Postdoctoral Fellow (PREP0003231)

Requisition #: A-165932-26

Status: Full Time

Type: Post Doc

School: Whiting School of Engineering

Department/Program: Commercial and Government Programs Office

Salary: $90,000-$120,000 a year

Location City: Gaithersburg

Location State: MD

Location Zip Code: 20899

Closing Date: Open until filled

To apply: apply.interfolio.com/165932

General Description

PREP Research Associate
CHIPS Funded Project

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 and thus requires that such institutions be the recipients 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:

Implementing Cutting-Edge Technologies for the Realization of Kelvin at NIST

The work will entail: 

The NIST Temperature and Humidity Group is seeking a motivated individual with a background in physics, or chemical engineering or material engineering to join our Standard Platinum Resistance Thermometer Calibration Laboratory (SPRTCL). The SPRTCL is the main facility in the United States responsible for realizing the kelvin using the International Temperature Scale of 1990 (ITS-90). The laboratory ensures the most precise temperature measurements with the lowest realized and transferred uncertainties, using Standard Platinum Resistance Thermometers (SPRTs) calibrated against nine fixed points ranging from Argon (-189°C) to Silver (961°C). As a member of our multi-disciplinary team, you will collaborate closely with experts in instrumentation, metrology, physics, and engineering to develop and enhance temperature measurement techniques and calibration systems. The laboratory is undergoing major equipment upgrades, and we seek a highly motivated individual to contribute to implementing these upgrades, ensuring the continued precision and accuracy of the United States' national temperature standards.

Key responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

  Contribute to the design, testing, and integration of advanced temperature calibration equipment, ensuring that upgrades align with NIST's standards and precision goals.

  Collaborate in the implementation of new equipment and methodologies that will enhance the SPRTCL's calibration capabilities and further minimize uncertainties in temperature measurements.

  Conduct research to explore new methods, tools, and technologies to enhance the precision of temperature measurements and reduce calibration uncertainties.

  Investigate novel approaches for improving the reliability and accuracy of temperature calibration, with an emphasis on the realization of the Kelvin and the International Temperature Scale of 1990 (ITS-90).

  Maintain accurate and detailed documentation of equipment upgrades, experimental protocols, calibration results, and research findings to ensure transparency and reproducibility.

  Ensure that all results, protocols, software, and documentation are archived properly and shared with the larger NIST community and relevant stakeholders.

  Present research findings, technological developments, and calibration results at internal meetings, external stakeholder meetings, and scientific conferences.

Qualifications

  A Ph.D. in physics or chemical engineering or material engineering.

  A background in conducting experimental research, particularly related to temperature measurement, high-precision instrumentation, or metrology, is important.

  Ability to control, operate and automate scientific test equipment and instrumentation.

  Familiarity with design and simulation tools like SolidWorks, Autodesk Inventor, MuMax, OOMMFi COMSOL, or similar.

  Familiarity with the programming languages Python, Matlab, or LabVIEW.

  Strong oral and written communication skills.

Application Instructions

Please upload the following with your application:

-         CV/Resume

-         2 professional references

*Please limit C.V to 3 pages only and ONLY include a valid email address for your contact info. Please DO NOT include telephone numbers, home address or photos on your 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 the 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.

Salary Range

The referenced salary range represents the minimum and maximum salaries for this position and is based on Johns Hopkins University's good faith belief at the time of posting. Not all candidates will be eligible for the upper end of the salary range. The actual compensation offered to the selected candidate may vary and will ultimately depend on multiple factors, which may include the successful candidate's geographic location, skills, work experience, internal equity, market conditions, education/training and other factors, as reasonably determined by the University.

Total Rewards

Johns Hopkins offers a total rewards package that supports our employees' health, life, career and retirement. More information can be found here: https://hr.jhu.edu/benefits-worklife/.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Johns Hopkins University is committed to equal opportunity for its faculty, staff, and students. To that end, the university does not discriminate on the basis of sex, gender, marital status, pregnancy, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status or other legally protected characteristic. The university is committed to providing qualified individuals access to all academic and employment programs, benefits and activities on the basis of demonstrated ability, performance and merit without regard to personal factors that are irrelevant to the program involved.

Pre-Employment Information

If you are interested in applying for employment with The Johns Hopkins University and require special assistance or accommodation during any part of the pre-employment process, please contact the HR Business Services Office at [email protected]. For TTY users, call via Maryland Relay or dial 711. For more information about workplace accommodations or accessibility at Johns Hopkins University, please visit accessibility.jhu.edu.

Background Checks

The successful candidate(s) for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background check including education verification.

EEO is the Law:

https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights6.12ScreenRdr.pdf

Diversity and Inclusion

The Johns Hopkins University values diversity, equity and inclusion and advances these through our key strategic framework, the JHU Roadmap on Diversity and Inclusion.

Vaccine Requirements

Johns Hopkins University strongly encourages, but no longer requires, at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The COVID-19 vaccine does not apply to positions located in the State of Florida. We still require all faculty, staff, and students to receive the seasonal flu vaccine. Exceptions to the COVID and flu vaccine requirements may be provided to individuals for religious beliefs or medical reasons. Requests for an exception must be submitted to the JHU vaccination registry. This change does not apply to the School of Medicine (SOM). SOM hires must be fully vaccinated with an FDA COVID-19 vaccination and provide proof of vaccination status. For additional information, applicants for SOM positions should visit https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccine/ and all other JHU applicants should visit https://covidinfo.jhu.edu/health-safety/covid-vaccination-information/.

The following additional provisions may apply, depending upon campus. Your recruiter will advise accordingly. The pre-employment physical for positions in clinical areas, laboratories, working with research subjects, or involving community contact requires documentation of immune status against Rubella (German measles), Rubeola (Measles), Mumps, Varicella (chickenpox), Hepatitis B and documentation of having received the Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) vaccination. This may include documentation of having two (2) MMR vaccines; two (2) Varicella vaccines; or antibody status to these diseases from laboratory testing. Blood tests for immunities to these diseases are ordinarily included in the pre-employment physical exam except for those employees who provide results of blood tests or immunization documentation from their own health care providers. Any vaccinations required for these diseases will be given at no cost in our Occupational Health office.