Senior Behavior Analytics Co-Op

The Office of Performance Management (OPMI) operates as the MBTA / MassDOT’s internal research lab. We answer research questions developed both internally and externally to help us better understand how people interact with the transportation networks. Some examples of OPMI’s current research work include analyses of the impact of diversions on rider satisfaction and mode choice, late night transit ridership, and rideshare competitiveness with public transit.

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’s Performance Dashboards, Data Blog, and 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 can also 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.

The Travel Behavior Analytics Co-Op is a full-time, six-month position (July – December). Co-ops are expected to work 40 hours per week from 9:00am to 5:00pm
. OPMI is a hybrid office
, meaning co-ops will need to work in-office on Tuesdays and Wednesdays but can work remotely on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays. The ideal candidate is someone with advanced experience in data analysis with Python, R, or SQL
, above average experience and interest in survey and research design
, excellent attention to detail
, and intermediate to advanced writing skills
.

The Travel Behavior Analytics Co‑Op will support transportation research projects, particularly those focused on conducting surveys, improving survey methodologies to better understand public transit riders, and analyzing transportation network company (TNC, or rideshare) data to inform policy decisions. Projects will be matched to co‑ops based on skills and interest and will vary based on the department’s needs in Summer / Fall 2026.

There is also flexibility to accommodate self‑directed research projects that relate to multimodal travel behavior. This research may be used to fulfill a thesis or capstone project requirement for your degree. This position provides comprehensive real‑world experience with longitudinal survey research projects and is a good opportunity to apply and improve skills from research design to data processing and statistical analysis.

The office is set up “hotel” style, where staff members have no assigned desk, and book space when they expect to work in‑office. Office arrangements are subject to change based on public health guidance, and reasonable accommodations can be made. OPMI will provide a laptop that can be taken home for work. Our office is located at 10 Park Plaza, Boston, MA 02116 (downtown) and is accessible via transit and to people with disabilities.

• Think creatively about open‑ended research questions.
• Conduct exploratory analyses on survey and ridership data to answer agency‑ and self‑generated research questions related to rider behavior.
• Query, analyze, and visualize big data, including transportation network company (TNC) related datasets, to help answer agency research questions.
• Perform or assist with spatial and statistical analysis tasks in Python, R, and / or SQL, including:

• Cleaning, analyzing, and reporting on survey data.
• Aggregating and analyzing ridership data to inform survey sampling and weighting efforts.
• Retrieving and organizing spatial, demographic, and land…