Data Visualization Developer

• Full Time
• Contract
• Ithaca, NY (Remote)
• Posted 24 hours ago
• Closes: August 22, 2026
  
  

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

eBird Status & Trends

Contractor Description: Data Visualization Developer – eBird Status and Trends

Business Purpose

The purpose of this engagement is to provide data visualization development expertise to the Center for Avian Population Studies (CAPS) for the eBird Status and Trends project. The consultant will design, build, and deploy compelling, interactive web-based data visualizations—including maps, graphs, charts, and other novel visualization forms—that communicate eBird data products to a broad audience. The consultant will work closely with and under the technical direction of the Lab’s Lead Data Visualization Developer, alongside a multidisciplinary team of designers, developers, computer scientists, GIS specialists, statisticians, and ecologists. The consultant will participate across the full development pipeline—from raw data processing and prototyping to production coding and deployment—translating complex ecological model outputs into accessible, production-grade visual tools that support biodiversity research, conservation decision-making, and public engagement for over 3,000 bird species worldwide.

The Consultant is engaged as an independent contractor and is not an employee, agent, or partner of Cornell University. The Consultant will determine the method, manner, and means of performing the Services, including work schedule and location, subject only to the requirements and deliverables set forth in this Agreement.

Statement of Work

This position is a one-year contract anticipated to begin in September of 2026, with the possibility of extension or renewal depending on project needs and performance.

Working In Close Collaboration With The Lab’s Lead Data Visualization Developer And In Coordination With CAPS Stakeholders (design, Research, And Technical Leads), The Consultant Will Contribute Across The Following Three Areas Of Work

Front-End Visualization Development

• Design, build, and deploy interactive, data-driven visualizations (maps, charts, graphs, and novel forms) as part of a production web environment, using JavaScript and modern front-end frameworks.
• Transform static or experimental visualization concepts into dynamic, scalable, production-ready implementations. Build reusable widgets and components, and support general application infrastructure (e.g., API integration, data flow, state management) not tied to a single visualization.
• Contribute to collaborative design work, including wireframes and prototypes (e.g., in Figma), and rapid live prototyping to explore new visualization and dashboard concepts for internal and external audiences.
• Craft visual storytelling that communicates eBird data effectively across audiences, from domain scientists to the general public.
• Participate in code reviews, testing, debugging, documentation, and deployment using team repositories and standard software configuration practices (e.g., Git).
• Support ongoing modernization of the visualization tech stack (e.g., framework upgrades, new rendering or mapping libraries) as priorities and team direction dictate.
  
  

Geospatial Data & Service Integration

While deep GIS expertise is not required at the outset, this contract has a significant geospatial component that the consultant will be expected to develop over time. Contractors who are comfortable working with diverse data types and structures, and who bring an eye for cartographic and data visualization best practices, will ramp up most naturally into this area of the work.

• Develop and maintain workflows that convert raw tabular and geospatial data (vector and raster) into optimized, web-friendly formats, with support and mentorship from the team as needed.
• Use desktop and programmatic tools to reformat and prototype data structures for visualization use, growing proficiency with geospatial-specific tools over time.
• Contribute to generating and deploying vector tiles from geospatial source data, using desktop and programmatic tools.
• Collaborate on web services and APIs that deliver data and tiles to front-end visualizations, and contribute to the design of data and service structures that support efficient use across the application.
• Help optimize the performance of data delivery and browser-side data processing to support scalable use across devices and user volumes.
  
  

Applied Project Work

• Contribute to specific, evolving CAPS tools and initiatives—such as the priority monitoring tool and the multi-species decision-support tool—under the direction of the Lead Developer and project stakeholders.
• Implement spatial query, filtering, and summary features (e.g., boundary-scoped summaries, concentration area detection, trend reporting) as functional requirements are defined collaboratively with the team.
• Because some tools are in early or exploratory stages, specific requirements and feature scope may evolve over time; the consultant is expected to work adaptively within the broader goals described in this SOW.
  
  

Cross-Cutting Responsibilities (applicable To All Work Areas Above)

• Maintain a working understanding of the CAPS/Status and Trends software architecture sufficient to make informed implementation decisions.
• Document components, workflows, and interfaces to support interoperability and long-term maintainability.
• Track tasks and progress using team project management tools (e.g., JIRA), and maintain reasonable, communicated development schedules.
  
