Postdoctoral Associate (Quantitative Tropical Ecology & Conservation), Cornell University, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

K. Lisa Yang Center for Conservation Bioacoustics

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Cornell University, Ithaca, New York

Postdoctoral Associate: Quantitative Tropical Ecology and Conservation

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.

Located in the beautiful Sapsucker Woods Sanctuary, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology (the Lab) 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. The Lab is a vibrant unit within Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), and our management and staff are committed to upholding the highest standards of ethics and excellence across all aspects of our work.

This position will be based in the K. Lisa Yang Center for Conservation Bioacoustics (Yang Center), one of six programmatic centers within the Lab. The Yang Center’s mission is to collect and interpret sounds in nature by developing and applying innovative technologies across multiple ecologically relevant scales to inspire and inform the conservation of wildlife and habitats. Our highly interdisciplinary team of scientists, educators, engineers, students, and research support personnel are working with many national and international collaborators on a wide variety of terrestrial, aquatic, and marine bioacoustic research projects tackling conservation issues worldwide.

The incumbent will join a research group led by Dr. Dena J. Clink to develop, evaluate, and apply quantitative methods for large-scale biodiversity monitoring and conservation. The research will leverage existing passive acoustic monitoring datasets from Southeast Asia, with a focus on priority taxa, including gibbons, langurs, Asian elephants, and focal bird species such as green peafowl, giant ibis, and sarus crane. The successful candidate will build reproducible machine learning pipelines, integrate detections into spatial ecological models, and generate conservation-relevant outputs for regional partners. The incumbent will join a research group led by Dr. Dena J. Clink to develop, evaluate, and apply quantitative methods for large-scale biodiversity monitoring and conservation. The research will leverage existing passive acoustic monitoring datasets from Southeast Asia, with a focus on priority taxa, including gibbons, langurs, Asian elephants, and focal bird species such as green peafowl, giant ibis, and sarus crane. The successful candidate will build reproducible machine learning pipelines, integrate detections into spatial ecological models, and generate conservation-relevant outputs for regional partners.

Position Function

The project scope offers an opportunity to advance both applied conservation practice and fundamental ecological understanding. The incumbent will refine automated detection models for species of conservation concern and integrate model outputs into occupancy, abundance, and habitat-use frameworks to address applied ecological questions. The position is also highly collaborative: the incumbent will work closely with NGO and academic partners in Southeast Asia, including partners in Cambodia, Malaysia, and Vietnam. Responsibilities will include coordinating with in-country partners on study design, validation workflows, and result interpretation, with an emphasis on building local analytical capacity and ensuring reproducibility. Approximately 3-4 weeks of international travel will be expected per year.

In addition to collaborating with external partners, the postdoctoral associate will work closely with scientists in the Yang Center and across Cornell. The incumbent will have the opportunity to mentor undergraduate students and visiting scholars on related projects. The incumbent will be encouraged to develop independent research questions aligned with the project's broader goals and to serve as first author on manuscripts.

This position is a one-year appointment, renewed annually upon successful performance. Further extension is contingent upon funding.

Anticipated Division of Time

Expected outcomes include submitting manuscripts to high-impact peer-reviewed journals in ecology, conservation, and quantitative methods (approximately two per year) and coordinating with regional partners to directly apply results to conservation efforts in Southeast Asia. There is no required fieldwork, but the incumbent would be encouraged to spend some time (e.g., three weeks per year) in the field with local partners.

Develop and conduct biodiversity research to meet project goals. Analyze research findings. Apply results to conservation decisions and actions in collaboration with local partners. (35%)
Prepare manuscripts for high-impact peer-reviewed journals and other research products, including reports and relevant information to partners. (35%)
Present results at professional meetings, conferences, and popular seminars. (15%)
Engaging with partners and possible funders. Participate in career and professional development opportunities. (10%)
Engage in ongoing academic and intellectual life at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Cornell University more broadly. (5%)

Qualifications

Required

Ph.D. in biological sciences, ecology, statistics, quantitative ecology, or a closely related field.
Demonstrated record of peer-reviewed publications appropriate to career stage.
Strong scientific writing and communication skills.
Strong quantitative and statistical modeling skills, including experience working with large ecological datasets.
Proficiency in R and/or Python, with demonstrated experience developing reproducible analytical workflows (e.g., version control, well-documented code).

Strongly Preferred

Experience developing or applying machine learning or automated detection methods.
Experience working with passive acoustic monitoring data; familiarity with other sensor-based data (e.g., camera traps, remote sensing) is also valuable.
Experience with population-level modeling approaches, including hierarchical or Bayesian modeling frameworks.
Experience conducting research in Southeast Asia or comparable tropical field contexts.
Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with international partners and evidence of cultural competency in international research settings.
Experience mentoring students and contributing to collaborative, interdisciplinary research teams.

Supervision Exercised

The incumbent will be supervised by Dr. Dena J. Clink and will work closely with collaborators at the Yang Center and with regional partners. Given collaboration across time zones, occasional meetings outside standard U.S. working hours may be required. In addition, the incumbent will be expected to mentor and supervise undergraduate student researchers.

The position will be based in Ithaca, NY, USA, and the incumbent will be expected to establish New York residency. However, at the Yang Center, we embrace flexibility in the work environment, and there will be the option to work remotely 1-2 days per week.

To apply:

Please apply via Academic Jobs Online (https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/31803).

Qualified candidates should submit a cover letter highlighting how their experience aligns with the required and preferred qualifications, a curriculum vitae, and contact information for three references via the website. References will be contacted only for candidates under serious consideration.

Applications will be reviewed as received, continuing until a suitable applicant is identified.

CALS hiring range for this title is $62,232 - $64,000 annually.

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Life. Changing.

Cornell University is an innovative Ivy League and Land-grant 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.

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With a founding principle of “any person, any study,” Cornell is an equal opportunity employer.

Pay Range:

$62,232.00 - $88,745.00

Pay Ranges:

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.
Academic Discipline
Unique applicable skills.

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For general questions about the position or the application process, please contact the Recruiter listed in the job posting or email mycareer@cornell.edu.

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2026-03-12

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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. With our main campus located in Ithaca, NY, Cornell's far-flung global presence includes the medical college's campuses on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and Doha, Qatar, as well as the Cornell Tech campus located on Roosevelt Island in the heart of New York City.

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