Manager of Travel Model Development

Boston Region MPO / CTPS; Boston (MA); Hybrid; USD 115,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid schedule

Professional development

Job summary

The Boston Region MPO seeks a Manager of Model Development to lead the Model Development team in designing, building, and maintaining transportation modeling tools (including TDM23) that inform planning decisions across the Boston region.

This role combines day‑to‑day team and project management with hands‑on model development and application, stakeholder collaboration, and ongoing enhancements to advance the agency's modeling practice.

Qualifications

• Ability to think logically and algorithmically in clear, documented code using Python and GitHub.
• Experience in leading a project or staff with diverse skills and multiple priorities.
• Familiarity with AI‑assisted programming approaches and modeling workflows.

Responsibilities

• Lead day‑to‑day management of the Model Development team and prioritize work.
• Oversee project timelines and coordinate with consultants for deliverables.
• Maintain and enhance the agency's modeling tools, including TDM23.
• Develop, design, and apply regional travel demand models and related tools.
• Collaborate with stakeholders and the Director to evaluate new modeling solutions.

Skills

Python

GitHub

AI‑powered programming

Team management

Project management

Education

Master's degree in engineering, computer science, mathematics, or related field

Bachelor's degree with 5+ years of project and staff management experience

Tools

Caliper GISDK

Job description

The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) seeks a Manager of Model Development. This team is at the forefront of advancing the state of the practice in transportation modeling, designing, building, and maintaining critical tools that support transportation planning across the Boston Region and Massachusetts. In this role, you will have the opportunity to apply innovative modeling techniques, including exploratory modeling, to address complex transportation challenges and inform key decisions. If you are driven to produce quality work, passionate about the power of models, and committed to ensuring stakeholders understand and utilize these tools effectively, we encourage you to apply.

Responsibilities will include the following:

• Day-to-Day Team Management: Provide day-to-day management and supervision to the Model Development team, including prioritizing, assigning, and reviewing work; ensuring quality; and fostering a supportive workplace that promotes training, skill development, and career growth.
• Project and Consultant Management: Manage project timelines and deliverables, oversee the work of consultants, and ensure effective coordination and communication across project teams.
• Model Maintenance and Enhancement: Oversee the maintenance, support, and ongoing enhancements to the agency's transportation modeling tools, specifically TDM23, ensuring alignment with stakeholder needs and advancing the agency's modeling practice.
• Model Development and Application: Take an active role in model development work, including the design, development, and application of regional travel demand models and associated tools.
• Stakeholder Collaboration and Communication: Communicate and coordinate model development activities with model stakeholders and technical colleagues, and work with the Director of Modeling and Analytics to identify and evaluate new modeling solutions.

Required

• Agency Vision Alignment: A desire to help build an equitable, sustainable, and resilient transportation system for the Boston Region.
• Technical and Analytical Skills: Demonstrated ability to think logically and algorithmically in clear, cogent software design and well-documented code using Python, GitHub, and familiarity with AI-supported programming approaches.
• Project and Team Management: Demonstrated ability to plan, organize, and advance multiple work efforts, effectively managing a team with a diverse range of skills and mix of projects while balancing priorities and constraints.

Preferred

• Transportation Domain Knowledge: Experience developing and/or using travel demand models or other transportation planning tools to produce insights into transportation planning and policy needs.
• Technical Skills: Experience developing in Caliper's GISDK; experience designing, developing, deploying, documenting, and maintaining production-levelcode, and managing substantial amounts of data (10 GB or more).

Education and Experience:

A master's degree in engineering, computer science, mathematics, or a related field, and at least three years of project management experience and two years of staff management experience; or a bachelor's degree in the fields listed above plus five years of project and staff management experience. This is a full-time position and the starting salary range is $115,000-$125,000 annually, contingent upon qualifications and experience. The agency offers excellent Massachusetts state employee benefits; a flexible, supportive work environment; and a commitment to ongoing professional development.

Additional Information

The Boston Region MPO is a public agency made up of a passionate group of transportation planners, analysts, modelers, programmers, and engineers working to address the Boston region's transportation challenges. The agency's deep transportation knowledge is an essential 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.

The agency has a hybrid schedule, combining time in the office with remote work. Employees must reside within a commutable distance from the Boston Region MPO office, which is located in downtown Boston, in a transit-oriented and bicycle-friendly area.

Candidates must have legal authorization to work in the United States.

The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) is the fiduciary agent and legal employer of the Boston Region MPO staff. Both organizations are Equal Employment Opportunity 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. MAPC and the Boston Region MPO may consider sponsorship on a case-by-case basis.