  

Qualifications

We welcome early career contractors! Not all qualifications are necessary, for example, a combo of strong front-end development and/or geospatial experience is suitable.

Required

• Professional experience with JavaScript and at least one modern front-end framework (e.g., Vue, React) used to build interactive, data-driven interfaces.
• Strong foundation in data visualization principles—translating data into clear, effective, and engaging visual representations (charts, graphs, maps, or other visual forms).
• Comfort working with diverse data types and structures, with willingness to build geospatial-specific data literacy (vector/raster formats, tiles, projections) over time.
• Experience with web-based maps or geospatial visualization tools (e.g., Leaflet, Mapbox GL JS, deck.gl) OR a demonstrated eagerness and ability to quickly learn geospatial concepts and tools on the job.
• Ability to translate design concepts and prototypes into clean, production-ready code.
• Comfort working within an established codebase and adapting to existing architecture and conventions.
  
  

Preferred

• Experience with Git-based collaborative development workflows, including code review.
• Experience with D3.js or other custom/low-level visualization libraries.
• Experience generating or serving vector tiles (e.g., Tippecanoe, TileServer GL, PMTiles).
• Experience with R or Python for geospatial data processing (e.g., sf, terra, stars, GDAL-based tooling).
• Familiarity with Vue/Nuxt or similar javascript frameworks
• Experience using agentic LLM coding tools (e.g., Claude Code) in a development workflow.
• Familiarity with server-side or cloud-native geospatial tools (e.g., PostGIS, DuckDB, GeoParquet).
• Background or interest in ecology, conservation science, or scientific/data-driven storytelling.
  
  

Deliverables

• Production Visualizations – Interactive, data-driven web visualizations and dashboards deployed into the production environment for eBird Status and Trends products.
• Priority Monitoring Tool Enhancements – Maintenance and enhancement of the existing interactive spatial monitoring tool, including new capabilities highlighting areas important for rare, low-density, or under-sampled species, delivered ahead of the next field season.
• Multi-Species Decision-Support Tool (v1) – Contributions to the design, development, testing, and deployment of a first version of a web-based tool providing spatially explicit, multi-species summaries (distribution, relative abundance, location importance) for user-defined locations.
• Multispecies Query & Spatial Filtering – Contributions to the design, development, testing, and deployment of a query interface across the eBird Status and Trends species catalog supporting relative abundance, seasonal distribution, and chronology summaries within user-defined spatial extents and time windows, scoped to user-supplied boundaries.
• Data Processing Workflows – Documented, optimized workflows and vector tile pipelines converting raw data into web-friendly, performant formats.
• Reusable Components – Modular front-end components, widgets, and supporting code maintained in team repositories.
• Web Services & APIs – Functioning services and web-mapping endpoints delivering data and tiles to visualizations, built in collaboration with the broader technical team.
• Technical Documentation – Documentation of visualization components, data workflows, and service interfaces sufficient to support knowledge transfer and long-term sustainability.
• Deliverables will be reviewed and accepted by CAPS against agreed requirements and documentation standards. The Consultant shall provide services on a continuous and sustained basis throughout the term of the agreement, maintaining regular availability sufficient to meet milestones and timelines below.
  
  

Timeline

Phase 1 (Months 1–6): Onboarding, Tool Maintenance & Enhancement

• Onboard to CAPS/Status and Trends architecture, repositories, workflows, and data products.
• Maintain and enhance the priority monitoring tool ahead of the next field season, incorporating feedback from prior pilot use.
• Establish data conversion and prototyping workflows; improve existing web-map displays and visualizations.
• Document foundational components, workflows, and interfaces established during this phase.
  
  

Phase 2 (Months 7–12): Decision-Support Tool Development & Sustainability

• Contribute to the design, development, testing, and deployment of the first version of the multi-species decision-support tool.
• Implement multispecies query and boundary-scoped spatial filtering, including concentration area identification and trend reporting.
• Optimize performance of tile pipelines and web-mapping services for scalable delivery.
• Finalize reusable components, templates, and documentation to ensure long-term maintainability beyond the engagement term.
  
  

Contract Value: $130,000 annually

To request more information, please reach out to Marisol Mata, Technical Project Manager, mm2678 [at] cornell.edu

To apply for this job email your details to mm2678@cornell.edu