Strategic Transportation Policy & Data Lead

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) seeks a Senior Policy Analyst on the Strategic Research team within the Office of Performance Management and Innovation (OPMI).

You will lead and coordinate transportation research from hypothesis development, through field work and analysis, to delivery of results for multiple simultaneous projects across MassDOT and MBTA, with emphasis on equity, climate, data quality, and inter-modal networks.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field is required.
• Five years of directly relevant experience in quantitative or qualitative analysis, research, or project management in transportation or related field.
• Expertise in at least one advanced data analysis approach (GIS, SQL, Python, R, SPSS, or other).
• Strong critical thinking and written communication skills; ability to collaborate effectively with variety of colleagues and stakeholders.
• Advanced proficiency in MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• As part of the selection process, candidates may be required to complete a timed assessment demonstrating ability to analyze data, synthesize findings into actionable policy recommendations, and develop a supporting slide deck.
• Experience working within public-sector transportation agencies or similar large, multi-modal transportation systems is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to development of the broader research agenda at OPMI.
• Prioritize and manage transportation research projects, including identifying research needs, conducting data collection and analysis, reporting results, and informing practice.
• Communicate complex transportation research concepts to audiences (academic, practitioners, decision-makers).
• Establish and maintain organized, efficient, and standardized processes for work intake, prioritization, resource allocation, quality control, and release of findings.
• Assist with other duties in OPMI and cross-team projects as needed.

Skills

Data analysis

SQL / Python / GIS

Written communication

Project coordination

MS Office

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

Master’s degree substitutes for two years of general experience

Tools

R

Python

GIS

SQL

Job description

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) seeks a Senior Policy Analyst on the Strategic Research team within the Office of Performance Management and Innovation (OPMI).

You will lead and coordinate transportation research from hypothesis development, through field work and analysis, to delivery of results for multiple simultaneous projects across MassDOT and MBTA, with emphasis on equity, climate, data quality, and inter-modal networks.