Photography and Media Studios Technician

The Opportunity

The College of Architecture, Art, and Planning (AAP) at Cornell University is seeking a talented and collaborative Photography and Media Studios Technician to play a critical role in supporting the creative, technical, and educational mission of one of the nation's premier art and design programs. In this highly visible position, you will serve as a key resource for students, faculty, and staff by overseeing the operations of photography and media arts facilities, managing shared equipment resources, and helping bring ambitious creative projects to life.

This is far more than a traditional technical support role. You will be a trusted partner in teaching, research, and artistic practice, helping students develop confidence with professional equipment and processes while supporting faculty in delivering innovative coursework. From darkroom and digital labs to studio lighting, camera systems, fine art inkjet printing, sound, video, and emerging media technologies, you will provide hands-on technical support while developing your expertise alongside the evolving needs of the program.

The position serves as the operational steward of the Photography and Media Arts, Performance, and Sound (MAPS) studios, Fine Art Print Center, and Tjaden Equipment Cage, one of the department's most important shared resources. The equipment cage is a major part of the role, requiring careful management of equipment circulation, tracking, readiness, maintenance and availability, as well as management of the student monitors who support these operations. You will help ensure that facilities remain organized, safe, accessible, and equipped to meet the evolving needs of a vibrant and active academic community. Success in this role requires a combination of technical knowledge, operational excellence, instructional ability, problem-solving ability, and a genuine commitment to supporting others.

Safety and chemical compliance are important part of the position. The photography labs support a range of analog processes, including alternative photo processes, silver gelatin, c-41 film processing, and renewed interest in 16mm and 8mm film processing. The technician works with the Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) to support safe studio and laboratory operations, including safety training, chemical inventory and storage, and appropriate handling and disposal of photographic chemicals and studio waste.

If you enjoy working at the intersection of art, technology, education, and community, and thrive in an environment where no two days are the same, this is an exciting opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the student experience while helping shape the future of creative practice and technical learning within the arts.

About AAP:

The College of Architecture, Art, and Planning at Cornell University (Cornell AAP) includes the departments of Architecture, Art, City and Regional Planning, the Paul Rubacha Department of Real Estate, jointly led by AAP and the SC Johnson College of Business, the multicollege Department of Design Tech, and the Cornell Mui Ho Center for Cities. The college spans three locations in Ithaca, New York City, and Rome, Italy, each with world-class facilities and cutting-edge technologies.

Cornell AAP is about acts of transformation. We are committed to reimagining and reshaping the world in new ways, every day. A vital college at one of the nation's foremost research universities, Cornell AAP brings faculty, staff, and students together from around the world to take up some of today's most urgent challenges and advance research, inquiry, and collaborative approaches to designing, making, and doing that make a more just and resilient future.

What We Need:

• Associates degree and 2 to 4 years of relevant professional experience in art education, photography, media arts, studio operations, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Demonstrated technical proficiency in photography, digital imaging, studio lighting, camera systems, darkroom processes, fine art inkjet printing, or related media arts technologies.
• Experience working in a shared instructional, studio, laboratory, maker-space, or production environment.
• Strong organizational and operational skills with the ability to manage shared resources, maintain reliable systems, and balance competing priorities.
• Ability to provide approachable technical instruction, demonstrations, troubleshooting, and guidance to individuals with varying levels of experience.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills, with a commitment to providing responsive and respectful support for students, faculty, and staff with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.
• Commitment to fostering a welcoming, inclusive, equitable, and student-centered environment.
• Ability to support and promote safe studio operations, including adherence to applicable safety procedures and protocols.
• A resume and cover letter.

If you have all those things, great! We have a few more things that we would prefer you to have, but it's ok if you don't:

• Experience supervising, training, scheduling or coordinating student employees or support staff.
• Experience managing equipment checkout programs, lending systems, or large inventories of shared technical resources.
• Experience supporting media arts technologies, including video, audio, projection, animation, interactive media, performance technologies, or time-based media practices.
• Experience operating or supporting a fine art print center or professional inkjet print workflow.
• Experience in higher education, art school, museum, gallery, creative studio, or similar learning environment.
• Knowledge of studio safety practices, chemical handling procedures, environmental health and safety requirements, or regulatory compliance programs.
• Experience researching, evaluating, and implementing new technologies, equipment, or creative workflows.
• Interest in advancing sustainability, stewardship, and responsible resource management within creative and technical studio environments.

What Success Looks Like:

Successful candidates are service-oriented professionals who enjoy helping others succeed. They combine technical knowledge with patience, curiosity, and a collaborative spirit. They are comfortable balancing daily operational responsibilities while remaining flexible enough to support evolving technologies, creative projects, and instructional needs. They communicate effectively and build strong working relationships with student, faculty, staff and student employees while maintaining reliable systems and high-quality serice. They are able to navigate competing needs, feedback, and unexpected challenges with professionalism and perspective. Most importantly, they view their expertise as a resource that empowers students and faculty to learn, experiment, and create at the highest level.

• 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.
• 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.

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