BUILD YOUR CAREER WITH THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL

Who is the Metropolitan Council?
The Metropolitan Council is made up of several operating divisions that service the Twin Cities Metropolitan area in a number of ways.

• Metro Transit provides bus and light rail public transportation for the greater metropolitan area
• Metropolitan Council Environmental Services (MCES) manages wastewater treatment plants and the regional wastewater collection system for the seven county metropolitan region
• Community Development is responsible for helping the Council shape its regional growth plan and Metro HRA provides affordable housing programs in the region
• Metropolitan Transportation Services (MTS) is responsible for the transportation planning functions as the Twin Cities metropolitan planning organization (MPO) for transportation
• Regional Administration provides support services (Finance, Payroll, HR, etc) for the Council

What does a 2014 Internship with the Metropolitan Council entail?
As a 2014 Intern with the Metropolitan Council you will benefit from on the job training and mentoring along with participation in team projects, social events and professional development.  Interns will receive the opportunity to build professional relationships and enhance their interpersonal skills.  Interns will also interact with their coworkers and participate in projects that directly impact business value.

Metro Transit’s Community and Public Relations department is looking for an intern to assist with community partnerships and engagement activities in the Twin Cities. The department works very closely with internal and external stakeholders to proactively weave community voices and values into Metro Transit’s planning and decision-making processes in support of policy objectives of the Metropolitan Council.

The Community and Public Relations intern will help plan, execute, document and analyze best practices in community engagement and outreach within a 24/7 public relations department. Specific projects include the launch of the region’s second light-rail line and the development of an urban bus rapid transit network. Beyond the project work, the intern will gain an understanding of transit planning, public relations and the operations of a large public agency.

This is a full time summer paid internship that will begin on May 27th, 2014 and finish at the end of August 2014. Additionally, this position will work part-time during the school year.The location for this internship will be at the Heywood Office & Operating Facility, 560 6th Avenue North, Minneapolis, MN 55411.

• Provide organizing and planning support for community events with a number of projects including METRO Orange Line bus rapid transit, METRO Green Line light rail transit, arterial bus rapid transit (A Line), Urban Outreach (East Side St. Paul/North Minneapolis).
• Provide follow-up and communications support for timely and consistent responses to community requests or action items related to meeting or event outcomes.
• Provide staffing for community events at which Metro Transit either leads or partners when transit or transportation is a feature or key topic of the agenda.
• Coordinate and assist in drafting a regional Public Participation Plan.
• On-going measurement and documentation/analysis and community engagement and outreach effectiveness.

• Undergraduate or Graduate student with related college studies in Journalism, Mass Communications, Marketing, Urban Planning, Public Policy, transportation studies,  or civic engagement

Required Qualifications:

• . Maturity and proven ability to confidently communicate effectively verbally and in writing
• Competence with Microsoft Office including Outlook, Word and PowerPoint
• Creative self-starter with ability to take on many varied tasks with enthusiasm and follow through to ensure project completion

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience working with multiple cultures and urban communities in the Twin CitiesExperience with ESRI ArcMap GIS software
• Conversational Spanish, Somali and/or Hmong language skills
• Participation in planning and/or executing meetings and/or events

• Complete the application and answer the supplemental questions
• Attach a resume
• Must be a Citizen or National of the United States, a lawful, permanent resident, or have authorization to work in the United States
• Have completed at least one year of post-secondary education
• Have been enrolled in a post-secondary educational program within the last 12 months.  Candidates may be required to provide a transcript or other educational documentation at the interview.

Union:  Non-Represented
FLSA:  Non-exempt
Safety Sensitive:  No

Selection Process:
Candidates will be scored based on a review of their education, experience, and their answers to the supplemental questions.  Be sure to list completely all of the training and experience you have had in your application materials.  The applications of those who best meet the qualifications will be referred for an oral exam.  Finalists from the oral exam will be invited for a selection interview.

Conditional Offers:
All offers are conditioned upon a review and verification of education and employment as well as passing a pre-employment drug-screen. Some positions also require a pre-employment or pre-transfer physical.

Offers are also conditioned upon passing a criminal background check. Convictions are not an automatic disqualification from the selection process. The Metropolitan Council considers felony, gross misdemeanor and misdemeanor convictions on a case-by-case basis. Convictions are reviewed based upon the relatedness of the conviction to duties of the position as well as a candidate’s ability to demonstrate adequate rehabilitation.

Metropolitan Council employees who are applying for positions which are, Safety Sensitive, supervisory/managerial; are located in Finance, Information Services (IS), Human Resources; or have access to financial records, files/databases, cash, vouchers, transit fare cards will be required to pass a criminal background check.

Please note: Making a false statement or withholding information (misrepresentation) may cause an applicant to be barred from consideration for the position.
The Metropolitan Council is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. If you have a disability that requires accommodation during the selection process, please notify human resources at 612/349-7558.