Software Engineer III

Software Engineer III  [Hybrid]

No Visa Sponsorship is available for this position.

This position will require occasional off-hours support.

The work location is Ithaca, New York with the possibility of a hybrid work schedule that would be determined by the supervisor. Employees typically perform this role remotely 2 days per week and on-site 3 days per week. The university reserves the right to modify, suspend, revoke, or terminate the hybrid work arrangement at any time.

About the Cornell Lab of Ornithology

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, two 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. The Lab is in an incredible growth phase and navigating exciting challenges to scale our data-driven tools and services for conservation communities in all corners of the globe. eBird collaborates with hundreds of regional organizations in more than 80 countries who are using eBird, Merlin, Birds of the World, and other resources as a platform to advance their conservation goals.

What will you do

This position is located in the Center for Avian Population Studies within the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

The Software Engineer will

• Design, develop, and maintain complex web-based applications and related services for the Center for Avian Population Studies and Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology (CLO), external customers, and funding agencies.
• Participate actively in the design and evolution of CLO technical infrastructure and hosting platforms, including scalable, agile, cloud-based systems.
• Serve as a technical liaison supporting coordination and integration of application infrastructure to meet CLO strategic objectives.
• Develop web-based systems, APIs, and database applications utilizing Java, Spring, enterprise GIS systems, Postgres SQL, and other existing or emerging technologies that CLO may adopt over time.
• Stay current on software development and web application technologies, best practices, and processes.

This is a full-time position.

While position responsibilities vary, every member of our community is expected to foster a culture of belonging and a 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

• A cover letter and resume outlining your interest and how your experience and goals align with the potential for mutual success in the role are required for consideration. When applying through our system, please remember to attach your application materials (Cover Letter and Resume) in PDF format.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science or related field or an equivalent combination of education and experience, plus:
• 3+ years of relevant professional experience working on substantial computer software projects and collaborating with a team of engineers.
• 3+ years of professional experience with object-oriented programming and modern web application development techniques building and integrating APIs, web services, and frontend user interfaces.
• 3+ years of professional experience with Java, Spring, and SQL.
• Experience with relational database table design and with writing and optimizing complex queries.
• Experience with containerization using Kubernetes or Docker.
• Experience with cloud infrastructure platforms and services from major vendors such as AWS (preferred) or Azure.
• Experience with continuous integration, deployment, and automation technology such as Jenkins.
• Experience running services on Linux.
• Experience with version control systems (e.g. Git) and modern development workflows (e.g. Agile, Scrum).
• Experience with project management tools such as Jira.
• Proven experience documenting and testing code.
• Strong problem-solving and critical thinking skills, and excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively, and to build working relationships to solve problems and achieve common goals in a multidisciplinary environment.
• Ability to cultivate and develop inclusive working relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community members.
• Ability to establish realistic goals and deliver work on schedule, handle multiple concurrent tasks and priorities, and adapt to changing priorities, situations and demands.
• High level of integrity and dependability with a strong sense of urgency and results-orientation, and an ability to exercise sound judgment in decision making and in accomplishing tasks that are urgent or of a sensitive or confidential nature.
• Ability to work weekends or evenings when participating in the 24x7 on call duty rotation.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in computer science or related field.
• Experience using AI tools such as Claude Code or Codex in the software development lifecycle.
• Experience with web frameworks such as React, Vue.js, Angular, Next.js, or Nuxt.
• Familiarity with the Linux command-line and experience with shell scripting.
• Experience with highly available, high volume transactional web applications.
• Experience managing large volumes of data for replication, warehousing, and archival storage.
• Experience with GIS data and server software such as GeoServer.
• Prior use and understanding of eBird, Merlin, BirdCast or other Cornell Lab tools and resources.
• Interest in birds, nature, conservation, and/or natural science.

Application Information

• No Visa Sponsorship of any kind is available for this position.
• No Relocation assistance will be provided for this position .

Rewards and Benefits

• This position is based in Ithaca, New York, however, this position is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement. Employees typically perform this role remotely two days per week and on-site three days per week . The university reserves the right to modify, suspend, revoke, or terminate the hybrid work arrangement at any time.
• Cornell receives national recognition as an award-winning workplace for our health, wellbeing, and sustainability. 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: Understand Your Benefits | Working at Cornell
• 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. To offer greater flexibility for observing faiths and traditions we also offer two additional floating holidays. Learn more about our generous leave provisions: Holiday and Accrued Time Off | Working at Cornell
• 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. Learn more about our extensive educational benefits: Education Benefits | Working at Cornell
• Follow this link to learn more about the Total Rewards of Working at Cornell: Total Rewards | Working at Cornell

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