Aeronautics Executive Internship
About MassDOT:
At MassDOT, transportation is not about roads and bridges, or trains and buses – it is about people. Our mission begins with customers - individuals, businesses, municipalities, and regional transit agencies. We support programs and projects that deliver a high return on investment. We partner with municipalities, public agencies, and private sector businesses. MassDOT supports the economic, quality of life, and environmental goals of the Commonwealth.
Position Summary:
MassDOT’s Aeronautics Division is searching for an Intern to support the MassDOT Drone Program. This role will work alongside stakeholders in MassDOT Aeronautics, MassDOT Highway, and the MBTA, and will work directly with Drone Program leadership to address and develop unmanned aircraft system (UAS, or “drone”) projects supporting transportation use cases. The Aeronautics Division is the Commonwealth lead to evaluate the utility of drones across MassDOT and other Commonwealth agencies, and is developing the policy, procedures, and operational best practices for the team to use drones to realize cost savings, optimize data quality, improve safety, and increase timeliness of business operations within MassDOT and the MBTA. This is a Summer internship that runs from June through August. Opportunities exist for interns both to support the operational development of drone use cases - exploring how data collected by drones can meet immediate MassDOT and MBTA needs, as well as to help develop data solutions to more efficiently ingest and analyze drone-collected data, and disseminate final data products to end users.
Possible Duties & Responsibilities:
- Assist in the planning, implementation, execution, and evaluation of pilot programs to demonstrate how drones can contribute to existing MassDOT and MBTA use cases.
- Work with Highway personnel to determine how drone data can supplement design and construction projects.
- Work with rail personnel to determine how drone data can supplement regular rail inspections.
- Work with Aeronautics personnel to develop the workflow and to process data sets for using drones to survey obstructions at airport.
- Track an entire drone project from initial drone request to final dissemination of data products, and suggest process improvement based on feedback from the end users.
- Work with Drone Team data analysts to evaluate the process for ingesting, saving, securing, analyzing, and disseminating drone collected data and data products.
- Investigate how to integrate geospatial information systems (GIS) and artificial intelligence (AI) applications to transportation use cases. Example projects could include automatically tagging vegetation along railroad tracks using multi-spectral imaging data, or training AI algorithms to identify features that require more detailed inspection.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to work effectively in a small and collaborative team environment.
- Demonstrated aptitude in written and verbal communication.
- Desire to innovate and think creatively.
- Critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
- Excellent analytical skills.
- Knowledge of GIS applications or imagery analysis tools.
- For data position: knowledge of artificial intelligence tools or database management a plus.
- Proficiency in all Microsoft Office applications, especially Excel, and in virtual collaborative tools such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, etc.
- Experience and interest in transit or transportation infrastructure a plus.
- Experience flying drones a plus, but not required.
- Enrolled in a related Undergraduate or Graduate degree program such as Aeronautical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Aviation Planning, Public Administration, Computer Engineering, Cyber Security, Drone Technology, Project Management, etc.
- Graduate student preferred.
- This internship may require travel to the 10 Park Plaza, Boston, MA location. The operational position may require travel to project sites across the Commonwealth.
Qualifications
Minimum Entrance Requirements:
This requisition will remain open until filled; however, first consideration will be given to those applicants who apply within the first 14 days.
- Must have completed at least one year of Graduate or Undergraduate program in a related field.
- Must be enrolled as a full-time student for Fall of 2022.
All job applications must be submitted online through MassCareers to be considered.
· For questions regarding the job posting, email alaina.seitz@dot.state.ma.us.
· For general questions regarding MassDOT, call the Human Resources Service Center at 857-368-4722.
· For a disability‐related reasonable accommodation or alternative application method, call ADA Coordinator, Heather Ulesoo – (617) 851-9447.
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. Females, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.
Executive Order #595: As a condition of employment, successful applicants will be required to have received COVID-19 vaccination or an approved exemption as of their start date. Details relating to demonstrating compliance with this requirement will be provided to applicants selected for employment. Applicants who receive an offer of employment who can provide documentation that the vaccine is medically contraindicated or who object to vaccination due to a sincerely held religious belief may make a request for exemption.