Birds of the World Communications Assistant

   

Join Our Team as the Birds of the World Communications Assistant for the Lab of Ornithology at Cornell University!

If you're eager to make an impact and be part of a dynamic team, then we invite you to explore this exciting opportunity with us!

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University embraces diversity and seeks candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff of all identities and backgrounds. We strongly encourage individuals from underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply.

About The Department

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is dedicated to advancing the understanding and protection of the natural world and joins with people from all walks of life to make new scientific discoveries, share insights, and galvanize conservation action. Birds of the World (BOW) is the Cornell Lab’s signature scientific publication and the largest, most comprehensive avian database in the world. It features 11,017 scholarly accounts on bird species, 251 overviews of avian families, hundreds of thousands of multimedia assets, and dynamic bird distribution data from eBird, the world’s largest citizen science database. It is sold as a digital subscription service in some markets and freely disseminated in others. Stakeholders and users of BOW include individuals (scientists and birdwatchers) as well as organizations (academic and public libraries, nonprofit institutions, agencies, scientific societies, and consulting firms). Based in the Biodiversity Studies and Higher Education program, the Birds of the World Communications Assistant plays a key role in providing and maintaining access to BOW to these stakeholders while supporting their use and enjoyment of this special resource. The Communications Assistant will join a dynamic team of editors, consultants, developers, and a worldwide community of contributors.

About The Opportunity

As the Birds of the World Communications Assistant you will have the following responsibilities:

• Implement workflows for content updates, editorial solicitations, reviews, and a consistent publishing schedule.

• Liaise with the senior managing editor, scientific editors, consultants, contributors, and other staff to accomplish workflows and maintain the publishing schedule including to provide support in BOW website features and best practices, as well as content guidelines.

• Maintain, archive, and manage details relevant to account authorship over time (informing authors of revisions, contacting coauthors, etc.). They will evaluate and update support documents and recruit voluntary contributors.

• Edit specified BOW species accounts for organization, consistency, and scholarly quality, ensuring that the literature citations and bibliographies are up to date, and that content is engaging and accessible to internal and external audiences.

• Research and confirm sources and verify or supplement information, copyright permissions, etc.

• As needed, they will edit and/or draft scientific content, curate galleries of media, or generate other ancillary account materials (maps, figures, etc.).

• Liaise with Cornell's Finance professionals to ensure contract and invoice compliance and develop and gather information for annual reports and budgets.

• Collaborate with the entire BOW team to design and troubleshoot new features and assist in the planning and implementation of project goals.

While position responsibilities vary, every member of our community is expected to foster a culture of belonging and a psychologically healthy work environment by communicating across differences; being cooperative, collaborative, open, and welcoming; showing respect, compassion, and empathy; engaging and supporting others regardless of background or perspective; speaking up when others are being excluded or treated inappropriately; and supporting work/life integration of oneself and others.

What We Need

The successful candidate will have an Associate’s degree and 2 or more years relevant experience in publishing, content management, or equivalent combination of experience and education. Additional requirements include:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Experience with MS Word, Excel, and web-based platforms.

• Works collaboratively and inclusively to create a high-quality and respectful work environment where cooperation between colleagues and flexibility to different styles and approaches is required.

• Works collaboratively to set priorities and manage projects effectively under clear timelines, maintaining the production workflow and tasking priorities.

• Must be adept at project organization and follow-through. 

• The ability to communicate across a wide range of people and technical abilities both within Cornell and with the general and scientific public.

• Experience working directly with people from diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds.

• Experience incorporating the perspectives of multiple communities, including communities of color. 

• Passionate about working in an organization that values and promotes diversity, equity, inclusion, anti-racism, and wellbeing.

• Ability to serve as an advocate for individuals of all ethnicities, genders, ages, and backgrounds. 

• Ability to cultivate and develop inclusive and equitable working relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community members. 

   

Preferably the successful candidate will also have the following;

• Academic training in ornithology, life science, scientific communication, or commensurate vocational experience.

