Category: Job Description

This position is part of the National Institute of Standards (NIST) Professional Research Experience (PREP) program. 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.

Research Title: Nanoscale Thermal Metrology Using Nanocalorimetry

U.S. Citizen Preferred

The work will entail:

The Materials Measurement Laboratory of the National Institute of Standards and Technology is seeking qualified persons (U.S. Citizens Preferred) to join a multi-disciplinary team of scientists working to advance the current state-of-the-art in nanocalorimetry-based measurements for monitoring of semiconductor manufacturing processes. This individual will work closely with the leaders of this multi-effort project but will personally be responsible for improving our measurement capabilities by making upgrades to existing hardware, software, and strategies for integrating the technique with plasma- and ALD-based tools used in semiconductor manufacturing.

Key resonsibilites

• Design and assemble new instrumentation to improve the accuracy, sensitivity, speed, and stability of nanocalorimetry measurements. Includes developing LabVIEW-based data acquisition systems, integrating new and existing hardware, and data analysis workflows
• Perform measurements to characterize the thermal properties of thin film materials
• Support parallel research efforts to utilize nanocalorimetry for in-situ monitoring of semiconductor manufacturing processes.
• Publish results in peer reviewed scientific journals and present results at scientific conferences.

Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in materials science, physics, chemistry, chemical engineering or related field.
• Hands-on experience with building and maintaining custom lab instrumentation, including extensive experience with LabVIEW. Experience with FPGA modules preferred.
• Expertise in designing custom electronics, including PCB layout and analog circuit design.
• Knowledge of common nanofabrication processes. Experience working in cleanrooms a plus.
• Knowledge of thermal property measurements. Hands-on experience, or specialized knowledge of calorimetry preferred.
• Strong written & oral communication skills; ability to work independently and in a 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.

• Announcement and Application

This position is part of the National Institute of Standards (NIST) Professional Research Experience (PREP) program. 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.

Research Title: Understanding Concrete Foundation Deterioration by Modeling the Impact of Pyrrhotite

U.S. Citizen Preferred

The work will entail:

Damage to concrete structures in residential and commercial construction in central Connecticut has been attributed to the iron sulfide mineral pyrrhotite. Iron sulfides in concrete aggregate are not desirable as their relative instability results in decomposition with associated staining, expansion, and pop-outs near concrete surfaces or, in severe cases, cracking of the structure. There are no standardized test methods to assess pyrrhotite occurrence and abundance in aggregate or in concrete due to its low concentrations while still having a significant impact. Developing a standard test method, including a set of calibration reference standards will provide a means for accurate, consistent analysis of pyrrhotite in concrete. An improved understanding, based on modeling and experimental data, of the pyrrhotite/aggregate/concrete reaction types, reaction rates, and reaction product impact on concrete expansion, is needed so that the most deleterious reactions can be efficiently reduced or eliminated.

In this opportunity, the PREP researcher will develop models to better understand the microstructural characteristics relevant to the internal sulfate expansion phenomena, including its volume expansion.

Key resonsibilites

• chemo-mechanical modeling to simulate the expansion and the damage in concrete,
• thermodynamic modeling to evaluate the reactions in cement phases due to pyrrhotite oxidation,
• crack progression modeling using Finite Element Model (FEM) to simulate cracking behavior due to internal phases expansion,
• moisture transport modeling that considers the distressed concrete due to pyrrhotite,
• surface coating simulation modeling,
• interfacing with NIST experimentalists to support and validate modeling work,
• analyzing modeling results and drafting manuscripts.

Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Chemistry/ Physics/ Mechanical Engineering/ Chemical Engineering/ Civil Engineering
• Minimum of one year of experience of modeling pyrrhotite reactions and resulting damage in concrete with proof of peer-reviewed publications
• Knowledge of concrete durability, i.e., chemo-mechanical modeling, diffusion, thermodynamic modeling.
• Extensive knowledge of FEM, and programming skills in Fortran and C++.
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Currently living in the United States

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.

• Announcement and Application

This position is part of the National Institute of Standards (NIST) Professional Research Experience (PREP) program. 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.

