Data & Spatial Analysis Research Intern

Position Summary  

Maine Connectivity Authority serves as the primary agency to plan, develop, manage, and invest in broadband in Maine. High speed internet access is essential to participation in the modern economy and has the potential to dramatically improve Mainers’ quality of life. The MCA is designed to be more proactive in decision making, explore public private partnerships, deploy a range of financial tools, and enable a strategic network of digital infrastructure for Maine’s future.

The Maine Connectivity Authority seeks a part time research intern for a paid position to assist with mapping, research, data collection and visualization. Potential applicants should expect to commit 20 hours a week for the course of 6 months with the potential to extend the commitment. The internship offers moderate scheduling flexibility, with core hours taking place during MCA’s standard office hours (Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.). Hardware (a computer) and software (necessary office and spatial analysis programs) will be provided as required. 

The intern will be overseen by Ethan Moskowitz, Spatial Data and Analysis Senior Manager for Maine Connectivity Authority.

Anticipated Learning Outcomes

• Develop an in-depth understanding of the data behind broadband deployment in Maine Participate in a professional organization as a member of the geospatial team
• Create tools and products through hands-on experience that will be used for communication with key stakeholders and to inform the public

Compensation

For the course of 6 months, starting on or about July 1, 2026 and ending December 15, 2026 with potential to extend.

Hours: Summer 2026 - Up to 30 hours/week; Fall 2026 - Up to 20 hours/week

Pay Rate: $18.50/hour

Location: This is a remote role; however, candidates located in or able to work primarily within Eastern or Central time zones are preferred due to team working hours. 

Work Authorization: Candidates must have current authorization to work in the U.S. without the need for employer sponsorship now or in the future

Required Qualifications

In pursuit of a Bachelor’s degree or completed degree in a related field (e.g. Geography, Data Science, etc.)

Basic proficiency in office products (e.g. word processing, spreadsheets, email, calendars, Slack, Google Drive, etc.)

Spatial Analysis Competencies

• Intermediate GIS user; Experience with Esri products (ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Online, extensions)

• Core Spatial Skills
• Create clear, accurate maps using GIS tools such as ArcGIS or QGIS
• Work with common spatial data formats (e.g., shapefiles, GeoJSON, KMZ, CSV with coordinates)
• Join and manage spatial and non-spatial datasets (attribute joins, spatial joins)
• Perform basic spatial analysis, such as:
• Buffering (e.g., distance from a location)
• Overlay analysis (combining layers)
• Basic proximity or accessibility analysis
• Ensure data is properly projected and aligned

• Data Management and Preparation
• Clean, combine, and organize spatial datasets from different sources
• Understand coordinate systems and projections at a practical level
• Check data for accuracy and consistency before analysis
• Document your workflow so others can follow your process
• Familiarity with basic geodatabases or data management workflows

• Visualization and Communication 
• Design maps that are easy to read and visually clear
• Choose appropriate symbology, color schemes, and labels
• Tailor maps for different audiences (technical vs. public-facing)
• Experience with web mapping tools (e.g., ArcGIS Online)
• Ability to build simple interactive maps or dashboards (e.g., Experience Builder)

Statistical Analysis Competencies

• Quantitative Analysis
• Summarize data using basic statistics (averages, percentages, distributions)
• Create clear charts and graphs to show patterns in data
• Look at relationships between variables using correlation
• Build and explain a simple regression model
• Work in tools like Excel, SPSS, or R
• Comfortable cleaning and organizing messy datasets
• Awareness of basic assumptions behind statistical tests

• Qualitative Analysis
• Review and analyze text data (like interviews or open-ended survey responses)
• Group responses into themes or categories
• Clearly explain what those themes mean and why they matter
• Keep your approach organized and transparent
• Mixed Methods



• Work with both numbers and text in the same project
• Use qualitative insights to help explain quantitative findings
• Analyze surveys with both multiple-choice and open-ended questions
• Present results in a way that is clear and useful to non-technical audiences
• Ability to connect themes and trends across different types of data
• Exposure to survey design or question development

General Competencies

• Ability to explain technical components of work to non-technical audiences
• Problem solver with desire to chase down answers when they are not readily apparent
• Excellent organizational/time-management skills
• Ability to work independently but also thrive in a team setting

Bonus Qualifications

• Competent in Python and/or R programming language
• Knowledge of other programming/expression languages, including Java, Arcade, C/C++, or SQL
• Advanced Python skills and familiarity with geospatial Python libraries including but not limited to: arcpy, geopandas, shapely, rasterio
• Demonstrated use of network analysis to solve real world problems
• Experience with scraping to collect data

Goals/Priorities

Processing and analyzing large amounts of diverse data (e.g. type, subject matter, geography, etc.) for informing broadband planning and deployment . List of projects Research Intern would be involved in:

1. Spatial data cleaning, maintaining, analysis support related to ongoing research and analysis at MCA in the digital equity, workforce development, broadband planning and deployment
2. Enhancement of our mapping system with new tools and apps to satisfy business need

Direction and Support

• Onboarding process to make assistant familiar with Maine Connectivity Authority’s work
• Development of a draft work plan with 30, 60, 90 day goals 
• Weekly meetings with Spatial Data and Analysis Senior Manager
• Participation as a member of relevant ongoing meetings

Physical Demands

• Work is performed in an office and virtual (hybrid) environment
• Prolonged periods of sitting and/or use of computer
• The need to occasionally lift, pull and move up to 15 lbs. may at times be necessary

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

Please submit a resume, cover letter, and the names and contact information of two academic or professional references to View email address on click.appcast.io , addressed to Ethan Moskowitz, Senior Manager, Spatial Data & Analysis with the subject line "Data & Spatial Analysis Research Internship” by Friday, June 12 at 5pm.