[Nhcoll-l] Collections Manager; Cornell University Museum of Vertebrates

[Casey Brandon Dillman]

The Cornell University Museum of Vetebrates is hiring a Collections Manager! The application link is at the end.

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University embraces diversity and seeks candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff of all identities and backgrounds. We strongly encourage individuals from underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply.

The Cornell University Museum of Vertebrates (CUMV) is part of Cornell's Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB), where this position falls within the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. The CUMV is a dynamic institution co-located with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in the Johnson Center for Biodiversity. The CUMV manages four renowned vertebrate collections (Ichthyology, Herpetology, Ornithology, and Mammalogy) that are used for research, teaching, and outreach by museum staff, Cornell students and faculty, and external collaborators. With 1.5M total specimens, the CUMV collections are a unique and irreplaceable record of vertebrate biodiversity over space and time. The CUMV's collections of 1.3M fishes make the Ichthyology holdings a particular nexus of long-term scholarly value and continued active research and collections growth. The CUMV is also central to Cornell’s “whole specimen” endeavor that links traditional specimens with cutting-edge digital specimen information (e.g., CT-scans of morphology and physiology; DNA data and genomics; locational data on distributions; sound and video recordings of behavior; etc.).

The CUMV seeks a full-time Collections Manager to assist with the day-to-day activities of accessioning, cataloging, loaning, labeling, shelving and caring for physical specimens. This role is integral to the management, organization, growth, and scientific use of Cornell’s collections by providing essential collections management support to the entire CUMV, with a particular emphasis on curating and growing the fish collections, data infrastructure (currently managed with the relational database platform Specify), and management of permits and specimen loans. Other duties include recruiting and supervising student workers, and providing tours and orientation sessions for Cornell classes and similar stakeholder constituencies.

The Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology is committed to fostering a healthy workplace that values diverse perspectives and backgrounds as well as supporting growth and advancement opportunities; our community welcome staff who are still learning in their careers and who are motivated to take on new challenges.

Required Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field and a minimum of 2 years experience. Comprehensive working knowledge of global fish taxonomic diversity. Familiarity with overall vertebrate biodiversity. Experience working with Specify or similar relational databases in the context of natural history collection management. Organized, self-starting, eager to learn and adapt collections management skills, and very strong attention to detail. Willingness to learn and follow safety protocols and procedures to ensure compliance in the museum. Familiarity with various modern computer software programs, including word processing, spreadsheets, and databases.

Preferred Qualifications:
MS in ichthyology or a related field, or equivalent work experience. Experience with respectfully engaging undergraduates and supervising and supporting student workers. Experience and knowledge of preparing and managing a diversity of vertebrate specimen types. Experience with the identification, taxonomy, and diversity of North American freshwater fishes. Comfortable in field research settings. Experience in applying for state and federal permits for museum-relevant activities.


Collection Management/Curation/Accession (40%)
•     Maintain and curate the CUMV’s vertebrate holdings, with a particular focus on the ichthyology collection, following professional best-practices for maximizing their         current use and long-term curatorial integrity.
•     Maintain detailed records of accessions, information requests, and loan paperwork
•     Prepare and ship specimen loans, receive and check-in loans from other institutions, and loans returned to CUMV
•     Engage in specimen collection and preparation
•     Accession specimens (contemporary and historical) into collections
•     Data entry and data management for specimens in Specify
•     Maintain and keep organized the tissue collections for Ichthyology and Herpetology
•     Recruit, train, supervise and support 2-5 student curatorial assistants/semester


Museum Catalog and Database Management (25%)

·      Serve as the Lead Database Manager for Specify for all CUMV collections

·      Serve as the primary point of contact with the Specify consortium

·      Push CUMV specimen data to global repositories

·      Help maintain records of publications using CUMV specimens

·      Compile reports concerning use of materials from loans and growth of collections

·      Aid curators and other professionals with data inquiries and requests

·      Maintain and develop protocols to ensure data standardization and accuracy within CUMV’s Specify database

·      Liaise with IT specialists in other Cornell units on data structure and infrastructure management


Education and Outreach (15%)

·      Support the large number of Cornell classes that annually visit the collections, borrow specimens, and/or have regular laboratory sessions held at the CUMV

·      Lead CUMV tours for classes and other Cornell groups

·      Liaison and collaborate with the Lab of Ornithology’s education & outreach groups

·      Help maintain connections with the larger campus community to showcase the CUMV at campus activities (e.g., during employee activity/appreciation events, biology department annual career fair, homecoming, reunion weekend, etc.)


      Help organize and participate in open house events that highlight the use of collections and their importance to research, teaching, and conservation.


Permitting, Reporting, Safety, and Compliance (15%)

·      Maintain state-level collecting permits for ichthyology and herpetology

·      Aid in submitting permits for collecting fishes in other states

·      Manage import/export permits and processes for fish and herp materials

·      Maintain necessary trainings and certifications to support CUMV activities (e.g., Cornell hazardous waste management, OSHA compliances, EPA regulation compliance, DOT shipping regulations)

·      Act as a liaison between CUMV staff and students (graduate, undergraduate, and post-doctoral) that engage in field-based research to help coordinate and communicate permitting needs and resolve issues before they arise

·      Work with other collection mangers in solving permitting needs of curators, faculty, and students

Other Duties (5%):

  *   Attend CUMV staff and departmental/team meetings
  *   Pursue individual professional development as determined jointly with supervisor, particularly in areas where curatorial best-practices and opportunities are changing or evolving.
  *   Participate in continuous learning and specialized training to enhance professional knowledge and skill
  *   Establish and maintain a safe, productive and respectful working environment that fosters a culture of inclusivity and teamwork. Create and foster an environment that fosters diversity, equity, and inclusion in all endeavors. Diversity is a core value at Cornell University and in our department and museum. The CUMV is passionate about building and sustaining a just, diverse, inclusive, and equitable working and learning environment for all students, staff, and faculty. The CUMV community believes that every member on our team enriches our diversity by exposing us to a broad range of ways to understand and engage with the world, identify challenges, and to discover, design and deliver solutions.

·      Other duties as assigned


https://cornell.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/CornellCareerPage/job/Ithaca-Main-Campus/CUMV-Collections-Manager---Ecology-and-Evolutionary-Biology_WDR-00034410-1

Thanks,
Casey
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Casey B. Dillman
Curator of Fishes, Amphibians & Reptiles
Cornell University Museum of Vertebrates
159 Sapsucker Woods Road
Ithaca, NY 14850
cbd63 at cornell.edu
Ph: 607-254-2162
Fax: 607-254-2415

Website: www.cumv.cornell.edu

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