Project FeederWatch Assistant - Lab of Ornithology
About The Position
The Project FeederWatch Assistant will join a vibrant team in supporting Project FeederWatch, an international participatory science program (feederwatch.org). FeederWatch is a November–April survey of birds that visit backyards, nature centers, community areas, and other locales in North America. When tens of thousands of FeederWatchers in communities across North America count birds and send their tallies to the FeederWatch database, the result is a treasure trove of numbers, which FeederWatch scientists analyze to learn more about winter bird abundance and distribution. This position is expected to work on-site at the Lab of Ornithology. As an individual contributor, you will model and support a culture of inclusion, belonging, and wellbeing and continually seek to understand how your role, behaviors, and actions impact the success of this culture. 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. With our main campus located in Ithaca, NY, Cornell's far-flung global presence includes the medical college's campuses on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and Doha, Qatar, as well as the Cornell Tech campus located on Roosevelt Island in the heart of New York City. We offer a rich array of services, programs and benefits to help employees advance in their career and enhance the quality of personal life, including employee wellness, workshops, childcare and adoption assistance, parental leave and flexible work options.
Requirements
- An associate degree and up to 1 year of relevant experience
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills and ability to write stand-alone articles for blog posts and our annual report
- Experience and savvy with database use, Excel spreadsheets, and Google docs
- Willingness and ability to perform repetitive tasks such as data entry
- Mastery of common computer and mobile phone skills, including Microsoft Office Suite
- Willingness to learn new software as needed (e.g. Jira, HubSpot, etc.)
- Experience that demonstrates sound judgment and problem-solving skills
- Ability to research answers to bird biology questions independently using Cornell Lab informational resources
- Be able to work independently while supporting the efforts of an overall team
- Experience working directly with people from various socioeconomic backgrounds.
Nice To Haves
- Advanced experience with spreadsheets and database use highly preferred.
- Creativity, writing, proofreading, and editing experience preferred.
- Knowledge of bird identification and bird biology is useful to answer the publics’ questions but not required; this position is an opportunity for on-the-job learning.
- Experience with nonprofit social networking.
Responsibilities
- Coordinate and support all aspects of the research and education program.
- Support the public in successfully participating in the project.
- Maintain the integrity of the data that participants collect.
- Run reports on program progress (e.g., investigate trends in registration, evaluate engagement on social media, etc.).
- Participate in regular staff meetings and contribute to problem solving and program development.
- Answer questions from participants by phone, email, and mail.
- Support the Project Leader in all aspects of program delivery and contribute ideas to overall program development.
- Maintain our databases, including creating, updating, correcting, and merging records.
- Create and maintain spreadsheets and tracking mailings, email correspondence, and other metrics of program engagement.
- Troubleshoot users’ technical difficulties with online data entry, mobile phone app, and registration.
Benefits
- Comprehensive health care options
- Generous retirement contributions
- Access to wellness programs
- Employee discounts with local and national retail brands
- Health and personal leave
- Three weeks of vacation
- 13 holidays: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and an end of the year winter break from December 25-January 1.
- Two additional floating holidays
- Tuition-free Extramural Study and Employee Degree Program
- Tuition aid for external education
- Cornell Children's Tuition Assistance Program
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
Associate degree
