Safety Data Fellow (for post-grads within 3 years) - US Dept. of Transportation

Who: A post-graduate research project and developmental opportunity is currently available at the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of the Secretary of Transportation. The appointment will be served within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy in the Office of Policy Development, Strategic Planning, and Performance in Washington, DC as a Safety Data Fellow (participant).
The Office of Policy Development, Strategic Planning, and Performance supports the Under Secretary of Transportation for Policy and Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy in policy matters affecting all aspects of transportation. The office provides technical expertise for the Department’s legislative, regulatory and research programs, conducts analyses and recommends policies, and serves as the Departmental focal point for initiatives related to safety across all transportation modes.

What: The appointment will be supporting the Safety Data Initiative (SDI), and the goal of the project is to develop DOT’s data-driven approach to decision making as it relates to safety issues with implications across the modes of transportation (highway, rail, air, water, and pipeline). The participant will collaborate with individuals from DOT’s operating administrations and offices under the Secretary of Transportation, such as the Office of the Chief Information Officer, to connect, understand, analyze, and visualize DOT safety databases, data sources outside of the Department, and geospatial data. The work will foster increased DOT use of data to inform programmatic and policy decisions, and further demonstrate the value of a cross-modal approach through the power of data analytics and visualization.
This program, administered by ORAU through its contract with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to manage the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), was established through an interagency agreement between DOE and DOT. The initial appointment is for 12 months, but may be renewed upon recommendation of DOT and is contingent on the availability of funds. The participant will receive an annual stipend commensurate with educational level and experience. Proof of health insurance is required for participation in this program. The appointment is full-time in the Washington, DC area. Participants do not become employees of DOT, DOE or the program administrator, and there are no employment-related benefits.

Qualifications: The qualified candidate must have received a master's or doctoral level degree in the relevant fields. The participant will have a combination of the following experiences and competencies:

• Demonstrated ability to transform information and data into visualizations that tell a compelling story; 
• Demonstrated ability to work with and connect multiple data systems and sources; 
• Experience analyzing data to identify patterns and trends; 
• Experience with statistical analysis and econometric modeling; 
• Experience presenting results to inform next steps; 
• Experience with data visualization tools and techniques, including the application of modern programming languages and open source software; 
• Experience with geospatial data visualization is a plus; 
• Strong written and verbal communications skills; 
• Ability to work across various offices and work units to obtain information, collaborate on data-related projects, and validate findings and conclusions; 
• Ability to work with subject matter experts to identify and mitigate data limitations; 
• A self-starter with the ability to perform work with limited supervision and changing outcome goals; 
• Knowledge of U.S. transportation systems; basic knowledge of transportation safety issues is a plus but not required; 
• Experience working with forecast data and risk modeling a plus, but is not required 

Applicants who received his/her most recent graduate degree more than three years prior to the date of application will not be considered.

The appointment is full time for one year and may be renewed upon recommendation by DOT and contingent on the availability of funds. The participant does not become a U.S. DOT Federal employee.

Find application information here.