Author: Donna Jeno-Amici

PREP 0002824 — PREP Research Associate: Quantitation of AAV Genome Size (Postdoc)

This position is part of the National Institute of Standards (NIST) Professional Research Experience (PREP) program in support of microwave impedance measurements. NIST recognizes that its research staff may wish to collaborate with researchers at academic institutions on specific projects of mutual interest, thus requires that such institutions must be the recipient of a PREP award. The PREP program requires staff from a wide range of backgrounds to work on scientific research in many areas. Employees in this position will perform technical work that underpins the scientific research of the collaboration.

The work will entail:

This position supports a project focused on developing and validating novel measurement methods for adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapy vectors. The primary goal is to address the critical quality control issue of accurately characterizing and quantifying “partially full” viral capsids.

The PREP associate will work with a unique set of AAV samples engineered with specifically sized DNA genomes to simulate known filling states. The core of the work involves using advanced microscopy and analytical techniques to establish a quantitative relationship between the AAV genome size, the physical filling state of the capsid, and the capsid’s surface hydrophobicity.

This research directly supports the NIST mission of advancing biomanufacturing by enabling the development of reference materials and more scalable quality control methods for the gene therapy industry.

Key responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

  • Participating in the production and purification of Adeno-Associated Virus (AAV) samples
  • Performing characterization of AAV preparations using techniques such as droplet digital PCR (ddPCR), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and size exclusion chromatography (SEC)
  • Performing cryogenic electron microscopy (CryoEM) analysis on AAV samples
  • Conducting atomic force microscopy (AFM) and chemical force microscopy (CFM) experiments
  • Analyzing and correlating data from CryoEM, Analytical Ultracentrifugation (AUC), and AFM to establish clear relationships between AAV genome size, filling state, and capsid hydrophobicity
  • Adhering to all biosafety protocols for materials such as AAVs and human cell lines
  • Presenting results at internal meetings and potentially at scientific conferences
  • Publication of results in peer-reviewed journals
  • Ensuring that experimental results, protocols, and data analysis are thoroughly documented and archived

Qualifications:

  • A Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, Biochemistry, Biophysics, or a closely related field
  • Experience with the production, purification, and characterization of viral vectors (particularly AAV), viruses, or other biologics
  • Proficiency in standard biochemical and molecular biology assays, such as qPCR, ddPCR, ELISA, and protein/nucleic acid quantification
  • Experience in quantitative data analysis and the ability to correlate results from multiple complex analytical methods
  • Strong oral and written communication skills, evidenced by a track record of publications and/or scientific presentations
  • Ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a multi-disciplinary team

Please upload the following (preferably in a single PDF) with your application:

  • CV/Resume

Privacy Act Statement

Authority: 15 U.S.C. § 278g-1(e)(1) and (e)(3) and 15 U.S.C. § 272(b) and (c)

Purpose: The National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) hosts the Professional Research Experience Program (PREP) which is designed to provide valuable laboratory experience and financial assistance to undergraduates, post-bachelor’s degree holders, graduate students, master’s degree holders, postdocs, and faculty.

PREP is a 5-year cooperative agreement between NIST laboratories and participating PREP Universities to establish a collaborative research relationship between NIST and U.S. institutions of higher education in the following disciplines including (but may not be limited to) biochemistry, biological sciences, chemistry, computer science, engineering, electronics, materials science, mathematics, nanoscale science, neutron science, physical science, physics, and statistics. This collection of information is needed to facilitate administrative functions of the PREP Program.

Routine Uses: NIST will use the information collected to perform the requisite reviews of the applications to determine eligibility, and to meet programmatic requirements. Disclosure of this information is also subject to all the published routine uses as identified in the Privacy Act System of Records Notices: NIST-1: NIST Associates.

Disclosure: Furnishing this information is voluntary. When you submit the form, you are indicating your voluntary consent for NIST to use of the information you submit for the purpose stated.

