Research Engineer - Cornell Lab of Ornithology

APPLY

Cornell University embraces diversity and seeks candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty and staff of all identities and backgrounds. We strongly encourage individuals from underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply.

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is seeking a Research Engineer to join the Lab’s K. Lisa Yang Center for Conservation Bioacoustics.

Located in the Sapsucker Woods Sanctuary in Ithaca, NY, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology is dedicated to advancing the understanding and protection of the natural world and joins with people from all walks of life to make new scientific discoveries, share insights, and galvanize conservation action. The Lab is a vibrant unit within Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), and our management and staff are committed to the highest standards of ethics and excellence in all areas of our work. We are committed to fostering a healthy workplace that values diverse perspectives and backgrounds as well as supporting growth and advancement opportunities. We welcome staff who are committed to lifetime learning and who are motivated to take on new challenges.

The Lab’s K. Lisa Yang Center for Conservation Bioacoustics (Yang Center) mission is to collect and interpret sounds in nature by developing and applying innovative technologies across multiple ecologically relevant scales to inspire and inform the conservation of wildlife and habitats. Our highly interdisciplinary team of scientists, educators, engineers, students, and research support personnel is working with many national and international collaborators on a wide variety of terrestrial, aquatic, and marine bioacoustic research projects tackling conservation issues worldwide.

This position will join a team of engineers focused on developing conservation technologies researchers worldwide use to record sound in nature in support of marine and terrestrial conservation efforts. The position will primarily focus on developing and designing hardware solutions to record the voices of nature in wide variety of terrestrial and marine habitats.

What you will do:

The position will provide hardware development support for our terrestrial and marine field recorders. This includes our terrestrial recording unit, called Swift. The Swift is a low-cost acoustic recorder that researchers use to capture the sounds of birds, frogs, insects, and other wildlife. This position works closely with Yang Center’s researchers and students to develop prototype devices to meet the specific needs of research projects. The equipment developed must be robust and able to handle a variety of harsh environments. In addition, systems should be designed for a broad base of users with limited technical knowledge whenever possible. Thus, high importance is placed on clearly documented, user-friendly solutions to complex technological problems.

The position reports to the Director of the Yang Center; applicants will be expected to:

• Evaluate and determine appropriate electronic components to be used in product development. Consider form, function, manufacturability, and costs in the design and development of research equipment.
• Develop design specifications, schematics, and other required documentation so systems and equipment can be easily reproduced.
• Conduct and attend design review meetings and solicit feedback from researchers and other field personnel.
• Develop test procedures, and conduct bench and field testing.
• Collaborate with other engineers and those producing the equipment to ensure high quality and consistency, including providing appropriate documentation and technical assistance when required.
• Occasional (national and international) trips may be required to test research equipment in the field.
• Follow established lab safety procedures and ensure a safe working environment in the lab and field.

This is a one-year term appointment, renewable based on available funding and performance.

The Research Engineer must foster and maintain excellent working relationships with coworkers, collaborators, students, and customers from diverse cultural and educational backgrounds. This requires approaching all matters with an open mind, a sense of curiosity, a service-minded attitude, and diplomacy. The Yang Center is an inclusive community, and we welcome anyone interested in bioacoustics.

What we need:

• Experience in and/or demonstrated commitment to supporting diversity, equity, access, inclusion, and wellbeing.
• Demonstrated skill in understanding of cultural differences.
• Experience in and/or demonstrated commitment to supporting diversity, equity, access, inclusion, and wellbeing.
• Passionate about working in an organization that values and promotes diversity, equity, inclusion, anti-racism, and wellbeing.
• Ability to cultivate and develop inclusive and equitable working relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community members.
• Demonstrated ability to design, develop and implement complex electronics systems according to a set of requirements.
• Must have analog and digital circuit design and development experience, particularly with (low-power) microcontroller-based audio processing systems.
• Ability to develop testing procedures, execute bench tests, and analyze/interpret test results.
• Working knowledge of computer languages (especially C and C++), architectures, and communication protocols.
• Self-motivated, willing to learn new skills, able to work both as part of a team and independently, and to regularly communicate status and progress.
• Ability to follow and train others on safety procedures.
• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering or equivalent, with at least 3 years of related experience.
• Ability to travel to remote locations, domestically and internationally.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a valid driver’s license and passport.

As a university founded to be a place where “…any person can find instruction in any study,” diversity and inclusion are at the core of our values and mission. We strive to be a welcoming, caring, healthy, and equitable community where students, faculty, and staff with different backgrounds, perspectives, abilities, and experiences can learn, innovate, and work in an environment of respect, and feel empowered to engage in any community conversation. As a member of the Cornell University community, it is important to recognize our shared responsibility to each other to cultivate a culture of inclusion for all. Cornell Core values

Compensation and Benefits:

The Salary Range for this position is $80,620 to $100,774 (it is not the salary range stated below).

Cornell provides great benefits that include educational benefits, access to a plethora of wellness programs, employee discounts with local and national retail brands, health care options to choose from, generous paid leave provisions: 3 weeks of vacation leave, health and personal leave, 13 paid holidays (including end of year winter break through New Year’s Day), educational benefits, and superior retirement contributions. More on Cornell Benefits

Top 10 Benefits Cornell Employees Love!

Visa Sponsorship is not available for this position.

How to Apply:

Please use our online application process through Workday to submit your cover letter and resume. When writing your cover letter, please expand upon how your work experience and background would give us greater insight into how you would be successful in this role.

When applying through our system, please attach your application materials (resume and cover letter). You can upload documents either by “dragging and dropping” them into dropbox or by using the “upload” icon on the application page. For more detailed instructions on how to apply to a job at Cornell, visit How We Hire on the HR website. If you are an internal employee, please log in to Workday.

Cornell University is an innovative Ivy League university and a great place to work. Our inclusive community of scholars, students, and staff impart an uncommon sense of larger purpose and contribute creative ideas to further the university’s mission of teaching, discovery, and engagement.

Diversity and Inclusion are a part of Cornell University’s heritage. We are a recognized employer and educator valuing AA/EEO, Protected Veterans, and Individuals with Disabilities. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations.

Familiarize yourself with Cornell's COVID-19 workplace guidance as well as the university's COVID-19 services and information.

University Job Title:

Research Support Spec III

Job Family:

Academic Support

Level:

G

Pay Rate Type:

Salary

Pay Range:

$72,558.00 - $88,681.00

Remote Option Availability:

Hybrid Remote

Company:

Contract College

Contact Name:

Denise Smith

Job Titles and Pay Ranges:

Non-Union Positions

Noted pay ranges reflect the potential pay opportunity for each job profile. The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined considering the following criteria:

• Prior relevant work or industry experience

• Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position

• Unique applicable skills

• Academic Discipline (faculty pay ranges reflects 9-month annual salary)

To learn more about Cornell’s non-union staff job titles and pay ranges, see Career Navigator.

Union Positions

The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined in accordance with the rates in the respective collective bargaining agreement. To learn more about Cornell’s union wages, see Union Pay Rates.

Current Employees:

If you currently work at Cornell University, please exit this website and log in to Workday using your Net ID and password. Select the Career icon on your Home dashboard to view jobs at Cornell.

Online Submission Guidelines:

Most positions at Cornell will require you to apply online and submit both a resume/CV and cover letter. You can upload documents either by “dragging and dropping” them into the dropbox or by using the “upload” icon on the application page. For more detailed instructions on how to apply to a job at Cornell, visit How We Hire on the HR website.

Employment Assistance:

For general questions about the position or the application process, please contact the Recruiter listed in the job posting or email mycareer@cornell.edu.

If you require an accommodation for a disability in order to complete an employment application or to participate in the recruiting process, you are encouraged to contact Cornell University's Office of Institutional Equity and Title IX at voice (607) 255-2242, or email at equity@cornell.edu.

Applicants that do not have internet access are encouraged to visit your local library, or local Department of Labor. You may also visit the office of Workforce Recruitment and Retention Monday - Friday between the hours of 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. to use a dedicated workstation to complete an online application.

Notice to Applicants:

Please read the required Notice to Applicants statement by clicking here. This notice contains important information about applying for a position at Cornell as well as some of your rights and responsibilities as an applicant.

EEO Statement:

Diversity and Inclusion are a part of Cornell University’s heritage. We are a recognized employer and educator valuing AA/EEO, Protected Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations. Cornell University is an innovative Ivy League university and a great place to work. Our inclusive community of scholars, students, and staff impart an uncommon sense of larger purpose, and contribute creative ideas to further the university's mission of teaching, discovery, and engagement.

2023-05-01