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 use…