Software Engineer for Scientific Media Archive
Cornell University
The Macaulay Library (ML) is the world’s largest (over 4,500,000 media assets) and oldest (started in 1929) scientific archive of biodiversity media recordings (audio, video and photos); it is the most heavily used archive of its kind in the world. ML assets
are media-based biological specimens, much like the specimens in more traditional biological collections, but that uniquely capture the behavioral traits of living organisms. ML media specimens are used extensively in scientific research, having been cited
for use in over 1000 scientific publications. They are also used for a variety of non-scientific purposes, including museum exhibits, educational resources, mobile device apps, commercial products and artistic productions. eBird (ebird.org) is one of the main
platforms for collecting media from the community and collaborates closely with ML. eBird is one of the world’s largest, fastest growing biodiversity databases, currently holding over 460 million observations of birds, with contributions from every country
across the globe. More than one million users use eBird web sites and mobile applications to submit data, share experiences, and explore the world of birds. Researchers, governments, and conservation organizations use the resulting eBird datasets for research
and conservation projects with worldwide impact. Other projects that collaborate with ML include The Birds of North America Online (birdsna.org), Neotropical Birds
(neotropicalbirds.org), and Merlin Bird ID, which together provide life history accounts and field ID assistance for every bird species in the western hemisphere.
Job Description
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is seeking a motivated Software Engineer to lead efforts to manage millions of images, sounds, and videos in a scientific
archive, the Macaulay Library. An active community of citizen scientists gather media with metadata (such as date and location) that are uploaded through online applications (including eBird), stored, and accessible for display on applications, and requested
by researchers and educators.
Specific duties include:
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Develop the software to support pipelines for media delivery and long-term, archival storage.
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Collaborate with world-class experts and development teams on challenging data-intensive projects that will advance science and conservation.
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Develop, deploy, and maintain data management, media automation systems, and tools that facilitate the use of media for science, education, and conservation.
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Review and improve workflows for processing and managing media and metadata.
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Design, implement, and test software and server systems to: preserve, structure, and synchronize media metadata; allow users to find, play, preview, download, and license recordings; equip staff
and contributors with tools to manage media and metadata; and automate media and metadata management.
Required Qualifications:
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Bachelor’s degree in computer science or related field, and 3-5 years programming experience or equivalent.
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Two year experience designing, building, and testing web applications.
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Proficiency using Java/Spring, Ruby/Rails, _javascript_, or similar frameworks.
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One year experience writing SQL.
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Experience integrating multiple systems, and building/consuming APIs.
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Experience using software development tools such as git, jenkins, and jira.
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Experience with linux server
administration.
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Experience collaborating with a team of engineers, designers, project managers, and stakeholders, to solve problems and achieve common goals.
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Able to adapt to changing priorities, situations, and demands.
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Able to express highly technical terms in everyday language.
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Able to participate in a team rotation for off-hours monitoring.
Preferred Qualifications:
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Experience with Spring, Oracle, Solr, ELK, Docker.
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Knowledge of birds, conservation, and natural science.
One-year term appointment with possibility of renewal based upon performance and availability of funding.
Visa Sponsorship is not available for this position; not eligible to apply.
Relocation assistance is not provided for this position.
To apply: Provide cover letter, resume, contact information for 3 references through the
Cornell Careers system. For questions about the position or the application process, contact Sue Taggart
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is the world's leading resource for conservation, research, education, and citizen science focused on birds. The Lab
is a vibrant unit within Cornell's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), where twelve world-class, mission-driven programs are directed by full-time faculty and other renowned professionals. Lab staff teach undergraduate courses, advise graduate
students, collect and disseminate world-famous digital resources on biodiversity, and engage with partner organizations and citizens around the world to conduct scientific research and conservation actions. Our management and staff are committed to the highest
standards of ethics and excellence in all areas of our work, and our Board leadership includes faculty from Cornell and other universities, successful entrepreneurs and managers from the business and non-profit sectors, and conservation-minded citizens from
the United States and beyond.
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