PREP Research Associate: Quantitation of AAV Genome Size

NIST MML – 63 has a new PREP research opportunity described below and in the attached (PREP 0002824). The NIST Sponsor is seeking candidate recommendations.

  • Project Title/Description: Quantitation of AAV genome size
  • OU: MML – 63
  • Div: 645
  • Group: Biomolecular Structure and Function Group
  • Level of Appointment: postdoc
  • Schedule of Appointment: full time
  • Total Hours per week: 40
  • Work Location: Physically at University
  • Requested Start Date: 2025-10-01
  • End Date: 2026-09-30

PREP 0003516 — PREP Research Associate: Human-Centered Cybersecurity Research and Community Standards Development (Grad Student)

This position is part of the National Institute of Standards (NIST) Professional Research Experience (PREP) program in support of microwave impedance measurements. NIST recognizes that its research staff may wish to collaborate with researchers at academic institutions on specific projects of mutual interest, thus requires that such institutions must be the recipient of a PREP award. The PREP program requires staff from a wide range of backgrounds to work on scientific research in many areas. Employees in this position will perform technical work that underpins the scientific research of the collaboration.

The work will entail:

In direct support of NIST’s mission to advance measurement science and standards, the PREP student will work on Human-Centered Cybersecurity (HCC) projects. Human-centered cybersecurity is an approach that puts people at the forefront when designing and implementing cybersecurity systems, products, and processes by considering human needs, motivations, behaviors, and abilities.

Under the guidance of a NIST sponsor, the student will contribute to a project to develop a standard description of human-centered-cybersecurity. In addition, the student will help develop guidance, mapped to the NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0, on how to apply HCC concepts within organizations. The work will include data collection and analysis for a research study aimed at understanding current perceptions of human-centered cybersecurity among various groups of cybersecurity stakeholders.

The student will also assist NIST staff with mapping HCC concepts to the NIST Cybersecurity Framework by searching for and summarizing applicable human factors frameworks, organizing and synthesizing public comments, and writing guidance. This is an excellent opportunity to contribute to community standards for human-centered cybersecurity that may be used around the world.

Key responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

  • Conducting qualitative and quantitative survey or interview data collection and analysis
  • Performing searches and syntheses of research literature and industry reports related to the human element of cybersecurity
  • Assisting in the organization and agenda development of public workshops
  • Organizing, synthesizing, and helping to adjudicate public comments/feedback
  • Writing/preparing reports, research papers, and presentations
  • Presenting results at internal and external meetings

Qualifications:

  • In-progress graduate degree (Master’s or PhD) in social science, human-computer interaction, human factors, computer science, cybersecurity or other field related to human-centered cybersecurity
  • Competency in quantitative or qualitative research methods and data analysis
  • Experience with and working knowledge of cybersecurity is desirable but not required
  • Ability to work both in teams and independently
  • Strong organizational skills
  • Strong oral and written communication skills

Please upload the following (preferably in a single PDF) with your application:

  • CV/Resume

Privacy Act Statement

Authority: 15 U.S.C. § 278g-1(e)(1) and (e)(3) and 15 U.S.C. § 272(b) and (c)

Purpose: The National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) hosts the Professional Research Experience Program (PREP) which is designed to provide valuable laboratory experience and financial assistance to undergraduates, post-bachelor’s degree holders, graduate students, master’s degree holders, postdocs, and faculty.

PREP is a 5-year cooperative agreement between NIST laboratories and participating PREP Universities to establish a collaborative research relationship between NIST and U.S. institutions of higher education in the following disciplines including (but may not be limited to) biochemistry, biological sciences, chemistry, computer science, engineering, electronics, materials science, mathematics, nanoscale science, neutron science, physical science, physics, and statistics. This collection of information is needed to facilitate administrative functions of the PREP Program.

