Associate Modeler

Mid Ohio Regional Planning Commission • Columbus, OH

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

As Central Ohio’s regional council, MORPC is an association of cities, villages, townships, counties, and regional organizations, serving rural, suburban, and urban areas. We take pride in bringing communities of all sizes and interests together to collaborate on the best practices and plans for the future of our growing region. We do this through several programs, services, projects, and initiatives – all with the goal of improving the lives of our residents and making Central Ohio stand out on the world stage. One of Central Ohio’s greatest strengths is the variety of our communities and to best serve our region MORPC strongly values a wide range of perspectives. MORPC strives to reflect those values in our workforce, our endeavors, and our positive impact on the region. Our work progresses when our team can draw on a broad spectrum of personal experiences and backgrounds, and when each member is open to learning from the experiences of others, both internally and externally. As an equal opportunity employer, we fully support all applicable state and federal laws and regulations and do not discriminate against applicants for employment or employees based on race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, national origin, sexual orientation, sex or gender, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, medical conditions, age, disability or other handicap, genetic information, marital/familial status, veteran status, military status, or income or status with regard to public assistance in any aspects of our personnel policies, working conditions, or hiring and recruitment. MORPC recognizes the value of a healthy work/life balance for our team members and, as such, we provide a variety of benefits to promote that balance. Eligible employees receive a free system-wide transit pass and discounted access to other alternative transportation modes to provide options for commuting to work. MORPC encourages opportunities for career advancement through generous tuition and professional development incentives, leadership programs, and participation in local and national organizations. For eligible permanent positions, MORPC also offers flexible schedules and remote work options as well as paid time off and holidays. MORPC employees may also be eligible for excellent health, vision, and dental insurance, employee assistance programs, employer-paid short-term & long-term disability coverage, employer-paid life insurance in the amount of $50,000 coverage, participation in the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System, plus two Deferred Compensation Plans that employees can opt into for additional retirement funding. Examples of Duties: The Associate Modeler supports the development, maintenance, and application of regional travel demand and land use models through the practice of engineering, planning, and research. This highly technical, detail-oriented position requires strong analytical thinking and problem-solving skills, as well as the ability to interpret and communicate complex data clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences. Working independently or collaboratively under the guidance of senior staff, the Associate Modeler prepares and manages model inputs, codes multimodal transportation networks, analyzes travel behavior and system performance data, supports automation and scripting of modeling workflows, and contributes to maps, charts, and reports that inform regional transportation planning efforts.

Requirements

• An Associate Modeler should possess a working knowledge of the principles, practices, and techniques of urban or transportation modeling and planning.
• Significant math, algebra, and statistical training are required, along with the ability to produce graphs and charts to summarize data for reports.
• The ability to maintain a positive working relationship with peers, the public, and outside agencies is necessary.
• Completion of a bachelor’s degree in engineering, city & regional planning, or comparable subject matter from an accredited college or university

Nice To Haves

• Ideally, the candidate has experience with or an enthusiastic interest in using transportation modeling software and GIS. Coding/scripting skills (Python, R) are a plus.
• Good candidates should enjoy detailed technical work, critical thinking about transportation systems, and analytical problem solving.
• Good communication (written and oral) abilities are essential and a strong knowledge of Microsoft Office.
• Two years' experience or an advanced degree in an appropriate field of study is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop, maintain, and apply regional Travel Demand Model (TDM) using CUBE software and other relevant tools
• Code and update the regional multimodal transportation network to reflect current, planned and potential transportation infrastructure
• Research and assist with maintenance of regional Land Use Model (LUM) and regional Travel Demand Models (TDM)
• Perform travel demand modeling tasks: model validation and application, network and traffic analysis zone refinement, parameter estimation, and traffic analysis
• Review and interpret transportation data and model outputs and use ESRI software for performing GIS analysis to support transportation studies and policy evaluation
• Conduct statistical analysis of travel behavior, network performance, and socioeconomic trends
• Analyze and incorporate field studies, traffic counts, surveys, and big data (such as INRIX, StreetLight) into model development and validation
• Prepare summaries, visualization, and technical documentation of modeling results for internal staff, member agencies, committees, and public stakeholders
• Assist with scripting and automation of modeling workflows to enhance efficiency, reproducibility, and documentation
• Assist with traffic count database and traffic growth rate requests as needed
• Participate in local and state user groups and/or working groups in order to maintain technical and subject matter expertise and to keep MORPC as a leader in travel demand modeling
• Participate in professional development activities and stay current on best practices in travel demand forecasting and data analysis

Benefits

• Eligible employees receive a free system-wide transit pass and discounted access to other alternative transportation modes to provide options for commuting to work.
• MORPC encourages opportunities for career advancement through generous tuition and professional development incentives, leadership programs, and participation in local and national organizations.
• For eligible permanent positions, MORPC also offers flexible schedules and remote work options as well as paid time off and holidays.
• MORPC employees may also be eligible for excellent health, vision, and dental insurance, employee assistance programs, employer-paid short-term & long-term disability coverage, employer-paid life insurance in the amount of $50,000 coverage, participation in the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System, plus two Deferred Compensation Plans that employees can opt into for additional retirement funding.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Number of Employees: 101-250 employees