Lab Manager​/Research Support Specialist II

The Opportunity

We are recruiting now for an anticipated mid-February 2027 start date.

Applications submitted by October 19, 2026 will receive priority consideration.

The Lab Manager will provide technical and operational support for the Derryberry Laboratory’s research program in animal behavior and bioacoustics. Working closely with the Principal Investigator, postdoctoral researchers, and graduate students, the Lab Manager will help plan and implement field- and laboratory-based behavioral research, including sound recording and analysis. This position will also maintain research equipment and infrastructure, coordinate permits and reporting requirements, support day-to-day laboratory operations, and facilitate undergraduate participation in research projects within the Macaulay Library and Derryberry Laboratory.

The Lab Manager will help maintain a safe, compliant research environment by following all disease control, laboratory safety, chemical handling, and waste disposal protocols. They will complete required CALS Environment, Health and Safety training and ensure that appropriate safety and compliance practices are consistently implemented throughout laboratory operations.

About the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the Lab of Ornithology

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) is a pioneer of purpose-driven science and Cornell University’s second-largest college. We work across disciplines to tackle the challenges of our time through world-renowned research, education, and outreach. The questions we probe and the answers we seek focus on three overlapping concerns:
We believe that achieving next-generation scientific breakthroughs requires an understanding of the world’s complex, interlocking systems. We believe that access to nutritious food and a healthy environment is a fundamental human right. We believe that ensuring a prosperous global future depends on the ability to support local people and communities everywhere. By working in and across multiple scientific areas, CALS can address challenges and opportunities of the greatest relevance, here in New York, across the nation, and around the world.

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 six world-class, mission-driven centers 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 successful entrepreneurs and managers from the business and nonprofit sectors, conservation-minded citizens from the United States and beyond, and faculty from Cornell and other universities.

Hours & Location

This is a full-time, 100% FTE, on-site position based at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in Ithaca, New York. The work is inherently hands-on and includes both laboratory and field-based research, including travel to study sites as needed.

Typical hours are Monday through Friday, approximately 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. However, birds and wildlife keep their own schedules! Field research may occasionally require early mornings, later days, or adjustments to the typical schedule based on research activities, field conditions, travel, and when study animals are active.

This is a role for someone who enjoys having a home…