Research Title: Advanced Data Exchange Standard Management for Resilient Biomanufacturing

U.S. Citizen Preferred

The work will entail:

The position is for a systems integration research engineer. The individual will work with the Data Infrastructure for Resilient Biomanufacturing project, whose aim is to advance the state of arts in standards, standard development, and standard deployment such that they accelerate the industry adoptions of digital twins, artificial intelligence, and smart manufacturing technologies. The engineer will engage with industry partners to develop new types of data exchange standard, new approaches to standard development and deployment, and proof-of-concept implementations of such approaches that serve as industry validations. These new innovations aim to address the increasingly distributed and dynamic enterprises and supply chains where tremendous data and systems integration are needed. Hence, the cost and time associated with their implementations and interoperability assurances need to be improved.
The work will entail conducting meeting with industry partners to gather and understand their problems. The researcher will work with NIST staff to produce new ideas and obtain feedback from partners. He/she will then develop prototype software that is usable by industry to validate the feasibility and benefits of those ideas. He or she will also write documentation, guidelines, research papers, or develop other technology transfer materials to encourage the adoption of the plausible solutions. The individual may also assist NIST staff in organizing industry workshops and in developing a roadmap for a long-term vision for standards-based systems integration.

Key resonsibilites

• Research new methods that integrate AI into a new software system to address pressing industry needs in dealing with complex and dynamic enterprise and supply chain digital ecosystems.
• Research about domain-specific problems and requirements in systems and supply chain integrations.
• Write conference and journal papers
• Develop software requirements
• Develop software applications
• Research and deploy relevant commercial software
• Research and extend or reuse open-source software
• Conduct workshops
• Lead virtual meetings

Qualifications:

• A PhD degree in Management Information System, Supply Chain Management, Computer Science, Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering.
• Five years of relevant experience in MySQL database management, Java programming, Selenium
• Expert in UN/CEFACT Core Component standard, OAGi connectSpec standard, and DMSC QIF standard
• Expert in data exchange standard representation languages, including XML, XML Schema, JSON, JSON Schema
• Expert in software requirement and design engineering, including UML Use Case, Class, Business Process diagrams, BPMN modeling
• Proven records of successful development of web-based software tools using Angular Framework
• Three years of experience in developing and using the Score or connectCenter software
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Two years of experience in leading a standard working group
• Published research papers in the context-driven methodology to standard management, particularly in the biomanufacturing domain

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.

• Announcement and Application

This position is part of the National Institute of Standards (NIST) Professional Research Experience (PREP) program. 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.

Research Title: Nanocalorimetry for In-Situ Plasma Monitoring

U.S. Citizen Preferred

The work will entail:

The Materials Measurement Laboratory of the National Institute of Standards and Technology is seeking qualified persons (U.S. Citizens Preferred) to join a multi-disciplinary team of scientists working to advance the current state-of-the-art in nanocalorimetry-based measurements for monitoring of semiconductor manufacturing processes. This individual will work closely with the leaders of this multi-effort project but will personally be responsible for incorporating these novel sensors into a custom plasma chamber and determining their utility for in-situ characterization of plasma-based etching and deposition processes.

Key resonsibilites

• Design and assemble a custom plasma reactor that integrates NIST-produced nanocalorimetry sensors as well as other common plasma diagnostic tools.
• Perform experiments using a variety of plasma types and conditions relevant for semiconductor manufacturing processes, utilizing nanocalorimetry along with other plasma diagnostic techniques for in-situ monitoring.
• Data interpretation to understand the parameters during plasma processes and assess the feasibility of using nanocalorimetry as a process monitoring technique.
• Publish results in peer reviewed scientific journals and present results at scientific conferences.

Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in materials science, physics, chemistry, chemical engineering or related field.
• Hands-on expertise in the design and assembly of custom plasma reactors, as well as experience using plasma diagnostic techniques such as Langmuir and optical probes.
• Experience with calorimetry-based measurements of temperature and/or thermal properties of materials.
• Understanding of measurements of radical/ionic fluxes and energy distributions at the substrate level, as well as deep knowledge of plasma-surface interactions.
• Strong written and oral communication skills; ability to work independently and as part of a 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.

• Announcement and Application

This position is part of the National Institute of Standards (NIST) Professional Research Experience (PREP) program. 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.

Research Title: Materials Characterization of Electronic Scrap Post-Doctoral Researcher

U.S. Citizen Preferred

The work will entail:

The growing demand for critical minerals has highlighted the need for a more diverse and secure supply chain. The traditional linear model of resource extraction, processing, use, and disposal is subject to supply chain risks and results in a significant loss of critical minerals from the economy. As a result, there is increasing interest in transitioning to a more circular economy, where materials are recovered and reused at the end-of-life through recycling and other strategies. This shift has significant implications for the management of electronic scrap (e-scrap), which is a valuable source of critical minerals such as rare earth elements, lithium, and other key materials.
Current e-scrap recycling practices involve device shredding and separation of bulk materials (steel, aluminum, plastics, etc.). Many critical minerals and precious metals are not recovered in current processes, and to do so requires an improved understanding of where they end up in the recycling system. In this study, we’re aiming to characterize the bulk separated material streams provided by e-scrap recyclers to understand elemental compositions and identify opportunities for recycling system improvements. In that effort, we seek a post-doctoral researcher with wet chemistry experience to support laboratory work, data analysis, and information dissemination. The researcher will work with an interdisciplinary NIST team in applying multiple analytical methodologies, including neutron activation analysis, XRF, and ICP-MS and ES, among others, as well as document and report findings. The ideal candidate would have prior experience working in laboratory setting with a good understanding of laboratory procedures, laboratory safety, and knowledge of critical mineral analyses.