Routine Uses: NIST will use the information collected to perform the requisite reviews of the applications to determine eligibility, and to meet programmatic requirements. Disclosure of this information is also subject to all the published routine uses as identified in the Privacy Act System of Records Notices: NIST-1: NIST Associates.

Disclosure: Furnishing this information is voluntary. When you submit the form, you are indicating your voluntary consent for NIST to use of the information you submit for the purpose stated.


PREP Research Associate: Human-Centered Cybersecurity (grad. student)

NIST ITL – 77 has a new PREP research opportunity described below and in the attached (PREP 0003516). The NIST Sponsor is seeking candidate recommendations.

  • Project Title/Description: Human-Centered Cybersecurity Research and Community Standards Development
  • OU: ITL – 77
  • Division: 774
  • Group: Visualization and Usability Group
  • Level of Appointment: grad
  • Schedule of Appointment: part time
  • Total Hours per week: 20
  • Work Location: Physically at NIST (Gaithersburg, MD),Telework
  • Requested Start Date: 2025-09-01
  • End Date: 2026-09-01

PREP Research Associate: Piezoelectric Materials Metrologist (Postdoc)

    NIST CTL – 67 has a new PREP research opportunity described below and in the attached. The NIST Sponsor is seeking candidate recommendations.

    • Project Title/Description: Piezoelectric Materials Metrologist — PREP0003425 – 672.01
    • OU: CTL – 67
    • Division: 672
    • Group: Guided Wave Electromagnetics Group
    • Level of Appointment: Postdoc
    • Schedule of Appointment: Full time
    • Total Hours per week: 40
    • Work Location: Physically at NIST (Boulder, CO)
    • Requested Start Date: 2025-09-01
    • End Date: 2027-10-01

PREP 0003425 — PREP Research Associate: Piezoelectric Materials Metrologist (postdoc)

This position is part of the National Institute of Standards (NIST) Professional Research Experience (PREP) program in support of microwave impedance measurements. NIST recognizes that its research staff may wish to collaborate with researchers at academic institutions on specific projects of mutual interest, thus requires that such institutions must be the recipient of a PREP award. The PREP program requires staff from a wide range of backgrounds to work on scientific research in many areas. Employees in this position will perform technical work that underpins the scientific research of the collaboration.

The work will entail:

  • Contribute to research and development of novel microfabricated devices for linear and nonlinear electromagnetic and acoustic measurements of piezoelectric materials.
  • Evaluate electromagnetic and acoustic properties of variable composition samples at frequencies from 100 kHz up to 100 GHz, using custom and commercial test fixtures.
  • Develop and simulate computational models of material-loaded microelectronic devices to quantify electric, acoustic, and piezoelectric fields for a range of incident powers and applied electromagnetic and acoustic fields.
  • Analyze measurement results in conjunction with finite-element simulations to identify relevant material parameters of materials under test.
  • Communicate and collaborate with team members, other NIST teams, and external teams.
  • Present and publish results as appropriate.

Qualifications:

Education and Experience:

  • Ph.D. in physics, materials science, electrical engineering or related field

Certifications and Licenses:

  • None required

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

  • Basic experience with vector network analyzers
  • Experience with acoustic measurement techniques
  • Measurement and interpretation of electrical properties using probe station
  • Laboratory safety training
  • Strong oral and written communication in English language
  • Familiarity with scientific scripting languages
  • Ability to develop prototypes of tools needed to analyze data
  • Strong oral and written communication skills

Please upload the following (preferably in a single PDF) with your application:

  • CV/Resume

Privacy Act Statement

Authority: 15 U.S.C. § 278g-1(e)(1) and (e)(3) and 15 U.S.C. § 272(b) and (c)

Purpose: The National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) hosts the Professional Research Experience Program (PREP) which is designed to provide valuable laboratory experience and financial assistance to undergraduates, post-bachelor’s degree holders, graduate students, master’s degree holders, postdocs, and faculty.

