Transit Analyst

Job Description

Are you a fan of public transit? If yes, this job is made for you.Transit data is the lifeblood of Transit: everything else depends on it. When our data team does do a good job, life is serene like a Tuscany sunset. Users just open the app, and everything miraculously works! Little do they know how many disparate datasets we have to wrangle, how many transit agency websites we have to monitor, how many sadistic bugs are out there waiting to pounce, how truly complex the “simplicity” of Transit’s app belies... there’s never a dull moment when disruptions, strikes, last-minute network changes, and other mystery forces join together to threaten our users’ with a missed bus or train.But not on your watch!As our newest Transit Analyst, you’ll be as busy as a bullet train, crawling transit data and all information available on OpenStreetMap, Wikipedia, and other sources for the latest transit agency news. Following your knowledge and your appreciation, you will fix and augment data when needed, and you will help improve our automated tools that ensure the reliability of Transit’s data.Your familiarity with public transit networks and your unflappable resourcefulness will keep us one step ahead of all the other apps out there. Thanks to your will of helping others, you will fix gigabits of datasets and anticipate any upcoming service changes, especially when they are happening on weekends. Your flawless work will let the users speechless, no matter their city, no matter the weirdness of the underlying data sources.If you’re cunning, curious, and excited to make public transit more reliable for millions of riders across hundreds of cities worldwide? Give us a holler!📝 ResponsibilitiesMake sure the transit information displayed in the app represent the reality on the ground at anytime: you’ll have to overcome geographical and linguistic barriers, taking into account the limitations of data specifications and the specific quirks of every local transit network.Use our tailored and home-made tools in order to maintain our current feed integrations and add new ones. In other words, you will take care of data updates of transit networks currently available and you will add new transit networks in the app.Communicate with transit agencies about any issues related to data: expired data, inconsistent formatting, fix requests, consumption feedback, quality assessment, etc.Fix as much as possible transit data according to the feedback sorted and reported by team members and initially provided by app users and partner agencies.Collaborate with the whole team and suggest improvements to our existing data management tools when you see the chance — what processes can we automate? What can be done more efficiently? Where can we find better data?Develop a deep understanding of public transit networks in cities around the world to better serve Transit’s riders. You must be able to differentiate between transit services, modes, rolling stocks, infrastructures, stations, etc.✅ RequirementsYou know many transit networks in different cities: authorities, agencies, modes, lines, logos, etc.You are familiar with transit terminology: terminus, partial service, branch, headsign, dead mileage, etc.Extremely detail oriented. Your attentiveness makes all the difference: it allows Transit’s riders to relax, knowing they can always expect a reliable commuting experience. Our users depend on you!Be curious, be nimble, think outside the boxcar. Every obstacle can be overcome or circumvented. Keep in mind, you’ll be handling data and documentation in languages maybe unknown to you, often without any kind of FAQ.Satisfactory written communication skills in English (and, ideally, French) so you can be the liaison with our partner companies and any transit agencies about data (4% of data sources in Quebec and 96% elsewhere).No required skills in programming or data science!💯 Would be nice if…You live in Montreal and you want to participate in office life.Polyglot! The more languages you can speak, write and understand, the better.Urban planning or urban studies were your fields of study at university.You have already worked in the transit industry.You already know the transit data format called GTFS.You are at ease in a Mac environment.Don’t feel like all the requirements apply to you but you still think you’d be a great fit for Transit? Don’t hesitate to apply!💰 Compensation and benefits$50,000 CAD - $65,000 CAD per year, based on experienceCost of living adjustments are possible for employees who are not based in MontrealStock optionsComprehensive medical and dental coverage5 weeks vacationFour-day work week at full-time salary (yes, you read that right)Apple laptop and equipment$1,500 annual mobility allowance. STM? BIXI? Uber? E-bike? Scooter? Going car-free is free at Transit.A training and development budgetGenerous maternal/paternal/parental leave policy. Gotta fill out our tandem bicycles somehow!Flexible work hoursSpend your days surrounded by first-rate teammates and the best view of Montreal and/or [insert exotic Zoom background]When you’re in the office: you’ll be in urbanist heaven, surrounded by Mile End’s urban gardens, bike paths, BIXI docks, bus stops, a metro station, and limitless restaurants… cafés… bars… concert halls… bagel boutiques…Communal lunch-and-learn with free food in the office each week👨‍💻 A note on diversityPublic transit is used by overwhelmingly more women and people of colour than other modes of transportation. We try to make sure the diversity of our users is reflected in the team that serves them. Because when we include people of all races, genders, sexual orientations, ages, and identities — we end up building a better app for everyone who uses Transit.We encourage candidates of all ages, genders, origins and orientations to apply. If you’d like to specify which pronouns you use, feel free to include that in your application email.And if your lived experience has given you a unique perspective on all things transportation, mobility, accessibility, urbanism? Let us know, and we’ll make sure your application gets the attention it merits.📬 How to applyWe'd love to hear from you. Send your resume and other relevant info about you and your passion about public transit to jobs+transitdataanalyst@transitapp.com before November 26. When you apply, let us know what is your favorite transit line and why. We would love to know you a little more out of the standard application, and it will be a perfect icebreaker for the interview!Also, how have you heard about the position? Whispers, grapevines, middle-of-the-night Google searches? We’re dying to know.