Key responsibilities:

• Conduct literature review and stakeholder engagement to Conduct literature review and stakeholder engagement to inform project development and identify gaps. 
• Preparing samples for analyses using techniques such as milling, grinding, and microwave assisted acid digestion. 
• Developing bulk and trace analytical elemental quantification methods with ICP-OES and nuclear analytical methods. 
• Executing measurements using developed methods, analyzing data, and interpreting results to draw meaningful conclusions. 
• Disseminating research findings through peer-reviewed publication(s), technical report(s), and/or oral presentation(s). 
• Ensuring compliance with institutional safety protocols and requirements.

Qualifications:

• PhD in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering or Materials Science (or a related field with equivalent skills and experience). 
• Experience with microwave acid digestion, ICP-OES, and analysis of critical minerals.
• Strong oral and written communication skills, with the ability to effectively convey complex research findings to complex audiences. 
• A demonstrated track record of conducting independent and collaborative research in a multidisciplinary team environment, with a strong ability to meet project deliverables and milestones. 
• A highly motivated and proactive approach to scientific problem solving, as evidenced by a strong publication record and letters of recommendation. 
• A commitment to enforcing and adhering to safety protocols and requirements. 
• Willingness to travel. 
• Comfortable working with large volumes of hazardous chemicals, radioactive materials, and under radiological conditions.

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.

• Announcement and Application

This position is part of the National Institute of Standards (NIST) Professional Research Experience (PREP) program. 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.

Research Title: Evaluation of search, natural language processing, multimedia, and generative information systems.

The work will entail:

The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Information Technology Laboratory is seeking a qualified candidate to support the Text Retrieval Conference (TREC, trec.nist.gov). TREC evaluates AI technologies in information retrieval (IR), search, natural language processing, and multimedia search, creating human-labeled data to measure effectiveness. TREC hosts annual evaluations & workshops, releasing datasets and research papers upon completion. The candidate for this position will work alongside world-class researchers at NIST

U.S. Citizen Preferred

Key responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

• Develop software for topic creation, relevance assessment, and generative output annotation.
• Develop scoring software for evaluation outputs.
• Develop and maintain systems used to register, submit outputs, and see evaluation results.
• Conduct research on evaluating information access systems, including but are not limited to:
  • Automating the evaluation of AI-generated outputs.
  • Leveraging human insight and expertise with AI support for data annotation and evaluation.
  • Designing metrics for AI-generated outputs in information-seeking contexts.
  • Interfaces for annotating data that support consistency and identify errors.
  • Quality control processes for data annotation.
  • Leaderboard designs that support cooperative research instead of competition.

Qualifications:

• A PhD degree in Computer Science.
• 5+ years of relevant experience.
• Experience building systems with large language models as components.
• Familiarity with Docker and Git.
• Experience with Python, JavaScript, and web frameworks such as React and Django.
• 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.

• Announcement and Application

This position is part of the National Institute of Standards (NIST) Professional Research Experience (PREP) program. National Institute of Standards (NIST) Professional Research Experience (PREP) program invites applicants in support of research in assay development for microparticle measurements in microfluidics. 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.

Research Title: Control and measurement of microparticle in microfluidics

The work will entail:

This research project will entail design and testing of new methods for manipulation and optical characterization of materials in microflows. The scientist will work closely with a collaborative, multidisciplinary team of researchers to design, build, and model novel instrumentation that provides measurements of chemicals, microparticles, cells and cellular organelles in optofluidic measurement systems. The scientist will conduct experiments to estimate chemical mixing times, particle sizes and counts, fluorophore quantification limits, and limits to dynamic measurement delays that may be limited, for example, by particle tracking capabilities. The scientist will maintain cells and prepare assays of beads, cells, and organelles that will be used in devices that can passively purify reagents in flow (e.g. inertial focusing and dynamic lateral displacement arrays). Devices to stimulate and assess cellular function will also be fabricated and tested. Fluorescence microscopy and conventional flow cytometry will be utilized to benchmark measurements.

