Project FeederWatch Assistant - Lab of Ornithology

Program/Extension Aide III
- Project Assistant, Feeder Watch

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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.

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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 full-time faculty and many other renowned professionals direct world-class, mission-driven programs. Staff at the Lab 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.

The Project Feeder Watch Assistant will join a vibrant team in supporting Project Feeder Watch, an international participatory science program (feederwatch.org). Feeder Watch 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 Feeder Watchers in communities across North America count birds and send their tallies to the Feeder Watch database, the result is a treasure trove of numbers, which Feeder Watch scientists analyze to learn more about winter bird abundance and distribution.

What You Will Do

As the Project Feeder Watch Assistant, you coordinate and support all aspects of the research and education program. You will support the public in successfully participating in the project, and you will work to maintain the integrity of the data that participants collect. You will run reports on program progress (e.g., investigate trends in registration, evaluate engagement on social media, etc.).

You will participate in regular staff meetings and contribute to problem solving and program development. Your daily responsibilities will be to:

• Support the public engaged in Project Feeder Watch.
• 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.

This is a one-year term appointment with possibility of renewal based upon performance and available funding. This position is expected to work on-site at the Lab of Ornithology.

While position responsibilities vary, every member of our community is expected to foster a culture of belonging and a healthy work environment by…