Planning and Innovation Program Assistant

Theuniversityunion; Ann Arbor (MI); On-site; USD 29,000 - 34,000; Part time

Job summary

Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority seeks a Planning Intern – Temporary to provide hands-on support across data analysis, performance monitoring, and planning tasks within the Planning & Innovation Division.

The role supports transit service plans, capital projects, and the 2045 Long Range Plan, while contributing to AI research and communications materials. Enrolled students in planning or related fields are encouraged to apply.

Qualifications

• Currently pursuing a bachelor’s or graduate degree in transportation/urban/land use planning, GIS/data science, communications, or related field.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience with computer applications in office/productivity/communications, databases, GIS, statistics, or related areas.
• Aptitude for researching data analysis and AI techniques.

Responsibilities

• Assist with ridership and GIS data analysis and data collection.
• Verify and clean data, including video data and other sources.
• Perform basic statistical and GIS analyses to support planning tasks.
• Monitor performance metrics and document service issues and observations.
• Support short/medium term service adjustments and long term capital plans.
• Prepare internal and customer-facing communications materials and maps.
• Research AI applications for planning and data analysis.

Skills

Data analysis

GIS

Communications

Research

Attention to detail

Teamwork

Education

Pursuing bachelor’s or graduate degree in transportation/urban planning

Tools

GIS

Statistical software

Office productivity tools

Job description

• Base Pay $21.50 - $21.50 / Hour
• Job Category Administrative
• Employee Type Temporary Employee
• Required Degree High school

The following PART-TIME position posting will be open through Wednesday, October 7, 2026:

PLANNING PROGRAM ASSISTANT – TEMPORARY (3 MONTHS)

Pay Rate: $21.50

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Planning Intern is a temporary, part-time position within the Planning & Innovation Division (P&I), providing hands‑on support across a range of functions including data analysis, performance monitoring, planning and communications support, peer reviewing, and artificial intelligence (AI) research.

The role offers a currently enrolled student in transportation/urban/land use planning, GIS/ quantitative data analysis and visualization, communications, or other related field the opportunity to work in support of transit service plans, capital projects, and other programs as part of AAATA’s 2045 Long Range Plan (LRP). The LRP lays out a 20‑year shared vision and strategy for public transportation services in the Ann Arbor – Ypsilanti area. The Planning Intern assists P&I staff on routine project tasks, data analysis, visualization, and documentation, and special projects as assigned by the Team Lead‑ Service Planning, Team Lead‑ Data & Scheduling, and Senior Project Manager.

Responsibilities and Essential Functions:

Data Analysis

• Assistance with ridership/GIS/other data collection.
• Verification and cleaning (including video and other methods).
• Basic statistical/GIS/other analyses.

Performance Monitoring

• Assistance in observing on‑street operations.
• Documentation and classification of customer service issues,
• Tracking on-time performance, ridership, and other service metrics.

Planning Assistance

• Collaboration in providing analyses in support of short/medium‑term service adjustment plans (including route, schedule, and boarding location adjustments in response to customer concerns).
• Collaboration in support of long‑term/capital plans and projects (including but not limited to future facilities construction plans, bus rapid transit, and other projects).

Communications Support

• Assistance in preparation of internal and customer‑facing communications materials (including maps/schedules, customer‑facing online tools, and on‑vehicle information systems).
• Support of P&I staff at stakeholder feedback/informational sessions.
• Research of industry best practices.
• Collection of data from agencies with characteristics similar to AAATA.

AI Research

• Research of potential uses of AI tools and practices for planning and data related analyses in support of future development of a divisional and agency‑wide set of AI usage policies.

Requirements

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Currently pursuing a bachelor’s or graduate degree in transportation/urban/land use planning, GIS/data science, communications, or other related field.
• Written, and verbal communication proficiency.
• Experience with computer applications in office/productivity/communications, database, GIS, statistical, and/or other related areas.
• Aptitude for researching data analysis, AI techniques, and other industry related practices/information.
• Attention to detail and organizational skills
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a team‑oriented environment.
• Capacity to work on multiple concurrent tasks with periodic interruptions.

Organizational Principles &Values

Our Principles andValuesreflect how we work, interact with one another, and serve our community. We expect all employees to demonstrate thesevaluesin their daily work and interactions and look for candidates who share this commitment.

• Respect:Treating one another with dignity
• Compassion:Understanding, sharing in and being sensitive to the situations of others
• Integrity:Having a moral or ethical conviction to always do what is right.
• Teamwork:collaborating for a greater good.
• Safety:keeping yourself and others away from harm
• Excellence:continuously renewing our commitment to perform well beyond set standards and expectations

Reports to:

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• Frequent periods of sitting and use of hands/fingers
• Occasional periods of standing, walking, reaching, squatting, kneeling, and bending.
• Ability to lift, carry, push and/or pull up to 30 pounds.

Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer