Engagement Specialist - Lab of Ornithology

Department Background:

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 participatory 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 other renowned professionals direct six world-class, mission-driven centers. 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 individuals 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 people from around the world. The Cornell Lab is committed to fostering a healthy workplace that values diverse perspectives and backgrounds as well as supporting growth and advancement opportunities. The Lab welcomes staff who are still learning in their careers and who are motivated to take on new challenges.

The Center for Engagement in Science and Nature (CESN) activates and supports people worldwide to connect with birds and nature, participate in science, and promote the wellbeing of humans and natural systems. Recognizing that one of our significant strengths is the collective power of the people we engage, the Lab formed a multidisciplinary unit aimed at being a world leader in inspiring people to contribute to science and become advocates for life on earth. Our model for change is to bring curiosity to scale through education and citizen science so that together we can gain insight into how natural systems work and address global conservation challenges. To achieve these outcomes, the CESN seeks to expand our capacity to study the process of participation in science and offer best practices for promoting and supporting conservation action to a worldwide community. We seek to combine the Lab's unprecedented data resources on bird populations with a growing expertise in social science to affect change.

Position Summary:

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.

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology seeks a customer focused Engagement Specialist to serve the public through communications strategy, visual information, and marketing efforts. This position will play an important role in developing and implementing a strategy for managing the Lab's general customer service email and phone calls. We are looking for a natural collaborator who will work closely with colleagues around the Lab to find efficiencies in sharing Lab resources and information in a way that empowers the public to explore more of the Lab's offerings. Develop and maintain database and reporting systems; serve as resource for reporting for stakeholders. The Engagement Specialist will also provide publicity support for the Visitor Center team, promoting programming both locally/in-person and virtually. Coordinate and assist in developing outreach and publicity efforts such as press releases, research findings, grant proposals, manuscripts, social media, and website content. Act as liaison with community agencies to enhance understanding and support of programs/projects. Assist in the identification of program needs and participate in budget and program management, compile year end data for reporting requirements.

Work collaboratively with Visitor Center team to cover daily duties and program offerings.

This is a full-time (40 hours/week) Contract College position that is based in Ithaca, NY at the Lab of Ornithology approximately 3 miles from Cornell's main Ithaca campus. This position follows an in-person-to-home hybrid work arrangement after a period of orientation and training. This hybrid work arrangement is subject to change.

What You Need (Qualifications):

We are seeking a team member with strong customer service and organization skills as well as a passion for public engagement.

• Bachelor's Degree and 2 to 4 years relevant experience or equivalent combination.
• Excellent customer service skills including written, verbal, and interpersonal skills.
• Expresses thoughts clearly, both orally and in writing.
• Friendly, courteous, and enthusiastic with a genuine interest in taking care of the public's needs.
• Ability to discern the sensitivity of internal/external communications in a large public organization.
• Respect for and sensitivity to cultural differences.
• Strong judgment about when to answer questions directly and when to seek input from others.
• Ability to work efficiently and accurately, multi-task, and think creatively.
• Basic knowledge of publicity and marketing strategies including social media and traditional methods.
• Familiarity with or willingness to learn content management systems such as Freshdesk, Salesforce, MailChimp, and Wordpress
• Experience creating publicity content, including graphics and content.

If you possess these experiences and skills this may be the role for you! There are a few other qualifications we would view as incredibly helpful in this role, to include:

• Expert bird knowledge.
• Prior experience in a customer-facing role at a non-profit such as a museum or nature center.
• Comfortable with Adobe Creative Suite

Rewards and Benefits

• This position is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement. Employees typically perform this role remotely 2 day per week and in-person 3 days per week. The university reserves the right to modify, suspend, revoke or terminate the hybrid work arrangement at any time.
• This position is based in Ithaca, New York. Employees who work remotely may receive multiple W-2 Forms depending on their work location. The New York Convenience of employer guidelines require New York State individual tax reporting and withholding for this position. Additional individual state income tax filings may also be required if working temporarily outside of New York State.
• 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.
• Our leave provisions include health and personal leave, three weeks of vacation and 13 holidays: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and an end of the year winter break from December 25-January 1 and two floating holidays. Learn more about holiday and accrued time off, visit: https://hr.cornell.edu/about/employment-policy-practice/employment-policies/time-and-leaves/holiday-and-accrued-time
• Cornell's impressive educational benefits include tuition-free Extramural Study and Employee Degree Program, tuition aid for external education, and Cornell Children's Tuition Assistance Program.
• Follow this link to learn more about the Total Rewards of Working at Cornell: https://hr.cornell.edu/jobs/your-total-rewards.

Visa Sponsorship is not available for this position

Relocation assistance is not available for this position

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