Research Associate - Bovi-Analytics Lab

Zymtronix Catalytic Systems Inc; Town of Ithaca (NY); Remote; USD 80,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading research firm in Ithaca is looking for a Research Associate to bridge advanced research and practical applications in dairy farming. This role includes leading interdisciplinary teams, conducting innovative research in AI and data analytics, and mentoring junior researchers. The ideal candidate will have a Ph.D. and expertise in machine learning, cloud ML platforms, and a deep understanding of dairy farm systems. Competitive salary and potential for remote work are included.

Qualifications

• Expertise in digital agriculture and machine learning applications.
• Experience in interdisciplinary research environments.
• Proficient in leading complex projects across various disciplines.

Responsibilities

• Lead interdisciplinary research collaborations.
• Conduct independent scientific research ensuring methodological rigor.
• Develop and maintain cloud-based ML environments.

Skills

Digital agriculture

Applied machine learning

Interdisciplinary research

Dairy farm systems

Python programming

AI system design

Cloud-based ML platforms

Education

Ph.D. in Computer Science or closely related field

Tools

Azure

AWS

Databricks

GitHub

Job description

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. 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 Bovi‑Analytics Lab is at the forefront of digital innovation in the dairy industry, integrating artificial intelligence, advanced analytics, and software engineering to enhance dairy cattle management and farm operations. Our mission is to translate cutting‑edge computational research into practical, scalable solutions for modern dairy farms. We develop machine learning models, decision‑support tools, and digital platforms that improve production efficiency, herd health monitoring, labor optimization, and sustainability outcomes.

We are seeking a highly motivated and collaborative Research Associate with expertise in digital agriculture, applied machine learning, and interdisciplinary research. The successful candidate will collaborate closely with Dr. Miel Hostens, Associate Professor of Digital Dairy Management and Data Analytics. This position bridges advanced research and real‑world deployment. The Research Associate will lead and contribute to interdisciplinary research projects, develop externally funded proposals, mentor students and junior researchers, and help operationalize AI‑driven systems for the dairy industry.

Position Function

• Lead interdisciplinary research collaborations involving animal scientists, veterinarians, computer scientists, engineers, and industry partners.
• Conduct independent and collaborative scientific research in areas of GenAI and privacy‑preserving modeling in dairy science, ensuring methodological rigor, reproducibility, and high‑impact scholarly output.
• Lead the design, architecture, and deployment of advanced AI systems, including machine learning, federated modeling frameworks, multi‑agent systems, and AI pipelines for dairy farming applications.
• Develop, co‑lead, and contribute to competitive grant proposals (federal, state, foundation, and industry sources), including large multi‑investigator submissions, and contribute to sponsored project reporting and compliance requirements.
• Architect and maintain cloud‑based ML environments (e.g., Azure, AWS, Databricks) including governance, role‑based access control (RBAC), MLOps best practices, reproducible workflows, and CI/CD automation.
• Lead dissemination of scholarly outputs, publish in high‑impact peer‑reviewed journals, and present at national and international scientific conferences.
• Mentor graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, and other junior researchers in AI model development, reproducible research practices, and scholarly dissemination.
• Support laboratory operations and strategic growth, including project planning, research coordination, hiring and interviewing lab personnel, and maintaining collaborative research infrastructure.
• Contribute to outreach and dissemination efforts translating AI research into stakeholder‑facing solutions for the dairy sector.

Anticipated Division of Time

• Research & Development - 35%
• Funding Activities - 30%
• Technical Leadership & Consultation - 15%
• Publication & Dissemination - 15%
• Lab Management & Collaboration Coordination - 5%

Required Skills and Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Computer Science, Data Science, Animal Science (with computational emphasis), or a closely related field.
• Experience working in interdisciplinary research environments.
• Demonstrated deep understanding of dairy farm systems and operational management.
• Demonstrated ability to independently lead complex technical projects and collaborate across disciplines.
• Demonstrated expertise in machine learning, deep learning, statistical modeling, and AI system design applied to biological or agricultural systems.
• Experience architecting scalable AI pipelines, including model evaluation, deployment, and lifecycle management (MLOps).
• Experience with cloud‑based ML platforms (e.g., Azure, AWS, Databricks) and version‑controlled collaborative development environments (e.g., GitHub).
• Strong programming proficiency in Python; experience with ML frameworks such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, or equivalent. Publication records in peer‑reviewed journals.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate complex technical findings to both scientific and applied audiences.
• Proven success mentoring undergraduate or graduate students.

Preferred Skills and Qualifications

• One or more years of postdoctoral research experience.
• Track record of contributing to or securing competitive external grant funding.
• Experience deploying AI/ML models in production or near‑production environments.
• Project management experience: Project Management Professional (PMP) certification is a plus. Experience with generative AI systems and/or advanced GenAI certifications.
• International research collaboration experience and multilingual ability are helpful.

Salary

Commensurate with experience. Hiring range for this title is $80,000 – $85,000.

Appointment

This is a full‑time, 1‑year term, with possibility of renewal up to 3 years pending funding, available work and successful performance. The appointment can be fully remote. There may be occasions where the RA will be expected to return to the Ithaca campus for 3‑5 days quarterly. The Research Associate should be prepared and available to come to the Ithaca campus. Should this occur, advanced notice will be provided to make necessary arrangements; however, advance notice cannot be guaranteed. The Research Associate will be responsible for their travel related expenses including meal, lodging, and transportation costs to and from Ithaca, unless applicable law requires otherwise.

Supervision

Primary supervisor is Dr. Miel Hostens, Robert and Anne Everett Associate Professor of Digital Dairy Management and Data Analytics, Animal Science.

Supervision Exercised

Supervision of undergraduate student employees and research students for projects leading to senior theses and peer‑reviewed publications.

To Apply

Please apply via Academic Jobs Online https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/31874. Qualified candidates should submit a short cover letter, curriculum vitae, and contact information for three references via the website.

Applications

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

EEO Statement

Cornell welcomes students, faculty, and staff with diverse backgrounds from across the globe to pursue world‑class education and career opportunities, to further the founding principle of “... any person ... any study.” No person shall be denied employment on the basis of any legally protected status or subjected to prohibited discrimination involving, but not limited to, such factors as race, ethnic or national origin, citizenship and immigration status, color, sex, 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.