Senior Data Engineering Co-Op

The Office of Performance Management and Innovation (OPMI) develops and tracks performance metrics for MassDOT and the MBTA and implements strategic initiatives with a focus on data analysis to improve rider experience. Some examples of OPMI's work can be seen on the MBTA Performance Dashboards, the Data Blog, and the MBTA's Open Data Portal.

We are an office devoted to problem-solving and creative thinking, and there are many opportunities for co-ops to participate in this exciting work. Co-ops will also have the opportunity to participate in training, fieldwork, tours, conferences, and other learning opportunities as available. By the end of their co-op, they will have gained experience managing multiple concurrent projects, collaborating with multiple departments across the MBTA and MassDOT, and working with many datasets to answer a variety of real-world questions.

OPMI is currently working as a "hybrid" office, including both remote and in-office work. The office is set up "hotel" style, where staff members have no assigned desks and reserve space when they expect to come in. Staff are expected to come into the office 2 to 3 days per week, with Tuesday and Thursday being the all-staff days for the team (everyone in-office).

OPMI is seeking a Data Engineering Co-Op to perform a range of data strategy tasks. The specific responsibilities of the role will vary based on project availability but will mainly focus on:

• Assist in the development of data automation pipelines using various technologies.
• Support documentation efforts for ongoing automation projects and enhance documentation for existing processes.
• Assist in data cleaning, transformation, and validation to ensure data quality and reliability.
• Collaborate with data analysts and stakeholders to understand data requirements and improve data accessibility.
• Contribute to the development, publication, and maintenance of the MBTA Open Data Portal.
• Help manage data sources, databases, and data flows across OPMI, MBTA, and MassDOT, collaborating with multiple stakeholders.

The most qualified (or ideal) candidates would be pursuing an undergraduate / bachelor's degree in computer science, data analytics, math, physics, engineering, public policy, urban planning, government, or a related field; above average skills in at least one programming language (such as R or Python), and experience with at least one Dev Ops technology and SQL querying. We are looking to hire one (1) co-op, who will work at least 2 - 3 days onsite (40 hours per week) for at least six months (January - June).

• Gain familiarity with OPMI's data infrastructure and workflows, understanding data collection, transformation, and reporting processes at various development stages.
• Develop and maintain automated data pipelines for ingesting, transforming, and publishing transit-related data using Git Hub Actions, Docker, and other CI/CD tools.
• Improve data quality control by implementing automated validation, anomaly detection, and monitoring systems.
• Monitor and troubleshoot data pipelines, proactively identifying and resolving failures, bottlenecks, or inconsistencies.
• Analyze and optimize data storage and processing workflows, recommending improvements for efficiency and scalability.
• Support version control best practices for data pipelines and scripts using Git Hub and Git Hub Actions.
• Perform ad hoc data cleaning, transformation, and integration using SQL, R, or Python, with optional analysis and visualization as needed.
• Assist in documentation and reporting, contributing to dashboards, reports, presentations, and technical protocols for internal and external stakeholders.
• Collaborate with the data team to present findings and support data-driven decision-making across MBTA and MassDOT.
• Engage in team meetings, knowledge-sharing sessions, and organizational events to support collaboration and workflow improvements.
• Participate in fieldwork efforts as needed, assisting in real-world data collection and integration into automated pipelines.
• Participate in team / staff meetings, organizational events, fieldwork, project teams, or other duties as assigned.
• Provide internal and external customers with courteous and professional experience.
• Additional responsibilities may focus on one or more specific departments or locations (refer to department-specific addendums or hiring manager guidance).
• Perform all other duties and projects assigned.

* The statements contained in this job description are intended to describe the general…