Key responsibilities:

• Maintain cells and prepare reagents
• Design, build and use microfluidic devices with integrated optical measurement regions
• Analyze cell and particle measurements in microfluidic devices and in culture via microscopy
• Presenting results at internal meetings, and occasional meetings with external stakeholders.
• Ensuring that results, protocols, software, and documentation have been archived or otherwise transmitted to the larger organization.

Qualifications:

• U.S. Citizen Preferred
• A doctoral degree in Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemistry, or a related field.
• 3+ years of experience with microfluidics device design, control, and use
• Experience with clean room photolithography
• Experience with fluorescence microscopy
• Familiarity with Matlab software for instrument control and data analysis
• Familiarity with flow cytometry
• 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.

• Announcement and Application

This position is part of the National Institute of Standards (NIST) Professional Research Experience (PREP) program. National Institute of Standards (NIST) Professional Research Experience (PREP) program invites applicants in support of research in assay development for cell-free expression systems. 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.

Research Title: Research Scientist for Cell-free Expression System Metrology

The work will entail:

The Materials Measurement Laboratory of the National Institute of Standards and Technology is seeking qualified U.S. Citizens to support the Cellular Engineering Group and NIST Engineering Biology Program, by leading projects to develop measurement assurance for cell-free expression systems from diverse samples, including reconstituted and microbial samples. Leads the development of characterization assays for cell-free systems. Assists automating reagent preparation, cell-free reaction assembly, and characterization, using the NIST Living Measurement Systems Foundry (LMSF) and other laboratory
automation. Analyzes experimental and simulation data, including uncertainty and other statistical analyses. Documents and manages protocols, data, and analyses. Regularly presents and discusses
progress with the larger organization.

U.S. Citizen Preferred

Key responsibilities:

• Leads, plans, and carries out difficult and complex assignments in cell-free expression systems and RNA circuits with limited supervision.
• Completed work has a sound overall approach and effectively meets requirements.
• Communicates effectively with peers and stakeholders to plan share work outputs.

Qualifications:

• A Doctoral degree in chemical engineering, bioengineering, cell biology, chemistry, physics, synthetic biology, or a related field.
• Demonstrated knowledge of cell biology, molecular biology, microbial culture, reconstituted and lysate-based cell-free expression systems, and synthetic/engineering biology.
• Demonstrated leadership and management of technical projects and programs.
• 5 years of relevant experience.
• 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.

• Announcement and Application

This position is part of the National Institute of Standards (NIST) Professional Research Experience (PREP) program. National Institute of Standards (NIST) Professional Research Experience (PREP) program invites applicants in support of research in material flammability testing and modeling. 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.

Research Title: Material Flammability Testing and Modeling

U.S. Citizen Preferred

The work will entail:

The fire modeling community is working to predict material flammability behavior quantitatively (e.g., ignition, burning rate, fire growth). State-of-the-art fire models require input parameters (material properties) that describe combustible solids’ decomposition reaction mechanism (and associated kinetics and thermodynamics) and relevant heat/mass transport properties.

To address this need, the NIST Fire Research Division has been developing experimental and analytical tools to calibrate these material properties and validate their ability to predict flammability response across a range of configurations/scales (i.e., mg-scale thermal decomposition, g-scale gasification/burning, and flame spread over panels between 0.5 m and 2.5 m tall).

Working with the project leader, the researcher will develop and then lead the execution of experiments associated with the following tasks:

• Developing a material flammability database that maintains the tools (experimental and analytical), measurement data (for model calibration and validation), and material property sets necessary to quantitatively predict material flammability behavior (e.g., ignition, steady burning, and fire growth).

• Conduct and analyze the data from bench to full-scale thermal and fire property tests for fire model calibration and validation.

• Produce and present publications on research findings.

Key responsibilities:

• Assisting in the development, implementation, and leadership of a research plan to quantify fire growth rate, flame structure, condensed-phase response, and mass loss & heat release rate of combustible solids burning at the intermediate scale (emphasis on materials that deform; e.g., due to melt flow or charring/smoldering).
• Applying and advancing state-of-the-art techniques to quantify the mechanisms controlling material flammability; iterative development and implementation of analytical tools to process these results.
• Development and execution of plans for transferring NIST research through meetings, workshops, and conferences; preparing and presenting measurement results (oral presentations and written reports).

Qualifications:

• U.S. Citizen Preferred.
• PhD in Engineering (fire protection, materials science, mechanical), Chemistry, Physics, or a related field
• 2+ year(s) of relevant lab experience (i.e., experimental design and testing).
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Excellent time management and organizational skills.
• Proficiency in programming/data analysis tools (e.g., Excel, MATLAB, Python, R).
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team to learn new activities and skills.
• Ability and enthusiasm to help lead early-career researchers as part of a research 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.

