Easter Seals Jobs

Governor's Summer Intern - INDOT Transportation Safety Research

Date Posted: Dec 4, 2024

Requisition ID: 453175

Location:

West Lafayette, IN, US, 47906

Begin a fulfilling career with the State of Indiana by joining one of the largest employers in the state, offering a diverse range of opportunities across 60+ agencies. At the state, you'll find competitive compensation, a robust benefits package and a commitment to work-life balance. Most importantly, you'll have the chance to make a real and measurable impact on the lives of Hoosiers across Indiana.

At the State of Indiana, we don’t just talk about diversity and inclusion—we make it our goal to create a welcoming, accessible, and equitable workplace with a workforce that is representative of Indiana's population. As a proud equal opportunity employer, reasonable accommodations may be available to enable individuals with disabilities to complete the application and interview process as well as perform the essential functions of a role.

About the Governor's Summer Internship Program (GSI):

The Governor’s Summer Internship Program (GSI) is designed to give college students real-world, hands-on experience in their desired field of study to enhance marketability upon graduation. Participation in the program will offer students a multitude of experiences including networking with state employees, resume building and soft skills workshops, agency head panels, and much more.

About the Indiana Department of Transportation:

The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) provides a dynamic workplace that serves Indiana citizens, improves our state’s quality of life, and enhances its economic opportunity. INDOT has a number of innovative programs and projects, including Public-Private Partnerships, Green Initiatives, and cutting-edge uses of materials and assets. As part of the State of Indiana, INDOT offers a competitive total compensation package, as well as outstanding work/life balance. Whether you are an established professional in the transportation field or just starting your career, INDOT has exciting and challenging opportunities for you. 

Role Overview:

The research assistant will support research engineers in conducting a wide range of transportation studies, including data collection and analysis. The primary focus will be on advancing the understanding of pavement friction and its influence on traffic safety, particularly under wet conditions.

This position contributes to a broader vision aimed at:

1. Enhancing roadway safety by reducing crashes on wet pavements.

2. Developing data-driven methodologies and solutions to inform evidence-based policymaking and roadway design.

3. Incorporating emerging technologies, such as machine learning models, into pavement friction assessment practices

   Salary Statement:

   The hourly rate for this position is $16.24 for those that do not hold a bachelor’s degree & $17.24 for those that hold a bachelor’s degree or higher by the time the internship starts.

   Location:

   This position is located in INDOT’s West Lafayette Division of Research and Development.

A Day in the Life:

The essential functions of this role are as follows:

• Identify and execute one major project related to agency needs and academic area of study

• Create, develop, and sustain the programmatic efforts for the assigned discipline

• Analyze data and feedback to provide recommendations

• Partner with other relevant stakeholders to promote and enhance the quality of projects

• Collaborate with State of Indiana agencies to ensure effective implementation of internal and external initiatives

• Data Analysis: Abstract, compile, and classify vehicle crash data related to wet pavement conditions. Perform statistical analyses and/or apply machine learning techniques to identify patterns and correlations in crash data. - Evaluate the relationship between pavement friction and crash frequency/severity.

• Information Compilation: Review and summarize relevant literature and standards related to pavement friction and safety. - Prepare detailed reports, presentations, and visualizations to communicate findings effectively.

• Field Inspection: Participate in field trips to inspect pavement conditions and collect friction data using specialized equipment.

• Others: Assist research engineers to prepare and manage samples and conduct laboratory experiments to measure the characteristics of pavement materials in laboratory/field conditions

The job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Other duties, responsibilities and activities may change or be assigned at any time.

What You'll Need for Success:

• Must be currently enrolled as an undergraduate or graduate with an accredited post-secondary institution and have completed at least one (1) year of undergraduate education.

• Junior or senior in civil engineering, transportation engineering, data science, or a related field.

• Academic work in related field

• Excellent oral and written communication skills

• Ability to analyze data sets related to discipline

• Ability to build relationships, establish credibility, and influence leaders at all levels

• Ability to conduct well-informed research

• Ability to solve complex, critical problems

• Ability to review and make recommendations on proposed changes to relevant policies and procedures

• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel

• Knowledge in statistical analysis with R or Python

• Experience with or a strong desire to learn machine learning, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for spatial crash data analysis

• Willingness to travel for field work.

• Strong analytical and communication skills.

  Benefits of Employment with the State of Indiana:

  This seasonal position does not offer benefits and is limited to 180 working days in an eleven (11) month continuous period

  Equal Employment Opportunity:

  The State of Indiana is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to recruiting, selecting, developing, and promoting employees based on individual ability and job performance. Our policy is to provide equal employment opportunity to all people in all aspects of employer-employee relations without discrimination because of race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental disability, or veteran status. We will comply with the spirit as well as the letter of all applicable state and federal laws.

  If you are a qualified individual with a disability and require reasonable accommodations to complete this application, you can request assistance by contacting the Indiana State Personnel Department at jobs@spd.IN.gov.

  The State of Indiana has established a culture that welcomes equity, inclusion, and opportunity for all employees and applicants. We encourage you to apply if you feel you have the transferrable skills to be successful in this position and we look forward to reviewing your application.

  Current Employee? Click here (https://performancemanager8.successfactors.com/sf/careers/jobsearch?bplte_company=indianaoff) to apply.