Technical Project Manager

Zymtronix Catalytic Systems Inc; City of Ithaca (NY); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Cornell Lab of Ornithology in Ithaca, NY, invites a Technical Project Manager to oversee Merlin, eBird and related services, guiding agile software teams and coordinating multi-disciplinary contributors to deliver data products for conservation practitioners.

The role emphasizes translating new ideas into features, managing scope and timelines, and ensuring stakeholder alignment while fostering an inclusive, collaborative environment across teams. Hybrid work is possible.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in software development management, biological sciences, information sciences or other relevant field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Three (3)+ years of relevant work experience in project management and coordinating software engineering teams.
• Experience watching birds and/or working on projects to advance bird conservation.
• Exceptional project management skills to coordinate multiple groups working towards the same deliverable and timeline for public launch.
• Experience managing complex technical projects across multiple teams and cross-functional groups.
• In depth technical knowledge of software development and modern web application development techniques, including experience with frontend user interfaces and integrating these into complex enterprise systems involving APIs and web services.
• Experience using software development project management tools (e.g. Jira, GitHub).
• Strong communication skills to clearly articulate vision and plans to all levels of management, staff, new partners, funding agencies

Responsibilities

• Oversee complex software projects from start to finish, providing direction to Agile/Scrum teams.
• Manage deliverables and ensure successful delivery of new software to the community.
• Coordinate with engineers and project leadership to define scope and align activities across teams.

Skills

Project management

Cross-functional coordination

Stakeholder communication

Agile/Scrum

Frontend knowledge

APIs & web services

Bird conservation experience

Software development knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Tools

Jira

GitHub

Job description

Technical Project Manager

No Visa Sponsorship is available for this position.

The work location is Ithaca, New York with the possibility of a hybrid work schedule that would be determined by the supervisor.

About the Cornell Lab of Ornithology

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a global leader at the intersection of technology and conservation. We steward over a petabyte of biodiversity data, including more than two billion bird observations and 100 million wildlife media assets, transforming it into tools that put conservation science in the hands of the public through machine learning and a global community of birders. Our platforms — eBird and Merlin Bird ID — connect millions of people to birds every day, in nearly every country on Earth. In peak months, Merlin identifies a bird more than 130 times a second. Since Sound ID launched in 2021, the barrier between curious and capable has all but disappeared: point your phone at a singing bird, and Merlin names it in real time. Through partnerships with hundreds of organizations worldwide, our technology turns everyday curiosity into real-world conservation outcomes at a global scale. We’re now building the next chapter — evolving Merlin from a single app into a full ecosystem of products and experiences that bridges the digital and in-person worlds. It’s a rare moment to join a team pushing the boundaries of conservation technology, at the exact point where that work is about to scale dramatically.

What will you do

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is seeking a creative, mission-driven Technical Project Manager to focus on Merlin, eBird and services supporting the Macaulay Library media archive and delivering data products to conservation practitioners. This role will join a team that shares the mission of connecting people to nature and conservation through birds. As part of a team of software engineers, content creators, machine learning researchers, and conservation scientists this role will be the lynchpin in translating new ideas for how to serve a global community in participating in watching birds into features and data products for conservation practitioners. The data collected through eBird and associated apps is directly tied to data products used in conservation decision-making and positive environmental outcomes. Join us to shape the next generation of tools and data resources for the birding and conservation community.

The Technical Project Manager is responsible for overseeing complex software projects from start to finish, providing direction, guidance, and motivation to Agile/Scrum teams of software engineers and project staff, managing deliverables, and ensuring successful delivery of new software to the community. This role includes: 1) project planning, resource allocation, implementation, communication, coordination, tracking, and reporting; 2) working with engineers and project leadership to define scope and coordinate activities between technical teams and other collaborators; 3) advising and assisting senior staff and/or other clients with the formulation of project budgets, and with project financial management; 4) communicating project scope, goals and responsibilities to the project team; establishing and maintaining clear stakeholder expectations and managing these expectations as projects evolve.

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.

What We Need

• A resume is required for further consideration for this position. A cover letter outlining your interest and how your experience and goals align with the potential for mutual success in the role are strongly encouraged 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 software development management, biological sciences, information sciences or other relevant field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Three (3)+ years of relevant work experience in project management and coordinating software engineering teams.
• Experience watching birds and/or working on projects to advance bird conservation.
• Exceptional project management skills to coordinate multiple groups working towards the same deliverable and timeline for public launch.
• Experience managing complex technical projects across multiple teams and cross-functional groups.
• In depth technical knowledge of software development and modern web application development techniques, including experience with frontend user interfaces and with integrating these into complex enterprise systems involving APIs and web services.
• Experience using software development project management tools (e.g. Jira, GitHub).
• Strong communication skills (written and oral) to clearly articulate vision and plans, and provide instruction effectively to all levels of management, staff, new partners, funding agencies