The Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS) of the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) seeks a transportation/environmental planner or public health professional with a planning background to lead the MPO’s environmental program areas. The selected candidate will work across the agency to advance the MPO’s climate resiliency, air quality and related environmental goals for the transportation system. This individual will also collaborate with the Transportation Equity Program Manager to address disparities in health and environmental outcomes among marginalized communities and with the Outreach and Communications team to build partnerships and engage with environmental and public health stakeholders in the region.The MPO’s environmental program areas include Climate Resilience and Air Quality Conformity. The resiliency program focuses on promoting and implementing climate resiliency activities for the region through the Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) and Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) criteria. The Air Quality Conformity program ensures that the MPO’s federally funded transportation programs meet conformity requirements as outlined in the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990.RESPONSIBILITIES:Responsibilities may include but are not limited to, the following.• Support and contribute to the MPO’s transportation projects, programs, and studies to advance climate resiliency, air quality, and health equity• Evaluate the air quality, climate, and health impacts of transportation projects by applying existing criteria and methods, including metrics for transportation equity analyses, and develop new or revised criteria and methods as needs change and new data and analytical tools become available• Support the LRTP Needs Assessment by documenting needs related to climate resiliency, health, air quality, and the environment• Propose metrics, data sources, and target-setting methods related to air quality, climate resilience, and health for the MPO’s performance-based planning and programming activities• Coordinate with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, regional agencies, and municipalities on resiliency activities in the region. This includes inventorying transportation resiliency plans and activities at the state, regional, and municipal level• Collect and maintain data and analyses to measure regional air quality conditions, support the development of MOVES3 emission factors, and evaluate the air quality impacts of policies, projects, and programs• Represent the MPO at the statewide Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality and Air Quality Consultation Committee• Engage with public health, environmental justice (EJ), and climate stakeholders, with a focus on elevating marginalized voices in the planning processQUALIFICATIONS:While the following sections describe desirable qualifications, CTPS welcomes candidates who believe that their particular experience and skills support their ability to successfully complete the responsibilities listed above.Preferred qualifications include:• The candidate must have one of the following:* At least two years of full-time, or equivalent part-time, professional experience in a relevant field includingurban or regional planning, transportation planning, public policy, environmental or climate science, orpublic health with a focus on environmental or climate health* A master’s degree in any of the above relevant areas* A bachelor’s degree in any of the above relevant areas plus one year of relevant professional experience• The ability to engage in inclusive dialogue with a variety of audiences, including the MPO board, elected officials, technical staff, diverse stakeholders, and the general public in both written and oral formats• Demonstrated commitment to advancing equity and addressing disparities in health and environmental outcomes among marginalized communities• Ability to work both collaboratively and independently• Quantitative and qualitative analytical skills, including proficiency in working with and maintaining spreadsheets and databases, as well as analytical applications such as ESRI’s GIS software, RStudio, STATA, or TableauKnowledge of the following is desirable, but not required:• MPO processes and practices• Federal transportation legislation, including the recently adopted Bipartisan Infrastructure Law• Construction project management, project financing, and financial planning• EJ and civil rights regulations• Integrated Transport and Health Impact Modeling Tool or other health assessment tools• US Census and American Community Survey dataADDITIONAL INFORMATION:This is a full-time position and the starting salary range is $51,000 – $61,000, contingent upon qualifications and experience. CTPS offers excellent Massachusetts state employee benefits; a flexible, supportive, and family-friendly work environment; and a commitment to ongoing professional development. Our office is located in downtown Boston, in a transit-oriented and bicycle-friendly environment. All staff are currently working remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the agency will pilot hybrid work schedules once a return to the office is initiated. The return to the office will be based on health indicators and guidance. All employees wishing to work in the office will be required to provide proof of vaccination status. Candidates must have legal authorization to work in the United States and a valid driver’s license and/or the ability to arrange transportation to meetings in different parts of the region. The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) is the fiduciary agent for CTPS and legally employs its staff. MAPC and CTPS are Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action (EEO/AA) employers that take pride in the diversity of their workforces and encourage all qualified persons to apply. MAPC participates in the E-Verify system to confirm employment eligibility.About the Central Transportation Planning StaffCTPS is a passionate group of transportation planners, analysts, modelers, programmers, andengineers working to address the Boston region’s transportation challenges. The deep transportation knowledge and expertise of this close-knit team is a critical asset to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), regional transit authorities, cities and towns within the region, as well as other agencies and stakeholders.How to ApplyThis position is open until June 10, 2022, and applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. A review of applications will begin immediately, and preference will be given to candidates who submit their applications before May 27, 2022. Interested candidates should submit a cover letter and resume online at www.bostonmpo.org.
Link to job posting: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/ctps
