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Senior Technology Officer- Lab of Ornithology

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Cornell University

Ithaca, NY

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a globally recognized leader in technology, data management, and large-scale citizen science supporting birds and biodiversity conservation. We curate more than a petabyte of digital assets, one billion bird sightings, and leverage innovative big data analysis tools and machine learning to produce web applications and services to empower a global community of bird and nature enthusiasts, researchers, conservationists, and educators. We seek a Senior Technology Officer to lead us through our next phase of growth as we navigate intriguing technical challenges to provide seamless, data-driven services, learning platforms, and science communications supporting biodiversity and conservation communities in all corners of the globe.

The Senior Technology Officer is a forward-thinking and entrepreneurial individual with significant leadership experience in the tech industry focused on web applications, who is motivated to integrate science, technology, and people to make a difference for conserving birds and inspiring the public to embrace and protect healthy ecosystems. We seek a visionary technology leader who is excited about developing a roadmap for technical infrastructure that advances the organization's strategic objectives. This position is accountable for cybersecurity, web architecture, data infrastructure, and business administration related to technical systems, ensuring that our constituent and scientific data are secure and accessible to a global community. This role requires in-depth, hands-on experience managing complex web applications hosted on premises and in the cloud. Data infrastructure knowledge is required to manage disparate datasets that need to be archived, integrated, and accessible to the public. Business administration experience is required to navigate vendor contracts, manage budgets and relations with the university, and ensure compliance with university policies.

Our ideal candidate understands the global significance of biodiversity and is committed to advancing the mission of the organization to conserve birds and biodiversity through science and public engagement. This candidate is eager to work at an organization that is a global leader in biodiversity information management. They will have a minimum of five years of experience in technology leadership including as a CTO or similar role. Experience with nonprofit organizations and higher education is a plus, but we also welcome those thinking about making a move out of the tech industry and toward mission-driven work focused on birds, biodiversity, and public engagement.

About the Cornell Lab of Ornithology

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, based in Ithaca, New York, is a globally focused science, technology, and communication institute, constituting a semi-autonomous nonprofit organization within Cornell University. The annual operating budget is $40 million, composed of funds from a membership base of 150,000 supporters, grants, contracts, program-generated revenue, and endowment. The organization is approaching 400 staff members and includes 50 technical staff. Twenty percent of the operating budget is invested in technical systems, largely supporting a team of talented software engineers who are building applications that engage a global community in collecting and analyzing scientifically valuable data that is used to advance science, conservation, and education in alignment with the mission of the organization. The organization is at an exciting inflection point, experiencing substantial year-over-year growth and rapid global expansion.

Values & Culture

Birds inspire us with their colors, songs, migrations, and relationships with the world's natural systems. Through rigorous science we practice our passion to understand natural systems and human influences on them. We are committed to putting science into action for restoring bird populations and healthy ecosystems. We recognize that we cannot succeed alone-it takes a global community. We commit to making our work as visible and accessible as possible. Our attitude of open access to data is grounded in belief that through sharing high-quality data, tools, analyses, and interpretations, great progress will rise out of somebody else's brilliant applications, and from an informed public. We hold ourselves to the highest level of integrity. Our entrepreneurial spirit allows us to explore ideas and to innovate without fearing failure. We acknowledge that today's challenges to the natural world are enormous -- this only underscores the urgency of establishing bold visions and working to achieve successes at global scales.

Our Vision

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology's vision is to use the power of birds and other charismatic organisms to generate long-term impacts on understanding and conserving earth's biological diversity -- through innovative science and training, data-driven services and communication, and creative public engagement -- around the world.

Nominations and Applications

Application materials and nominations should be sent electronically to:

Please direct inquiries to:

Diversified Search Group

Eliza Robison

Senior Executive Assistant, Digital Transformation and CIO/IT Officers

570.362.3889

Candidates should visit the to complete the University's EEO survey for the position of Senior Technology Officer, noting the requisition # WDR-00024255 and posting date of 1/20/2023 for this opportunity in the Cornell Lab of Ornithology

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Diversity and Inclusion are a part of Cornell University's heritage. We are a recognized employer and educator valuing AA/EEO, Protected Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations. 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.