In the project “Resilient Public Transport” (ResPT), we explore engineering and socio-ecological aspects of resilience in Swedish public transport, a sector leading the sustainable transition with an early shift to fossil-free fuels. Currently, the focus is on electrifying the bus fleet and achieving the sector’s target of 40% motor-driven trips on public transport by 2030. However, post-pandemic challenges, such as increased costs and decreased ridership, have emerged. Trends like electrification, digitalization and automation, combined with market disruptions, drive the need for new approaches and knowledge creation.

Public transport authorities involved in the project are keen to learn from best practices in other countries, particularly, but not limited to, Central Europe, while also drawing on examples of transport system resilience from the war in Ukraine. This internship will focus on gathering, organizing and analysing international examples of best practices in resilient public transport, including desktop research and engagement with relevant experts.

The expected result will be solutions and recommendations for improving resilience in the public transport sector, useful for public transport actors.

As an intern, you will work with the EIT team and project partners, including The Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), the Swedish Public Transport Association and other public transport authorities.

The internship will consist of the following tasks:

1. gathering best practices for improving resilience in the public transport sector
2. interviewing experts and key stakeholders from different countries on public transport resilience
3. assessing the applicability and effectiveness of the identified solutions
4. preparing recommendations to share with key stakeholders in the sector

We are looking for a student studying engineering, data science, political science, economics, international development or a similar field, with a focus on energy, transport, climate change or sustainable development.

You are skilled in mixed-methods research, including qualitative methodologies, stakeholder interviews or surveys. You thrive in a collaborative environment and have a natural ability to coordinate tasks and drive them forward. You have excellent presentation skills and a strong desire to learn and apply effective methods and tools for communicating your research. 

This internship will be part of your thesis work.

Skills and experience

• currently enrolled in a master’s program
• fluent in English
• knowledge of French, German or Spanish is a merit
• demonstrated experience with interviews or surveys is a merit