Okay, I've searched for full-time Database Engineer roles in Ithaca, NY with a hybrid work arrangement, requiring 3+ years of experience and strong SQL skills. I have found several positions matching your criteria ready for your review.

Sure. Here's the analysis:

Job Analysis:

The Database Engineer role at Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a deeply technical position designed to develop and maintain robust, scalable database infrastructure that underpins globally impactful bird conservation tools and scientific platforms. The core purpose is to engineer high-performance SQL-driven systems that support data-intensive applications like eBird and BirdCast, enabling accurate research, public engagement, and biodiversity conservation. Beyond coding skills, this role demands strategic thinking around data architecture, performance optimization, and evolving cloud-native infrastructure, highlighting the importance of experience with ETL pipelines, procedural SQL (especially PostgreSQL/PLpgSQL), and cloud environments such as AWS. The candidate will regularly collaborate across multidisciplinary teams, interpreting scientific and technical needs to translate large, complex biological datasets into accessible and reliable services. The job requires strong problem-solving abilities to troubleshoot production issues, optimize large-scale queries, and implement efficient data migrations or transformations. A successful candidate is autonomous yet communicative, balancing urgent operational fixes with longer-term architecture improvements. They must thrive amid ambiguity, adapt to shifting priorities, and contribute actively to a psychologically healthy, inclusive culture. Early successes might be measured by stable, performant database releases supporting critical applications and seamless team integration fostering collaborative innovation.

Company Analysis:

Cornell Lab of Ornithology sits at the intersection of cutting-edge technology and environmental stewardship within a prestigious and resource-rich university context. As a recognized leader in citizen science and biodiversity data management, it operates with a clear mission to advance conservation through robust scientific data and public engagement platforms. The organization’s culture values inclusivity, collaboration, and continuous learning, reflected in its emphasis on psychological safety and respect across teams. Working here means joining a community dedicated not only to technical excellence but also to a larger social and environmental mission, suggesting that passion for nature and conservation is a meaningful plus in terms of cultural fit. The hybrid role within a university setting blends the stability and benefits of academia with the innovation-driven mindset of a high-tech group, requiring adaptability to both structured and fluid project demands. This Database Engineer role, embedded within the engineering team, offers visibility and influence in shaping the Lab’s data infrastructure critical to sustaining global conservation tools. Strategically, this hire supports Cornell Lab’s growth in scalable cloud platforms and big data analytics, directly enabling its mission-driven impact, thus making this role both technically demanding and deeply purpose-driven.

Absolutely. Here are some mock interview questions that could come up:

• Behavioral: Tell me about a time when you had to troubleshoot a critical database performance issue in a production environment. How did you identify and resolve the problem?
• Behavioral: Describe an experience where you collaborated with cross-functional teams to develop or optimize a data-driven application. What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them?
• Behavioral: Can you share an example of how you managed competing priorities or urgent tasks while maintaining long-term project goals?
• Behavioral: How have you contributed to fostering a positive, inclusive, and collaborative team culture in your previous roles?
• Technical: How would you design and optimize a complex ETL pipeline to handle large-scale avian biodiversity datasets with frequent updates?
• Technical: Explain your process for writing efficient, performant SQL queries and stored procedures, particularly in PostgreSQL or a similar relational database environment.
• Technical: What strategies and tools do you use to monitor, maintain, and improve database availability and reliability in a 24x7 production system?
• Technical: Describe your experience with cloud infrastructure services (e.g., AWS) and how you would leverage them to scale a database-driven application supporting millions of users.
• Situational: Imagine you discover that a recent data migration introduced inconsistencies impacting a public-facing bird sighting platform. How would you approach identifying, communicating, and resolving the issue?
• Situational: You are tasked with re-architecting a legacy data warehouse to improve query performance and scalability. How would you prioritize and plan this project?
• Situational: How would you handle a conflict between database performance requirements from application developers and data integrity or security policies?
• Company Fit: What draws you personally to the mission of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and its focus on birds and biodiversity conservation?
• Company Fit: How do you see your technical skills and values aligning with our culture of collaboration, inclusion, and impact-driven work?
• Company Fit: Given our hybrid work environment and university setting, how do you manage productivity and communication effectively in such a setting?
• Questions for Interviewer: How does the engineering team currently integrate new database technologies or best practices into existing systems?
• Questions for Interviewer: What are the biggest technical challenges the Cornell Lab faces in scaling its data infrastructure over the next few years?
• Questions for Interviewer: Can you describe the typical career growth path and professional development opportunities for engineers within the Lab?