The GIS Special Projects Intern position is remote eligible, and preference is to seek a candidate through the Federal Community Service Work-Study (FCSWS) Program. The intern will work with the GIS team leads on an asset update project designed to ensure that all critical asset details are recorded in PWSA’s enterprise GIS system.

Project Scope:
The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA) is the largest combined water, sewer, and stormwater authority in Pennsylvania, serving 300,000 consumers throughout the City of Pittsburgh and surrounding areas. The Authority operates and maintains diverse assets used to serve our customers, including a 117 million gallon per day (MGD) rapid sand type water treatment plant; a 26 MGD microfiltration plant; approximately 964 miles of water mains; over 26,000 valves and 7,500 fire hydrants; 1,220 miles of sanitary, storm, and combined sewers; 29,000 manholes; over 25,000 inlets; 38 sewer overflow outfalls; 197 storm outfalls; and four wastewater pump stations. The GIS team at PWSA has primary responsibility for maintaining PWSA’s asset records, ensuring that they are spatially accurate and detailed with important attribute information. In addition to this primary responsibility, the GIS team provides critical operational support for all departments, including assisting with the development of PWSA’s planned $1.2 billion capital improvement program and contributing to important communications with customers and other stakeholders on emergency issues and planned projects. PWSA is challenged with continually updating and maintaining our aging water, sewer, and stormwater infrastructure, some dating back to the mid-1800s, while at the same time keeping our services affordable to customers. New technologies that leverage artificial intelligence are emerging that could provide PWSA with powerful tools to better target our maintenance and capital improvement programs in a way that would maximize our investment dollars. To take advantage of these tools, PWSA needs to update our asset records to ensure that all critical asset details are recorded. For example, only about 25% of PWSA’s water distribution system has the required attributes needed to use predictive analytic tools. The Special Projects intern will have primary responsibility for working with the GIS team leads to update GIS data records needed to manage PWSA’s critical infrastructure.

Responsibilities:

• Follow defined processes to update identified asset records, using available historical documentation.
• Give presentations at team, departmental, and leadership team meetings to communicate the status of the project.
• Using lessons learned from the asset update work completed during the internship, assist with continually updating standard operating procedures that PWSA can use to supplement this effort in the future.
• Assist members of the PWSA team in completing field surveys of critical assets with high-accuracy GPS units.
• Provide support for other GIS team projects as needed.
• Other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Administrative skills with knowledge of Microsoft Office.
• Effective organizational and interpersonal skills including written and verbal communication skills.
• Knowledge of general office procedures, practices, and equipment.
• Ability to establish and maintain accurate records and prepare reports/correspondence.

Education/Experience Requirements:
The following requirements list the minimum education/training/experience required to qualify for this job. An equivalent combination of education and/or experience may be accepted:

• Current or recent enrollment in an undergraduate or graduate degree program with an interest and aptitude to work in geography, computer science, engineering, computer technology, cartography, or related field • Basic knowledge of ESRI ArcGIS tools is strongly preferred.

General Requirements: Applicant must present a current, valid Class C (Class 1) Motor Vehicle Operator’s License at the time of application or before appointment. A valid driver’s license must be maintained throughout employment. Applicant must present an up-to-date COVID-19 vaccination at the time of application or before the commencement of work (subject to applicable law including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 reasonable accommodation requirements). Applicants are also subject to a System for Award Management (SAM) or any successor system search as maintained by the General Services Administration (GSA) to ensure compliance with federal procurement and non-procurement programs.

Examination: A drug screen, background check, and/or physical may be required for appointment.

Physical Demands and Working Conditions:

• The physical demands consist of walking, climbing stairs, finger movements including fine dexterity and coordination, hearing conversation, seeing near and far, and speaking clearly.
• Frequently bending, stooping, repetitive leg and arm movements, lifting up to 25 lbs.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to a moderate or quiet noise level in the office work environment.
• Subject to remain on duty beyond normal hours or during emergency situations or other extensive periods.

The physical demands are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential duties of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential duties.

Applications: You may be considered for other available positions based on qualifications provided on your employment application. If you have questions regarding your application, please contact the Human Resources Department at:

PWSA Human Resources Department

1200 Penn Avenue

Pittsburgh, PA 15222

412-255-8800

hr@pgh2o.com

An Equal Opportunity Employer: The PWSA does not discriminate against anyone based on race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, place of birth, sex, sexual orientation, family status, age, or non-disqualifying disability, or on any other basis protected by federal, state or local law.

Position: GIS Special Projects Intern

Division: MIS

Rate: $17.48

FLSA: Non-Exempt

Application Deadline: Until Filled