, and 3 References to jobinquiry@cmrpc.org. Priority will be given to applications received on or before September 18, 2024. This position is open until canceled or filled.