PREP is a 5-year cooperative agreement between NIST laboratories and participating PREP Universities to establish a collaborative research relationship between NIST and U.S. institutions of higher education in the following disciplines including (but may not be limited to) biochemistry, biological sciences, chemistry, computer science, engineering, electronics, materials science, mathematics, nanoscale science, neutron science, physical science, physics, and statistics. This collection of information is needed to facilitate administrative functions of the PREP Program.

Routine Uses: NIST will use the information collected to perform the requisite reviews of the applications to determine eligibility, and to meet programmatic requirements. Disclosure of this information is also subject to all the published routine uses as identified in the Privacy Act System of Records Notices: NIST-1: NIST Associates.

Disclosure: Furnishing this information is voluntary. When you submit the form, you are indicating your voluntary consent for NIST to use of the information you submit for the purpose stated.

PREP 0003423 — PREP Research Associate: S-Parameter Metrology Senior Researcher

This position is part of the National Institute of Standards (NIST) Professional Research Experience (PREP) program in support of microwave impedance measurements. NIST recognizes that its research staff may wish to collaborate with researchers at academic institutions on specific projects of mutual interest, thus requires that such institutions must be the recipient of a PREP award. The PREP program requires staff from a wide range of backgrounds to work on scientific research in many areas. Employees in this position will perform technical work that underpins the scientific research of the collaboration.

The work will entail:

  • Primary responsibilities will be microwave and RF measurements. Such work will be carried out in close collaboration with partners at NIST as well as industry partners, government laboratories and colleagues at other universities.
  • The position will require publishing findings in peer reviewed journals, presenting the work at project meetings and scientific conferences, mentoring postdocs, graduate and undergraduate students, and contributing to reports for external sponsors.
  • The candidate must be comfortable with the measurement and interpretation of electromagnetic measurements and be proficient in at least one type of programming language for scientific computing (e.g., MATLAB, python, C++).

Qualifications:

Education and Experience:

  • Ph.D. in electrical engineering, physics or related field

Certifications and Licenses:

  • None required

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

  • Basic experience with RF measurement equipment
  • Basic experience with uncertainty analysis
  • Basic experience with scientific computing
  • Experience with complex statistical analysis
  • Characterization of RF devices
  • Experience with electromagnetic simulator programs
  • Measurement and interpretation of electrical properties using probe station
  • Laboratory safety training
  • Strong oral and written communication in English language

Please upload the following (preferably in a single PDF) with your application:

  • CV/Resume

Privacy Act Statement

Authority: 15 U.S.C. § 278g-1(e)(1) and (e)(3) and 15 U.S.C. § 272(b) and (c)

Purpose: The National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) hosts the Professional Research Experience Program (PREP) which is designed to provide valuable laboratory experience and financial assistance to undergraduates, post-bachelor’s degree holders, graduate students, master’s degree holders, postdocs, and faculty.

PREP is a 5-year cooperative agreement between NIST laboratories and participating PREP Universities to establish a collaborative research relationship between NIST and U.S. institutions of higher education in the following disciplines including (but may not be limited to) biochemistry, biological sciences, chemistry, computer science, engineering, electronics, materials science, mathematics, nanoscale science, neutron science, physical science, physics, and statistics. This collection of information is needed to facilitate administrative functions of the PREP Program.

Routine Uses: NIST will use the information collected to perform the requisite reviews of the applications to determine eligibility, and to meet programmatic requirements. Disclosure of this information is also subject to all the published routine uses as identified in the Privacy Act System of Records Notices: NIST-1: NIST Associates.

Disclosure: Furnishing this information is voluntary. When you submit the form, you are indicating your voluntary consent for NIST to use of the information you submit for the purpose stated.

PREP Research Associate: S-Parameter Metrology Senior Researcher

    NIST CTL – 67 has a new PREP research opportunity described below and in the attached. The NIST Sponsor is seeking candidate recommendations.

