What are the responsibilities and job description for the Transportation Planning Intern - Program Support position at Chapel On The Hill?
Summary
The Office of Mobility and Greenways is seeking a motivated and organized self-starter to fill the role of Transportation Planning Intern. This position is responsible for working with Town staff on transportation planning projects, multimodal data analysis, Vision Zero, Safe Routes to School (SRTS), demographics studies, GIS data management, and other special studies.
The position offers exposure to local government transportation planning focused on bicycle, pedestrian, and transit, and oversight from transportation planning professionals. The successful candidate will have opportunity to work with planners from multiple disciplines, other Town departments, private sector firms, and members of the public.
Essential Functions
The ideal candidate should have one of the following qualifications:
Supplemental Information
This position is available May 2026 – August 2026, with the option of extending into the 2026-2027 academic year. The candidate is expected to work 40 hours a week over the summer and 10-15 during the academic year, with flexibility to work more or less depending on course load, breaks from school, holidays, etc.
The candidate may not work more than 950 hours in a rolling 12-month period.
Physical Demands
Work is generally performed while sitting or standing at a desk with intermittent stooping. Event planning and execution may require standing for extending periods, walking/biking, lifting up to 30 pounds, setting up and breaking down tables, tents, banners, other equipment.
Other Necessary Requirements
A valid NC driver's license is preferred for this position due to meetings, outreach, and event participation. However, ability to transport oneself efficiently locally and regionally without a driver’s license is acceptable.
The Town of Chapel Hill offers comprehensive and competitive benefits to regular full time and part time employees.
Health and Dental Insurance
Part-time regular employees. Part-time employees may, if they so desire, purchase group medical and dental insurance through the town, either for themselves of for themselves and their families. The Town will pay a proportional part of the health and dental premiums based upon the average number of hours worked per week. The employee is responsible for the cost for dependent dental insurance.
Retirement Health Savings Plan
Employees hired after June 30, 2010, in a regular full-time or regular part- time position are required to participate in the Retirement Health Savings Plan. Contributions are taken on a pre-tax basis. The current contribution amount is 1%.
Paid Time Off
All employees in regular full or part time position are required to contribute to the retirement system. Contributions are taken on a pre-tax basis. The current contribution amount is 6%.
Supplemental Retirement Plans
The Town provides full and part time regular employees with an individual term life insurance policy. Employees have the option of purchasing additional life insurance for a small fee. Dependent life insurance is also available.
Direct Deposit
All employees hired after July 1, 2007 are required to have direct deposit.
Other Benefits
This is a temporary part-time position that is unbenefited. The pay rate is $22 per hour. Please confirm your understanding of this.
02
What interests you about the field of transportation planning?
03
What is one issue in transportation planning that interests you, and what is one step to make improvements on that issue?
The Office of Mobility and Greenways is seeking a motivated and organized self-starter to fill the role of Transportation Planning Intern. This position is responsible for working with Town staff on transportation planning projects, multimodal data analysis, Vision Zero, Safe Routes to School (SRTS), demographics studies, GIS data management, and other special studies.
The position offers exposure to local government transportation planning focused on bicycle, pedestrian, and transit, and oversight from transportation planning professionals. The successful candidate will have opportunity to work with planners from multiple disciplines, other Town departments, private sector firms, and members of the public.
Essential Functions
- Support Town’s Safe Routes to School program – public outreach, event planning and execution, data collection, surveys/interviews, etc.
- Collect, analyze, present data in an engaging and user-friendly manner
- Prepare brief memos explaining methodology and findings
- Assist with public outreach, meetings, surveys, focus groups, etc.
- Conduct field work, including data collection, observations, traffic counts, walk audits, and project installation.
- Prepare presentations and other materials for public consumption
- Conduct research to assist staff, especially on peer city best practices that may lead to local policy, process, or infrastructure change
- Assist staff on larger projects of interest (ex: development ordinance rewrite, area plan development, capital project implementation, placemaking efforts)
- Support other transportation planning projects and initiatives as needed and as interested
The ideal candidate should have one of the following qualifications:
- completed a BA/BS in Urban Planning, Transportation Planning, Public Policy, Geography or a related degree;
- be currently enrolled in a graduate planning program; or
- recently completed a graduate planning program.
