We are looking for individuals who share our passion for fostering equitable, healthy, sustainable cities and communities. We encourage a challenging, collaborative, and fun work environment. We also believe in work-life balance.
We are currently seeking candidates for 6 full time summer internships:
Transportation Planning Internship
The transportation internship will focus primarily on RPA’s research into the effects of e-commerce and the changing landscape of goods movement in the New York Region. The internship will entail a mix of statistical analysis and qualitative research to support white paper and project scope development. Qualified candidates should be a graduate student with an interest and some knowledge of transportation and/or goods movement, and a strong foundation of data analysis and GIS.
Housing and Community Planning Internship
RPA is seeking a graduate-level intern to assist with our ongoing New York housing campaign, land use research, and place-based planning efforts. The internship will involve researching housing trends and demographic analysis, as well as zoning codes and related housing policy. Candidates should have an interest and some working knowledge of housing and zoning policy, and a good foundation in data analysis and GIS skills.
Resilience Planning Internship
The Resilience Planning Intern will work with the Energy & Environment team, providing research support on several projects related to climate change adaptation, mitigation, and resilience. Qualified candidates should be a graduate students with interest in climate change resilience, and a good foundation in research, data analysis, and GIS skills.
Connecticut Housing Internship
RPA is seeking a graduate-level intern to assist with housing policy research in Connecticut. The intern will conduct a literature review of national and regional best practices for financing ADU construction and incentivizing homeowners to rent accessory dwelling units (ADUs) to Section 8 voucher holders, as well as additional Connecticut housing research to be determined. Candidates should have an interest and some knowledge of housing policy and ADUs, and strong qualitative research skills. Some knowledge of Connecticut is a plus.
Governor James J. Florio Internship
The Governor James J. Florio intern will support the RPA NJ team with stakeholder engagement and outreach on several projects. These include our Meadowlands campaign, culminating in a potential symposium; coordinating webinars and workshops to make the built environment in Northern NJ communities more age-friendly; and supporting our existing ADU campaign for a statewide law with research and communications. This internship may be located at RPA’s New York or New Jersey offices, depending on intern residence and project needs. Knowledge of New Jersey policies is a plus.
Health Equity Planning Internship
The Healthy Regions Planning Exchange Intern will assist with qualitative and quantitative research related to the Healthy Regions Planning Exchange, an ongoing collaboration between 11 US regions focused on removing the structural barriers to health and racial equity in urban planning. Duties may include research on best practices, data analysis, and coordination with other members of the Exchange. Candidates may be an undergraduate or graduate student with a strong interest in public health and urban planning.
Additional Intern responsibilities may include:
- Assisting with the development of policy reports and presentations on issues ranging from environmental sustainability, transportation, zoning, and land use.
- Supporting external communications and coalition building initiatives.
- Organizing public meetings, events, and outreach in partnership with governments and civic partners.
- Conducting in-depth data and systems analysis.
- Generating geospatial maps and other explanatory graphics for internal research and publication.
Qualifications
- Recent graduate or current student in a Bachelor’s or Master’s program in a relevant field, such as urban planning, public policy, public health, economics, geography, political science, or environmental science.
- Strong writing and presentation skills.
- Ability to work well under deadlines.
- Demonstrated interest in urban planning and civics.
- Familiarity with Microsoft Excel, Adobe Creative Suite, GIS, or R is a plus.
- Experience with public outreach and engagement is a plus.
Compensation
This is a paid summer internship. Depending on education level, interns are offered between $18-$22.50/hr. RPA also offers the opportunity for interns to participate in a wide variety of events with thought leaders from around the city and the globe. Unless otherwise specified, these positions are based at RPA’s New York Office at 1 Whitehall St, and a minimum of two days per week in the office is expected.
How to Apply
Please submit your cover letter, resume, and work sample as a single attachment and clearly indicate which internship you are applying for. Candidates are encouraged to attach a work sample that best reflects the internship they are applying for. We encourage people from backgrounds and life experiences often underrepresented in the urban planning field to apply, including but not limited to individuals from working class communities, BIPOC communities, and the LGBTQIA+ community. Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis until positions are filled. Because of the high volume of applications we receive, we regret that we are unable to reply to every applicant. We kindly request no phone calls or emails.
Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis until positions are filled.