Graduate Field Assistant / Course Coordinator

The Opportunity

The Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Cornell University is seeking an organized and collaborative professional to serve as a Graduate Field Assistant/Course Coordinator. Under general supervision, the role serves as a key resource to graduate students, faculty, and department leadership, providing comprehensive administrative support for graduate programs, course coordination, departmental operations, and academic events.

The successful candidate will manage multiple priorities, work closely with faculty and students, and serve as a knowledgeable resource on department, college, and university policies and procedures.

Key Responsibilities:

• Support graduate program administration by assisting the Director of Graduate Studies and Graduate Admissions Committee, managing graduate student data and financial support, and tracking student progress toward degree completion.
• Work collaboratively with the Chair and the Director of Graduate Studies to assign TAships for EEB courses.
• Support graduate recruitment and student engagement by developing recruitment materials, maintaining prospective student communications, supporting the department website, and coordinating commencement and other student events.
• Coordinate undergraduate and graduate courses by maintaining course information and databases, supporting course scheduling and enrollment, coordinating exams and course evaluations, processing course proposals, and assisting with course budgets, materials, supplies, and field trips.
• Provide departmental administrative support by maintaining databases and directories, coordinating supplies and equipment, supporting mail and key services, assisting with accounting and budget tracking, and serving as a resource for departmental policies and procedures.
• Support departmental committees and events, including coordinating colloquia and guest speakers, managing event logistics and budgets, and processing travel reimbursements and honoraria.

This is a full time (39 hours/week) Contract College position based in Ithaca, NY and fully on-site. Work hours are 8:00am to 4:30pm Monday through Friday.  

About the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

In our department we value science and education grounded in the natural history of organisms and strive to understand the patterns and processes that structure communities and ecosystems, and drive evolutionary change over all geographical and time scales. As new methods provide insight into ecological and evolutionary mechanism and function, we seek to refine fundamental concepts, integrate findings into novel theory, and address environmental challenges

What We Need

We are seeking a team-oriented and organized professional who is customer service focused, detail-oriented, resourceful, and skilled at solving problems. Additionally, you will have: 

• An Associate’s Degree; and 2 to 4 years relevant experience or equivalent combination.
• Related experience could include a history of increasing responsibility in an administrative office.
• Computer experience essential, excellent knowledge of Word and Excel required.
• Demonstrated ability to keep issues and student files and information confidential and work with a wide variety of personnel comfortably (faculty, staff, graduate students, undergraduates).
• Sound judgment, excellent reasoning and decision-making skills, meticulous record keeping and ability to work with diverse personalities. 
• The aptitude to work under pressure with a great deal of initiative. 
• Experience working independently on regular tasks consulting with supervisor on questionable situations. 
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to prioritize multiple projects. 
• The ability to work well with others is required while creating a high-quality and respectful work environment.
• The ability to communicate with tact and diplomacy with a wide range of internal and external constituencies is a must. 
• Demonstrated ability to handle sensitive/confidential material in a professional manner.
• Experience advocating for individuals from a broad range of backgrounds.

A cover letter and resume are required for consideration for this position.

Rewards and Benefits

• This position is based in Ithaca, New York and fully on-site.
• Cornell receives national recognition as an award-winning workplace for our health, wellbeing, sustainability, and diversity initiatives.
• Our benefits programs include comprehensive health care options, generous retirement contributions, access to wellness programs, and employee discounts with local and national retail brands. We invite you to follow this link to get more information about our benefits: Understand Your Benefits | Working at Cornell.
• Our leave provisions include health and personal leave, three weeks of vacation and 13 holidays: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and an end of the year winter break from December 25-January 1. To offer greater flexibility for observing faiths and traditions we also offer two additional floating holidays. Learn more about our generous leave provisions: Holiday and Accrued Time Off | Working at Cornell
• Cornell's impressive educational benefits include tuition-free Extramural Study and Employee Degree Program, tuition aid for external education, and Cornell Children's Tuition Assistance Program. Learn more about our extensive educational benefits: Education Benefits | Working at Cornell
• Follow this link to learn more about the Total Rewards of Working at Cornell: Total Rewards | Working at Cornell.
• Visa Sponsorship is not available for this position.

University Job Title:

Student Services Asst IV

Job Family:

Student Services

Level:

D

Pay Rate Type:

Hourly

Pay Range:

$26.09 - $30.32

Remote Option Availability:

Onsite

Company:

Contract College

Contact Name:

Jamie Doss

Contact Email:

[email protected]

Job Titles and Pay Ranges:

Non-Union Positions

Noted pay ranges reflect the potential pay opportunity for each job profile. The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined considering the following criteria:

• Prior relevant work or industry experience

• Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position

• Unique applicable skills

• Academic Discipline

To learn more about Cornell’s non-union staff job titles and pay ranges, see Career Navigator.

Union Positions

The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined in accordance with the rates in the respective collective bargaining agreement. To learn more about Cornell’s union wages, see Union Pay Rates.

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For general questions about the position or the application process, please contact the Recruiter listed in the job posting or email [email protected].

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Cornell welcomes students, faculty, and staff with diverse backgrounds from across the globe to pursue world-class education and career opportunities, to further the founding principle of “... any person ... any study.” No person shall be denied employment on the basis of any legally protected status or subjected to prohibited discrimination involving, but not limited to, such factors as race, ethnic or national origin, citizenship and immigration status, color, sex, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, age, creed, religion, actual or perceived disability (including persons associated with such a person), arrest and/or conviction record, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender expression and/or identity, an individual’s genetic information, domestic violence victim status, familial status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

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2026-09-25