GetOutOfNJ

I've never posted in this section before, so perhaps this is something that comes up a lot, but I didn't find much while searching. I've helped set up several co-ops in the US, and I'm currently establishing one in Nepal-- this is what I'd like to do with my life, at least for the time being. However, it doesn't pay the bills at the moment. Are there any reliable places to look out for cycle advocate jobs upon my return to the states, or in Europe? I'm really a co-op organizer and mechanic, but I would gladly work an office job if it felt like it produced results.

Thanks for the help.

wrobertdavis

Unfortunately, I think the words "cycle advocate" and "jobs, pay the bills" form an oxymoron. I'm not sure what a cycle advocate job that pays would look like unless you worked in marketing or communications for one of the cycling companies.

Bob

Allister

Plenty of governments, in all the tiers, seem to employ some sort of Specialist Bicycle Advisory Person, if not an entire department, although it does seem to be more prevalent in local governments. There are such job openings from time to time, so there is hope, and, arguably, within government is place where you can most likely do some good. If your local council doesn't have one, you could always suggest they do, and subtly slip them your c.v.

StrangeWill

Wait, people want to be paid to be an elitist moron?

John E

Get at least a bachelor's degree in civil engineering and pass the Professional Engineering certificate exam to become a traffic engineer. Get a job with a city, county, or state government and work for traffic calming and proper accommodations of bicyclists, pedestrians, and the disabled. (This does NOT include bike lanes to the right of right-turn-only lanes and related vehicularly counterproductive concepts.)

WalterMitty

Look at the second job opening on the page:


Socioeconomic Data and Bicycle/Pedestrian Planner

Good luck!

gosmsgo

Join the LAB they have a newsletter with jobs all the time.

You can make 50-70k pretty easy if you are qualified. The missouri department of transportation has an opening right now.

You need more experience than running a coop. You need to have a good understanding of vehicular cycling since that is what all the laws and government organizations go by and some engineering would always help as well.

vincentpaul

In Oregon, I can think of several organizations that provide employment that could be characterized as "cycle advocacy." The Bicycle Transportation Alliance comes to mind. If you're looking for a family-wage job, however, you really want to look at traffic engineering positions that would be part of state/regional government transportation planning. For instance, the State of Oregon has a Bicycle Program administered as part of its Department of Transportation; its primary purpose is to create bicyle infrastructure. These jobs pay pretty well, but are usually engineering jobs and require college degrees in engineering. In other areas of the state, there are regional planning positions which would involve advocacy/planning as well (for example, the Metro regional government in the PDX area).

mattotoole

Probably the best national resource for jobs is the Thunderhead Alliance, an organization of bike/ped professionals and serious advocates.

I try to post all the jobs I hear about in Virginia and the DC area on the VBF website. I've been surprised at how many there are, and with pretty good salaries.

Of course you'd have more "pull" as a licensed engineer, but that's just one path. Another is the public policy/adminstration route. However I wouldn't get too hung up on formal credentials. Just do it. If you've really been effective, your efforts will be recognized and someone will pluck you away. While there are lots of earnest, hardworking people in this field, ones with real talent and energy who are truly effective are quite rare. So if you have the passion, and you're good, you'll rise to the top pretty quickly.

StrangeWill

I thought all you had to do was ride your bike every couple of days and post on a forum... hmm...

vincentpaul

Have you figured out a way to make a family wage job doing that? Do tell!

Dogbait

Some of these listings are old but should give you some idea of what's available locally. Check back often or contact the organizations directly that have had openings in the past.

Job Listings

NoReg

"I would gladly work an office job if it felt like it produced results."

That seems to be the problem. Go from actually doing something to help locals for whom bikes are an uptick or a major factor, to designing infrastructure that is at it's best when it doesn't exist, and the main reson for which is screwing cyclists and justifying an urban architecture that is totally diven by developer economics.

StrangeWill

With the amount time the advocates spend on here and not at work, I'd really like to know too!.

The Human Car

Most people follow your example and are elitist moron free of charge.

StrangeWill

I do what is best for the community.
BTW: Pick up a dictionary.