    • Project Title/Description: S-Parameter Metrology Senior Researcher — PREP0003423 – 672.01
    • OU: CTL – 67
    • Division: 672
    • Group: Guided Wave Electromagnetics Group
    • Level of Appointment: Senior Researcher
    • Schedule of Appointment: Full time
    • Total Hours per week: 40
    • Work Location: Physically at NIST (Boulder, CO)
    • Requested Start Date: 2025-09-01
    • End Date: 2027-10-01

PREP 0003422 — PREP Research Associate: Microwave Metrology Postdoctoral Researcher

This position is part of the National Institute of Standards (NIST) Professional Research Experience (PREP) program in support of microwave impedance measurements. NIST recognizes that its research staff may wish to collaborate with researchers at academic institutions on specific projects of mutual interest, thus requires that such institutions must be the recipient of a PREP award. The PREP program requires staff from a wide range of backgrounds to work on scientific research in many areas. Employees in this position will perform technical work that underpins the scientific research of the collaboration.

The work will entail:

  • Primary responsibilities will be microwave and RF measurements. Such work will be carried out in close collaboration with partners at NIST as well as industry partners, government laboratories and colleagues at other universities.
  • The position will require publishing findings in peer reviewed journals, presenting the work at project meetings and scientific conferences, mentoring graduate and undergraduate students, and contributing to reports for external sponsors.
  • The candidate must be comfortable with the measurement and interpretation of microwave scattering parameters and be proficient in at least one type of programming language for scientific computing (e.g., MATLAB, python, C++).

Qualifications:

Education and Experience:

  • Ph.D. in electrical engineering, physics or related field

Certifications and Licenses:

  • None required

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

  • Basic experience with RF measurement equipment
  • Basic experience with uncertainty analysis
  • Basic experience with scientific computing
  • Experience with complex statistical analysis
  • Characterization of RF devices
  • Experience with electromagnetic simulator programs
  • Measurement and interpretation of electrical properties using probe station
  • Laboratory safety training
  • Strong oral and written communication in English language

Please upload the following (preferably in a single PDF) with your application:

  • CV/Resume

Privacy Act Statement

Authority: 15 U.S.C. § 278g-1(e)(1) and (e)(3) and 15 U.S.C. § 272(b) and (c)

Purpose: The National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) hosts the Professional Research Experience Program (PREP) which is designed to provide valuable laboratory experience and financial assistance to undergraduates, post-bachelor’s degree holders, graduate students, master’s degree holders, postdocs, and faculty.

PREP is a 5-year cooperative agreement between NIST laboratories and participating PREP Universities to establish a collaborative research relationship between NIST and U.S. institutions of higher education in the following disciplines including (but may not be limited to) biochemistry, biological sciences, chemistry, computer science, engineering, electronics, materials science, mathematics, nanoscale science, neutron science, physical science, physics, and statistics. This collection of information is needed to facilitate administrative functions of the PREP Program.

Routine Uses: NIST will use the information collected to perform the requisite reviews of the applications to determine eligibility, and to meet programmatic requirements. Disclosure of this information is also subject to all the published routine uses as identified in the Privacy Act System of Records Notices: NIST-1: NIST Associates.

Disclosure: Furnishing this information is voluntary. When you submit the form, you are indicating your voluntary consent for NIST to use of the information you submit for the purpose stated.

PREP Research Associate: Microwave Metrology Postdoctoral Researcher

    NIST CTL – 67 has a new PREP research opportunity described below and in the attached. The NIST Sponsor is seeking candidate recommendations.

    • Project Title/Description: Microwave Metrology Postdoctoral Researcher — PREP0003422 – 672.01
    • OU: CTL – 67
    • Division: 672
    • Group: Guided Wave Electromagnetics Group
    • Level of Appointment: Postdoc
    • Schedule of Appointment: Full time
    • Total Hours per week: 40
    • Work Location: Physically at NIST (Boulder, CO)
    • Requested Start Date: 2025-09-01
    • End Date: 2027-10-01