Supplemental Information
This position is available May 2026 – August 2026, with the option of extending into the 2026-2027 academic year. The candidate is expected to work 40 hours a week over the summer and 10-15 during the academic year, with flexibility to work more or less depending on course load, breaks from school, holidays, etc.
The candidate may not work more than 950 hours in a rolling 12-month period.
Physical Demands
Work is generally performed while sitting or standing at a desk with intermittent stooping. Event planning and execution may require standing for extending periods, walking/biking, lifting up to 30 pounds, setting up and breaking down tables, tents, banners, other equipment.
Other Necessary Requirements
A valid NC driver's license is preferred for this position due to meetings, outreach, and event participation. However, ability to transport oneself efficiently locally and regionally without a driver’s license is acceptable.
The Town of Chapel Hill offers comprehensive and competitive benefits to regular full time and part time employees.
Health and Dental Insurance
Part-time regular employees. Part-time employees may, if they so desire, purchase group medical and dental insurance through the town, either for themselves of for themselves and their families. The Town will pay a proportional part of the health and dental premiums based upon the average number of hours worked per week. The employee is responsible for the cost for dependent dental insurance.
Retirement Health Savings Plan
Employees hired after June 30, 2010, in a regular full-time or regular part- time position are required to participate in the Retirement Health Savings Plan. Contributions are taken on a pre-tax basis. The current contribution amount is 1%.
Paid Time Off
- Vacation/Annual Leave: Employees in regular full or part time positions earn between 12 and 26 days per year depending upon length of Town service.
- Sick Leave: Employees in full or part time regular positions earn 12 days per year.
- Paid Parental Leave: Eligible employees receive 6 weeks of Paid Parental Leave after birth or placement of a child in the home for adoption or foster care. This leave does not come from Employee's leave bank.
- Paid Holidays: There are 12 official Town holidays. Employees in full or part time regular positions are eligible for paid holiday time.
- Personal Leave: All employees in full or part time regular positions are granted 3 days of personal leave per year. This leave is non-cumulative
All employees in regular full or part time position are required to contribute to the retirement system. Contributions are taken on a pre-tax basis. The current contribution amount is 6%.
Supplemental Retirement Plans
- NC 401(k)-The Town makes a contribution of 5% to the 401(k) for all regular full and part time employees. There is no employee match required. Employees have the option of making contributions on a pre or post tax basis. The plan is administered by Empower.
- 457 Deferred Compensation Plan-Town of Chapel Hill employees have the option of making contributions to a 457. The Town does not make contributions to this plan. The plan is administered by MissionSquare.
- Town Provided: The Town provides both short term and long term disability insurance to all regular full or part time employees. The plan will pay up to 50% of the employee's base income up to $462 per week for non-job related injuries.
- Voluntary Short Term Disability: Employees have the option of purchasing supplemental disability insurance. This plan will pay employees a maximum of 25% of their base weekly earnings up to $400.
The Town provides full and part time regular employees with an individual term life insurance policy. Employees have the option of purchasing additional life insurance for a small fee. Dependent life insurance is also available.
Direct Deposit
All employees hired after July 1, 2007 are required to have direct deposit.
Other Benefits
- Credit Union: Employees of the Town of Chapel Hill are eligible to open accounts at Civic Federal Credit Union.
- Parking is provided free of charge at or near worksites
- Annual longevity payment beginning with the 5th year of full or part time regular employment
- Tuition assistance is available upon completion of the initial probationary period
This is a temporary part-time position that is unbenefited. The pay rate is $22 per hour. Please confirm your understanding of this.
02
What interests you about the field of transportation planning?
03
What is one issue in transportation planning that interests you, and what is one step to make improvements on that issue?
- Required Question
Salary : $22