JOB DESCRIPTION

What does a typical day look like?

At JWA, analysts work on many different aspects of transit planning projects, using different tools and skillsets. For example, early on in a project, you could be asked to draw a map showing the frequency of each route in a transit network using Adobe Illustrator and QGIS. On another day, you might be asked to lay out a report in Adobe InDesign or create a set of charts in Excel or using R's ggplot plotting package. Once you're more experienced, you might spend time writing a technical memo or a chapter of a report, or make site visits to our clients in other cities to help with a design workshop or a public meeting. We also work together using R and other data analysis programming languages to conduct detailed analyses of existing transit service performance and compare different planning options.

Because our team is small and our projects are highly varied, we seek to hire and provide training to ensure a wide range of skills among our staff.

Required Skills and Experience

For this position, the following are requirements.

• Two or more years professional experience using the skills listed in this section, OR formal training in these skills (such as at a college or university). Directly applicable coursework is valuable but not essential.
• Understanding and experience with analysis and visualization of quantitative or spatial information, including working with GIS.
• Experience in cartography, making maps that are clear, accurate, and visually appealing.
• Fluency in written and spoken English, particularly the ability to explain analytic ideas clearly.
• Availability to start work no later than March 9, 2026, at least 32 hours per week, in Portland OR or Arlington VA.
• Willingness to travel occasionally (2-6 times per year) for projects.
• Legal authorization to work in the US, or evidence of your ability to obtain such authorization without requiring employer sponsorship, as of the planned date of hire.

In addition, the following knowledge, skills, abilities and experiences would also be desirable:

• Knowledge and experience of a data analysis programming language, especially R.
• Familiarity and experience using Adobe Illustrator and InDesign.
• Knowledge and experience of advanced usage of Microsoft Excel.
• Previous academic, work or volunteer experience related to public transit.

How to Apply

To apply, please send the following materials to hiring@jarrettwalker.com by the end of February 20.

• 1-page cover letter explaining your interest in the position.
• 1 or 2-page resume describing your relevant experience and skills – technical, planning, and interpersonal. Please include experience working on projects or in teams with people from different backgrounds.
• Links or electronic files for up to three (3) samples of your work. If possible, please include a map, a piece of writing, and a demonstration of a spatial analysis. (A single sample may satisfy more than one of these requests.)
  • If you submit a university group project or other collaborative document with multiple authors that is not solely your work (i.e. government agency, nonprofit or consulting reports), please include a short note clarifying your role in the production of the document. For example, if you provide as a work sample a group project from a university course for which you designed all of the maps but were not the primary author of the text, please include a note saying so.
• Contact information for 1 to 3 references who can attest to your experience with the skills listed above. Please do not include any information about your prior compensation.

Do not put any information in the email itself that you want to be used in the evaluation. The cover letter and all other materials should be attachments. The email must present your name and contact details.

Again, you are encouraged to anonymize all information by removing your name and references to sex, gender, race, or ethnicity, and to provide your name only in the email. If you do not, we will do this for you.

Evaluation of Candidates

When we evaluate candidates, we will look for a combination of analysis skills and instincts; cartography skills; transit planning interest or experience; and interpersonal/teamwork skills. We may ask candidates to complete a practical test.

We will remove from applications information about each applicant's sex, gender, race, ethnicity and name. Initial screening of applications will be performed without this information. You are encouraged to submit your material with your name and these other identifiers (sex, gender, race, ethnicity) omitted, and to provide your name only in the submittal email. If you do not do this our staff will do it for you.

Salary ranges at the top of this listing presume a 40 hour per work week schedule. Compensation will be based on experience, skill level, cost of living in your home area, and desired level of work. Employees can choose to work fewer hours per week, as low as 20 per week, and maintain full benefits, with a commensurate reduction in monthly and annual salary.

Questions?

As you consider whether to apply, you may write to hiring@jarrettwalker.com with any questions you may have about the position.