• Announcement and Application

This position is part of the National Institute of Standards (NIST) Professional Research Experience (PREP) program. National Institute of Standards (NIST) Professional Research Experience (PREP) program invites applicants in support of research in  novel infrastructure materials and advanced metrology. NIST recognizes that its 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.

Research Title: Advanced Metrology for Novel Infrastructure Materials

The work will entail:

The Infrastructure Materials Group is seeking a highly motivated Research Associate to be a part of the
Forward Looking Building Standards initiative within NIST.
As the construction industry pivots toward low-carbon binders—such as Type IL (Portland-Limestone)
and Calcium Sulfoaluminate (CSA) cements—traditional prescriptive building codes are becoming
obsolete. We are looking for a researcher who can bridge the gap between fundamental geochemistry
and applied standardization. You will develop the measurement science required to predict the long-
term durability of these novel materials, ensuring the nation’s infrastructure remains resilient for
decades to come.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) promotes U.S. innovation and industrial
competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology in ways that enhance
economic security and improve our quality of life. Located in Gaithersburg, Maryland, NIST offers a
collaborative, interdisciplinary culture where you will work alongside some of the world’s leading
scientists and engineers to solve critical national challenges.
The Infrastructure Materials Group (IMG) serves as the nation’s premier resource for developing the
science-based tools—measurements, data, models, protocols, and reference standards—needed to
evaluate the performance of conventional and innovative building materials.  As part of the Engineering
Laboratory, the IMG focuses on predicting the service life of infrastructure components when exposed
to real-world and accelerated weathering environments. 
We are specifically targeting a researcher with a rigorous background in pore solution chemistry and
transport properties. The ideal candidate does not just run standard tests; they understand the
thermodynamic mechanisms driving durability. You should be comfortable moving between the wet lab
(extracting and analyzing pore solutions) and the computer (modeling phase assemblages and
quantifying uncertainty).
Experience determining the Formation Factor of concrete, using XRF for pore solution analysis, or
modeling hydration kinetics using GEMS/PHREEQC, are critical skills needed for this position.

Key responsibilities:

• Advance Measurement Science: Develop and validate novel test methods for characterizing alternative cementitious materials, with a specific focus on linking microstructural development to macro-scale transport properties.
• Pore Solution Characterization: Lead efforts to standardize X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) techniques for the elemental analysis of concrete pore solutions, establishing protocols for characterizing accuracy and repeatability.
• Durability Modeling: Apply thermodynamic modeling to predict phase changes (e.g., carbonation, chloride binding) in Type IL and CSA cements under varying climate scenarios.
• Uncertainty Quantification: Use advanced statistical frameworks (Bayesian inference, Monte Carlo simulations) to analyze experimental data, and to quantify the uncertainty in service-life predictions for code development.
• Code & Standard Development: Translate research findings into actionable proposals for ASTM and ACI committees, directly influencing the next generation of building codes.

Required qualifications:

• Education: Successful candidates should have completed a Ph.D. in any one of Chemistry, Physics, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, or Materials Science at the time of the position start date, with a focus on chemistry and material science of cementitious materials.
• Cementitious Materials Science Background: Demonstrated experience conducting quantitative laboratory measurements on cementitious materials: X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), isothermal calorimetry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
• Modeling and Computational: Demonstrated experience using computation tools such as COMSOL, Python/Matlab/R.
• Uncertainty Quantification: Demonstrated ability to apply statistical methods to quantify the uncertainty of experimental measurements, beyond linear least-squares regression.

Preferred qualifications:

• Specialized Metrology: Peer-reviewed publication utilizing one of the following techniques
  • Quantitative Phase Analysis (QPA) using X-ray Diffraction, including the use of the Internal Standard Method to quantify amorphous contents in hydrated cementitious systems.
  • Composition Analysis using X-ray fluorescence to quantify the elemental composition of solutions.
• Transport & Durability: Demonstrated understanding of the Nernst-Einstein relationship, electrical resistivity measurements, and the determination of the Formation Factor in cementitious systems.
• Thermodynamic Modeling: Proficiency with geochemical modeling software (e.g., GEMS, PHREEQC, or Oli) to simulate cement hydration and phase stability in low-carbon binders.
• Alternative Binder Expertise: Demonstrated research experience with Calcium Sulfoaluminate (CSA) cements, Type IL cements, or alkali-activated materials.
• Currently living in the United States
• U.S. citizenship is preferred

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.

• Announcement and Application