Machine Learning Software Engineer

Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a tech-centered conservation organization dedicated to advancing bird and biodiversity protection. They are seeking a creative Machine Learning Software Engineer to develop machine learning models for the Merlin Bird ID app, which helps users identify birds through automated detection and classification in various media formats.

Responsibilities:

• Engage in software engineering projects with multiple, concurrent development efforts, interact with both internal and external collaborators and architect application solutions
• Develop production applications
• Serve as a technical liaison between internal engineering teams, supporting coordination and integration of application infrastructure to meet strategic objectives
• Participate actively in the design and evolution of CLO technical systems, including the integration of machine learning research into production systems

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and three (3)+ years of relevant experience or equivalent combination of education and experience
• Experienced in machine learning and software development in research and production environments
• Extensive Python experience, including knowledge of numpy, pandas, Tensorflow and/or Pytorch
• Extensive experience working with large numerical and audiovisual datasets in Python
• Extensive Linux command line experience
• Experience with AWS, GCP, or Azure
• Experience with databases, both sql and non-sql
• Experience developing and integrating with APIs and web services
• Demonstrated experience in managing complex information technology projects, including needs assessment, team organization, definition of standards and workflows, task planning and tracking, establishment of realistic goals, and delivery of products on time and within budget
• Experience defining project requirements, including hardware and software
• Experience using software development, deployment and project management tools
• Strong problem-solving and critical thinking skills
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Ability to clearly communicate complex technical issues to leadership team, and to participate effectively as needed in management meetings at all levels
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively. Ability to build working relationships to solve problems and achieve common goals
• Must be able to handle multiple concurrent tasks and priorities, and adapt to changing priorities, situations and demands
• Experience in and/or demonstrated commitment to supporting diversity, equity, access, inclusion, and wellbeing
• Demonstrated skill in understanding of cultural differences
• Advanced degree preferred with publications in the fields of computer vision, machine learning, or similar
• More than seven (7) years' experience
• Prior use and thorough understanding of Merlin, eBird, or other Cornell Lab tools and resources
• Understanding of and interest in conservation, birds, bird monitoring protocols, and related vocabulary
• Experience with the following enterprise components: web servers (e.g., Apache HTTP Server) including virtual host and SSL certificate management; Java application servers (e.g., Apache Tomcat); content management systems (e.g., WordPress); servers providing GIS functionality (e.g., GeoServer); relational databases (e.g., Postgres); single sign-on systems; LDAP servers; automation servers (e.g., Jenkins); analytics and user tracking (e.g., Firebase, HubSpot)
• Knowledge of security issues, disaster recovery, monitoring, virtualization, cloud infrastructure, and enterprise storage technologies
• Experience writing grants and seeking external funding to support technical infrastructure