Westat's 9-week summer internship experiences will be hosted virtually, or on-site at our U.S. office-based locations. Our interns can expect to work 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday. The program will begin on Monday, June 5, 2023, and end on August 4, 2023.
 
During the summer internship program, you will be assigned a project deliverable and will present during the final week of the program. You will also attend educational programs and networking events. 

This position may be remote or based on-site in Rockville, Maryland. The pay rate for this role is $30/hr. Interns are responsible for securing their own housing should they select an on-site role.

Westat's Center for Transportation & Safety Research is seeking a qualified intern to work with a multidisciplinary team of experienced researchers who are building on the current state of transportation safety knowledge and supporting our clients' mission of maintaining safer roads and saving lives. Clients include federal, state, and local governments, as well as nonprofits, foundations, and vehicle manufacturers.

Our team works collaboratively with our clients to implement innovative research designs that explore a variety transportation and safety challenges including occupant protection, child safety, driver behavior and autonomous vehicles, driver distraction, situational awareness, vehicle technology and safety implications, pedestrian safety, and travel behavior. Our research studies employ a wide range of novel and inventive approaches including in-laboratory testing, Level 2 autonomous and instrumented vehicles, multi-modal surveys, focus groups, driving simulators, observational surveys, test track, and on-road studies.

Job responsibilities include: 
•     Conceptualizing, designing, and conducting research studies using driving simulators, laboratory settings, test track, observational surveys, and on-road settings.
•     Developing and executing focus groups, interviews, surveys, and field studies. 
•     Designing data collection plans and guiding the creation of data collection instruments and protocols.
•     Conducting reviews of research literature and synthesizing findings. 
•     Developing analysis plans, including video coding, quality control review, and conducting analysis. 
•     Writing sections of technical reports.
•     Supporting proposal development and working collaboratively with other team members and writing sections of winning proposals.

Basic Qualifications:
•     Currently enrolled in a Ph.D. program focused on human factors, experimental psychology, biomechanical engineering, or social science related field. 
•     Experience in areas of road user behavior, driver distraction, attention, workload, vehicle displays and controls and crash avoidance
•     Experience conducting research on driver behaviors, capabilities, and opinions in on-road, closed-course, laboratory, survey, and focus group contexts
•     Experience with data analysis techniques 
•     Experience with writing reports for a wide range of audiences

Preferred Qualifications: 
•     Experience with statistical analysis, including R, SAS, or similar statistical analysis software. 
•     Demonstrates experience with quantitative and qualitative research methods. 
•     Understand descriptive and inferential statistical analysis. 
•     Experience with writing technical reports and articles for peer-reviewed journals and professional conferences.

You will also have excellent communications skills, be detail-oriented, and have effective time management and organizational skills.

Westat is an employee-owned corporation providing research services to agencies of the U.S. Government, as well as businesses, foundations, and state and local governments. Westat's research, technical, and administrative staff of more than 2,000 is located at our headquarters in Rockville, Maryland, near Washington, DC.

Westat is committed to building a diverse workforce and a culture of inclusivity, belonging and equity for all. We believe that our greatest strength draws on the different backgrounds, cultures, perspectives and experiences of our employees.

Westat is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, citizenship status, genetic information, gender identity or expression, or any other protected status under applicable law.