Capital Planning Assistant (Co-Op) - Project Team at Massachusetts School Building Authority (Boston, MA)

Massachusetts School Building Authority· Boston, MA· $18–$20/hr·9h ago

Role details

Salary

$18–$20/hr

Work type

Hybrid

Employment

Full-Time

Level

Internship

Job description

The Capital Planning Assistant (Co-op) is a full-time opportunity (up to six months) that will temporarily provide support and assistance to Project Managers and Architects for Massachusetts public school construction projects.

Responsibilities include preparation of reports, presentations, and support of technical review. The individual will also assist in information gathering and maintaining databases associated with cost tracking, construction cost estimates, bid results, and capital project status as well as potentially attending site visits. Interested students should possess basic knowledge of construction projects and/or previous experience in the construction/architectural field.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

Must be enrolled in a degree program leading to a bachelor’s degree in building or construction related degree.
Legally eligible to work in the U.S.

Preferred Qualifications:

Prior internship experience in the architecture, construction or building industry
Working knowledge of MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
Outstanding verbal and written communication skills with excellent attention to detail
Ability to succeed in a fast-paced environment with multiple, competing priorities
Ability to deliver results with limited direction and guidance and on tight deadlines; a self-starter
Highly motivated and energetic
Strong work ethic and tenacity
Minimum 3.2 GPA

This job description is intended to be general and will evolve over time. The description is subject to periodic updating. At management’s discretion, the employee may be assigned different or additional duties from time to time.

Why work at Massachusetts School Building Authority

Mission‑driven culture: Employees contribute directly to improving public education infrastructure across Massachusetts, working with communities to create safe, sustainable learning environments.
Work location & flexibility: Based in Boston; roles are hybrid (e.g., the External Affairs Coordinator and Deputy Director of Capital Planning positions listed as “Hybrid – Full‑Time Hybrid Boston, Massachusetts”).
Public‑sector stability: A quasi‑public entity with a dedicated revenue stream, offering predictable funding and long‑term career security.
Meaningful impact: Staff see tangible results – schools completed, grants distributed, and communities supported – with projects bidding over $1 billion annually through 2027.
Professional growth: Opportunities in capital planning, project management, external affairs, and finance within a recognized state agency.

About Massachusetts School Building Authority

Company Overview

One-liner: The MSBA is a quasi‑independent government authority that partners with Massachusetts communities to fund and oversee the design, construction, and renovation of sustainable, educationally appropriate public school facilities.
Entity Type: Quasi‑public government agency (non‑profit, not publicly traded or venture‑backed)
Headquarters: Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Founded: 2004 (created by the Massachusetts Legislature to replace the former school building assistance program)
Founders: Established by an act of the Massachusetts General Court; not attributable to individual founders

Core Business

Primary industry: Government – Public School Capital Funding and Construction Management
Target customers: B2G – Cities, towns, and regional school districts across Massachusetts
Mission statement: “To partner with Massachusetts communities to support the design and construction of educationally appropriate, flexible, sustainable, and cost‑effective public school facilities.”

Products & Services

Core Program: Supports large‑scale new construction, additions, and major renovations. The MSBA invites school districts into a competitive, multi‑phase due diligence process and reimburses eligible costs based on a formula that accounts for community income, property wealth, and low‑income student proportion.
Accelerated Repair Program (ARP): For limited‑scope projects such as roof, window, and door replacements, plus heat‑pump conversion of heating systems. Over 550 projects are active or completed across 166 districts.
Green Repair Program (historical): One‑time $300 million program launched in 2010 that funded 189 green‑oriented repair projects (now evolved into the ARP).
School Survey / Building Condition Assessment: The MSBA periodically surveys all public school facilities (1,818 schools in 2025) to assess building condition, using the data to prioritize funding and evaluate program needs.

Market Standing

Valuation/Market Cap: Not applicable (government authority with no equity value)
Key Revenue/Funding:
- Dedicated revenue source: 1% of the state’s 6.25% sales tax (approx. $1.4 billion in FY2025)
- Total reimbursements since inception: over $18.9 billion
- FY2025 grant payments to municipalities: ~$755 million
- Total expenses for FY2025: ~$971 million (including $384 million in debt service)
Notable Investors/Partners:
- Board of Directors chaired by the State Treasurer (currently Deborah B. Goldberg, with CEO Jim A. MacDonald)
- Seven‑member board including the Secretary of Administration & Finance, the Commissioner of Education, and four appointees (architect, former school committee member, university capital projects executive, former town administrator)
Growth Signals:
- In 2025, the MSBA invited 93 of 99 Statements of Interest into the ARP and 15 of 27 into the Core Program – the highest invitation rates in years
- The Core Program project cap was increased to $1.2 billion in FY2024, with annual escalations up to 6.5%
- $100 million in COVID‑inflation supplemental awards distributed to 30 districts by January 2025
- Launched heat‑pump conversion projects within the ARP to support Massachusetts’ net‑zero carbon goal by 2050
- 10 schools completed in 2025, bringing total completed Core Program schools to 245

Competitive Advantages

Dedicated revenue stream: The MSBA is funded by a fixed portion of the state sales tax, providing predictable, stable funding that is not subject to annual legislative appropriations.
Specialized expertise: The agency has 20 years of experience managing large‑scale public school capital projects, from initial assessment through construction completion and final audit.
Efficient reimbursement model: Districts receive payments as costs are incurred (typically within 15 days via an online portal), rather than waiting years for reimbursement – a significant improvement over the previous system.
Scale and track record: Over 1,200 projects invited into the pipeline, $18.9 billion disbursed, and 1,748 projects with completed final audits.

Strategic Focus

Net‑zero carbon alignment: Partnering with the Commonwealth’s goal to achieve net‑zero emissions by 2050 by funding heat‑pump conversions and high‑efficiency building systems.
Equitable funding: Using a needs‑based formula (base rate + incentive points for regionalization, renovation, energy efficiency) to allocate resources fairly across communities.
Facility condition improvement: Continuing the 2025 School Survey (1,818 schools) and using data to direct funds to the most critical needs – while 89% of schools rate at condition 1 or 2, the agency targets the 10.7% that need moderate or major attention.
Program expansion: Increasing the Core Program cap and invitation numbers to meet the high demand from districts for new and renovated schools.

Sources

Job description

Qualifications

Why work at Massachusetts School Building Authority

Application questions