Overview

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is seeking a motivated and creative applications developer to join our teams in producing inspiring and interactive online experiences to improve the understanding and protection of birds and nature. We engage more than 20 million people annually through online and mobile platforms, including distance-learning courses, citizen-science projects, live Bird Cams, and interactive rich-media features and stories on our Webby-award-winning site at AllAboutBirds.org. Work with dynamic teams of designers, educators, writers, and scientists to advance new tools for understanding and exploring information about birds. Be a part of our mission to improve the understanding and protection of birds and biodiversity through research, education, and citizen science focused on birds. Cornell provides great benefits and has been nationally recognized as an award-winning workplace for our health, wellbeing, sustainability, and diversity initiatives. Located at the Johnson Center for Birds and Biodiversity in the 220-acre Sapsucker Woods sanctuary, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology is an environmental nonprofit organization and a unit of Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is seeking a motivated applications developer who is a creative problem-solver and team player. Duties include:

  • Collaborate with a dynamic team of designers, educators, and scientists to develop websites and interactive online tools for engaging the public in science and supporting conservation.
  • Create/code, test, debug, document, and maintain web and mobile optimized applications of moderate to advanced complexity
  • Utilize frameworks, libraries, technologies, approaches to make applications more flexible and maintainable, and development more efficient
  • Develop and optimize web applications and interaction with back-end services.
  • Conduct research and make recommendations on database design, software architecture, protocols, and standards
  • Use available hybrid app development framework to create applications that will run in desktop browsers, mobile browsers, and mobile apps
  • Develop standard practices that allow maximum code reuse for different platforms
  • Develop and maintain best practices for configuration management solutions
  • Create and improve infrastructure and business metric monitoring systems

Required Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree with at least 3 years’ experience or equivalent.
A thorough understanding of object-oriented programming and web applications is essential, as well as experience with the complete software development lifecycle.
Demonstrable experience in the following areas: 1) web application development using Asp.net, C#, Ruby, php, and/or other languages and frameworks; 2) interactive client-side website development – JavaScript, jQuery, AngularJS, HTML5/CSS; bootstrap or other responsive front-end frameworks, browser compatibility issues; 3) database-driven application development – MSSQL; object-relational mapping tools; 4) experience working with Bitbucket (Git).
Good interpersonal skills and diplomacy required with a variety of domain experts, as well as the ability to help establish realistic goals and deliver work on schedule.
Must be self-motivated and able to work independently, and be equally capable of working with the supervisor to prioritize projects and to regularly communicate status and progress.
Ability to customize and maintain content management systems such as WordPress and experience in syndicating content to other websites with RESTful API, etc.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Master’s degree in computer or information science.
  • Experience with hybrid mobile app development, Java, Oracle SQL, RESTful API, Ruby on Rails.
  • Proven experience writing application requirements, architecting applications, and documenting code. Experience working as part of a team.
  • Experience with search engine optimization, website analytics, and optimizing content for mobile devices.
  • Passion for conservation, nature, wildlife, and non-profit mission is desirable.

Include your cover letter, resume, and contact information for 3 references.

Cornell provides great benefits that include professional development, access to a plethora of wellness programs, employee discounts with local and national retail brands, health care options to choose from, and generous paid leave provisions: 3 weeks of vacation, 12 holidays (including end of year winter break) and superior retirement contributions.

Cornell University is nationally recognized as an award-winning workplace for our health, wellbeing, sustainability, and diversity initiatives.

Visa Sponsorship is not available for this position; not eligible to apply.

Relocation assistance is not provided for this position.

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