Employment

Undergraduate Student Employment at the Lab of Ornithology

The Lab of Ornithology and the Cornell University Museum of Vertebrates (located in the same building) have dozens of student employment opportunities each year. From working with the K-12 education team, to preparing museum specimens, to growing the Merlin app or Birds of the World platform, the jobs are diverse and allow students to develop useful skills. Many positions do NOT require that you have a work-study award in your Cornell financial aid package. All student jobs at Cornell are found in the Cornell Workday system. Be sure to search the jobs for “ornithology” or “bird” to find opportunities at the Lab. We also encourage students to reach out directly to Lab and CUMV staff working in your area of interest.

Jobs Beyond Cornell

A tried-and-true next step in gaining research experience is to become a student field assistant. Researchers at Cornell and beyond are always looking for field help—and in recent years, adventurous Cornell undergraduates have headed off to projects across North America and in countries like Borneo, Kenya, Peru, Paraguay, and South Africa. Here’s how to find opportunities:

You can find an extensive jobs forum at the Ornithology Exchange.

The Texas A&M Natural Resources Job Board is a great resource. Check often for new postings.

The National Science Foundation funds Research Experience for Undergraduates internships at dozens of sites, mostly within the United States. A bit of browsing in the “Biological Sciences” section can tell you which REU opportunities involve birds.