Public Transit Intern (52023)

DASH•Alexandria, VA

5d•Onsite

About The Position

Under the direct supervision of the Director of Training, the Public Transit Intern will receive guidance, training, mentoring, and gain familiarity with all departments within DASH. The intern will learn all aspects of the day-to-day functions that make up a fixed route public transportation agency and build an understanding of the business. This role periodically rotates throughout the organization and shadows personnel and teams such as Operations, Technology, Human Resources, Safety, Training, Planning/Scheduling, Finance, Fleet and Service Management, and Executive Leadership. The internship program is intended to serve a foundational building block and introduction to a career in transit. The Public Transit Intern is expected to apply classroom-based knowledge to projects and gain essential skills needed to be career ready. The salary for this role is $20 per hour, ~35 hours a week. This internship is from July 2026 to June 2027, on-site in Alexandria, VA.

Requirements

Strong interest in learning more about the transit industry.
Ability to learn how to design and generate reports for a wide variety of audiences.
Ability to work under direct guidance and with varied levels of supervision.
Ability to work efficiently and effectively while meeting goals and deadlines.
Ability to prioritize tasks and handle numerous assignments simultaneously.
Ability to maintain a professional and positive attitude.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Interact with DASH staff from other departments to coordinate on various assignments.
Provide excellent customer service and customer relations skills to internal staff and members of the public.
Establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.
Concentrate on priority tasks despite frequent interruptions.
Deal with occasional long hours and high levels of stress.
High School Diploma or GED Equivalent required.
Pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree or Associate’s Degree in Business Administration, Planning, Engineering, Public Policy/Administration or a related field is required.
Strong interest and desire to learn about public transportation is required.
Basic computer proficiency, including knowledge of Microsoft Office products.

Nice To Haves

Minimum of 6-12 months of experience with basic administrative functions such as computer use, and general office equipment preferred.

Responsibilities

Complete pre-designated rotations throughout the organization in various departments. Such rotations may be repeated and/or prolonged to best optimize the internship program.
Shadow and work with project managers on various projects and assignments including campaigns, technology projects, service planning efforts, capital projects, staffing and recruitment, training, etc.
Support and assist various divisions to gain knowledge and experience of the daily functions of each department. This includes but is not limited to: Human Resources, Operations, Dispatch/DASH Operations Control Center (DOCC), Service Planning, Maintenance, Safety and Security, Training, Finance.
Under direct supervision and guidance, complete special projects which may be assigned directly by a departmental host/team or the Director of Training.
Observes and documents the general day-to-day operations and duties of all DASH departments to learn more about the specific functions of a transit agency.
Participates in DASH events such as pop-up outreach events, community meetings, etc. as required.
Attends and participates in various internal staff meetings to discuss ongoing issues and projects.
Attends external meetings with regional providers or stakeholders as part of the DASH representation.
May visit regional agency providers to learn about their business operations and transit systems and how they differ/operate similarly to DASH.
Submits a progress and performance report on a quarterly basis, or as required by the Director of Training, on work assignments and projects completed.
Learns and contributes to a positive, diverse, equitable, inclusive, and safe work environment.
Cooperatively and efficiently performs other related duties and tasks as assigned.