About our Western Regional Office

This is a great opportunity to apply your GIS skills to work at the intersection of active transportation, recreation, sustainability and public health. We are a small office of two staff, where your work will have a big impact! You may also interact with our staff in the national office and our other regional offices.

Job Description

This internship is primarily tailored to assist the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s (RTC) Western Regional Office and Bay Area Trails Collaborative (BATC) in mapping BATC’s proposed regional trail network, but may involve other responsibilities as the office takes on new projects throughout the course of the internship. RTC’s Western Regional Office leads BATC, a group of trail planners and advocates collectively working to establish a 2,700-mile network of multiuse trails throughout the Bay Area. We are recruiting for one part-time intern to assist in this large-scale mapping effort. This internship is unpaid; many interns are able to earn academic credit, and we are happy to work with you if this is an option. The internship includes the following responsibilities:

• Quality Control of Existing GIS Data: Over the past year, our office has collected and consolidated all existing and proposed multiuse trail data from dozens of organizations and agencies throughout the Bay Area. This task will involve working with these agencies and organizations to confirm that all the data collected is complete and accurate.

• Outreach and Meeting Coordination: Once existing GIS data has been reviewed and verified, the data will be filtered by a set of pre-established trail criteria, converted into county-specific maps, and shared with GIS specialists, bike/ped planners, and trail managers in each Bay Area county. This task will involve creating county-specific trail maps, coordinating and attending countywide meetings, and co-facilitating meeting discussions on the regional trail network.

• Data Analysis and Map Development: Once the regional trail network has been established, map data will be used to analyze the network and create communication tools to present to public officials and other stakeholders. This task will involve conducting trail segment and network analyses, creating static and dynamic maps for online and in-print communication tools, and helping to develop marketing materials such as PowerPoint presentations and Story Maps.

• Additional responsibilities: Additional internship tasks may include: assistance with researching and writing stories for our national blog, e-newsletter and magazine; assistance with grant-writing and fundraising research; research, education, outreach, and organizing around legislative priorities; and providing technical assistance to our partners by researching and responding to questions, compiling best practices, organizing workshops or events, contacting trail partners for project updates, and contributing to RTC’s Trail-Building Toolbox.

Qualifications

Qualified candidates should be currently enrolled in or recently graduated from a college, university, or graduate school. We generally require a commitment of 15 to 20 hours per week for three to four months during the academic year. We are looking for enthusiastic individuals who have:

• Intermediate to advanced-level experience with Esri ArcGIS and/or related software tools;

• A demonstrated interest in active transportation, urban planning, geography, outdoor recreation, public health, environmental sustainability, or a related field;

• Strong organizing and interpersonal skills;

• Strong written and verbal communication skills and attention to detail;

• Flexibility to pitch in where needed

Work Environment

Normal office setting with low to moderate noise level

How to Apply

Please use one form of transmitting your résumé. No phone calls please, unless contacted for an in-person interview. Recruiters, please do not contact our offices.

Send a cover letter and résumé indicating a “BATC GIS Internship” preference, including how you learned of this announcement, to the following contact:

Human Resources Manager
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
The Duke Ellington Building
2121 Ward Court, NW, 5th Floor
Washington, D.C. 20037
Email: careers@railstotrails.org
Fax: 202.223.9257

Commitment to Diversity

RTC is an equal opportunity employer and seeks qualified candidates regardless of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability or national origin. Women and diverse applicants are encouraged to apply. EOE