• Familiarity with bibliographic management tools, scientific databases, content-management systems, reference-management systems, and website management.

• Experience with obtaining rights for media contributions including film, audio and video rights.

• The ability to communicate directly and productively with authors and other external contributors.

• Experience in using Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and some competency in writing html/xhtml code.

This position is located at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in Ithaca, NY.  This position can be partial remote work or fully remote within the United States. The specifics of this arrangement will be reviewed with you when you begin the position, and the University must approve of the desired remote work location.

Rewards and Benefits

Cornell receives national recognition as an award-winning workplace for our health, wellbeing, sustainability, and diversity initiatives.

Our benefits programs include comprehensive health care options, generous retirement contributions, access to wellness programs, and employee discounts with local and national retail brands. We invite you to follow this link to get more information about our benefits: https://hr.cornell.edu/benefits-pay .

Follow this link to learn more about the Total Rewards of Working at Cornell: https://hr.cornell.edu/jobs/your-total-rewards .

No Visa Sponsorship is available for this position.

How to Apply:

You must submit both a Resume and Cover letter.  ​

When applying through our system, please attach your application materials (resume and cover letter). You can upload documents either by “dragging and dropping” them into the dropbox or by using the “upload” icon on the application page. For more detailed instructions on how to apply to a job at Cornell, visit How We Hire on the HR website. If you are an internal employee, please log in to Workday .

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.

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.

   

Familiarize yourself with Cornell's COVID-19 workplace guidance as well as the university's COVID-19 services and information .

  

University Job Title:

Communications Assistant IV

Job Family:

Communications/Marketing

Level:

D

Pay Rate Type:

Hourly

Pay Range:

$24.88 - $28.91

Remote Option Availability:

Hybrid Remote

Company:

Contract College

Contact Name:

Denise Smith

Job Titles and Pay Ranges:

Non-Union Positions

Noted pay ranges reflect the potential pay opportunity for each job profile. The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined considering the following criteria:

• Prior relevant work or industry experience

• Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position

• Unique applicable skills

• Academic Discipline (faculty pay ranges reflects 9-month annual salary)

To learn more about Cornell’s non-union staff job titles and pay ranges, see Career Navigator .

Union Positions

The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined in accordance with the rates in the respective collective bargaining agreement. To learn more about Cornell’s union wages, see Union Pay Rates .

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Online Submission Guidelines:

Most positions at Cornell will require you to apply online and submit both a resume/CV and cover letter.  You can upload documents either by “dragging and dropping” them into the dropbox or by using the “upload” icon on the application page. For more detailed instructions on how to apply to a job at Cornell, visit How We Hire on the HR website.

Employment Assistance:

For general questions about the position or the application process, please contact the Recruiter listed in the job posting or email [email protected] .

If you require an accommodation for a disability in order to complete an employment application or to participate in the recruiting process, you are encouraged to contact Cornell University's Office of Institutional Equity and Title IX at voice (607) 255-2242, or email at [email protected] .

Applicants that do not have internet access are encouraged to visit your local library, or local Department of Labor. You may also request an appointment to use a dedicated workstation in the Office of Talent Attraction and Recruitment, at the Ithaca campus, by emailing [email protected] .

Notice to Applicants:

Please read the required Notice to Applicants statement by clicking here . This notice contains important information about applying for a position at Cornell as well as some of your rights and responsibilities as an applicant.

EEO Statement:

Diversity and Inclusion are a part of Cornell University’s heritage. We are a recognized employer and educator valuing AA/EEO, and we do not tolerate discrimination based on any protected characteristic, including race, ethnic or national origin, citizenship and immigration status, color, sex/gender, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, age, creed, religion, actual or perceived disability (including persons associated with such a person), arrest and/or conviction record, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender expression and/or identity, an individual’s genetic information, domestic violence victim status, familial status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations in accordance with applicable law. 

Cornell University embraces diversity and seeks candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff to all identities and backgrounds. We encourage individuals from underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply.

2024-04-02