Career Center
Tamaqua, Pennsylvania
Palmerton, Pennsylvania
East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania
Easton, Pennsylvania
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Birmingham, Alabama
Livingston, New Jersey
BOSTON, Massachusetts
Indianapolis, Indiana
White River Junction, Vermont
Posted: 20-Mar-26
Location: Gaithersburg, Maryland
Type: Full-time
Salary: 85,000.00 - 89,000.00
Categories:
Internal Number: A-183542-26
General Description
PREP Research Associate
This position is part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Professional Research Experience Program (PREP). NIST recognizes that its research staff may want to collaborate with researchers at academic institutions on specific projects of mutual interest and, therefore, requires those institutions to be recipients of a PREP award. The PREP program involves staff from a wide range of backgrounds conducting scientific research across various fields. Individuals in this position will perform technical work supporting the collaboration's scientific research.
Research Title:
Scanning probe instrumentation and metrology specialist
The work will entail:
This work is on the frontier of experimental condensed matter physics, and combines several experimental modalities, including scanning tunneling microscopy, atomic force microscopy, electron transport, and electron spin resonance. For more information about the group, see: https://www.nist.gov/pml/nanoscale-device-characterization-division/nanoscale-processes-and-measurements-group/scanning.
Key responsibilities will include but are not limited to:
- Develop novel and cutting-edge instrumentation for scanning probe microscopy.
- Support ongoing operations of scanning probe microscopy experiments.
§ 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§ Ensuring that results, protocols, software, and documentation have been archived or otherwise transmitted to the larger organization.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
§ A PhD degree in experimental condensed matter physics, or a related field.
§ Five years of experience in designing and building scanning tunneling microscopes (STM) and atomic force microscopes (AFM) operating in ultra-low temperatures (10 mK), ultra-high vacuum (UHV), and high magnetic fields (0-15 T). This experience should include the following sub-fields:
A. Building piezo-electric motors and piezo-electric scanners operating from 10 mK to 300 K.
B. Designing and building multi-contact sample and probe holders.
C. Assembling AFM qPlus sensors.
D. Preparation of atomically sharp probe tips for STM and AFM measurements.
E. Characterization and treatment of STM probe tips by using a field ion microscope (FIM).
F. Detailing wiring of STM and AFM modules with thorough documentation of assembly and wiring details.
G. Experience in testing and debugging STM and AFM instruments with respect to electrical and vibrational noise.
§ Five years of experience in integrating multi-modal measurements in a single system, including STM, AFM, and electrical transport measurements in a single system operating at ultra-low temperatures and in UHV.
§ Five years of experience in the design and construction of cryogenic preamplifiers for STM and AFM measurements.
§ Five years of experience in designing and building UHV vacuum chambers and UHV transfer systems.
§ Five years of experience in the wiring and operation of dilution refrigerators.
§ Five years of experience in building gas handling systems for dilution refrigerators.
§ Five years of experience in design, fabrication, and testing of Radio Frequency (RF) filters to operate in a dilution refrigerator at ultra-low temperatures and in UHV.
§ Five years of experience in molecular beam epitaxy growth of materials, including 2D materials, van der Waals materials, and superconductor materials.
§ Research experience in 2D materials, including graphene-based heterostructures and related materials, with at least one related publication.
§ Research experience in superconducting materials with at least one related publication.
§ Five years of experience in developing and programming LabVIEW VIs for spectroscopic mapping of STM and AFM measurements on the Nanonis SPM control system platform.
§ Five years of experience in developing and programming LabVIEW VIs for instrument control, including dilution refrigerator and superconducting magnet systems.
§ Five years of experience in Python programming for instrumentation control and data analysis.
§ Five years of experience in 3D CAD design using Creo Elements Direct Modeling software.
§ Five years of experience in maintaining helium recovery systems and in the operation and maintenance of helium liquefiers.
§ Five years of experience in handling cryogens, including liquid helium transfer.
§ Five years of experience in 2D and 3D scientific illustration for publication in journals and public media.
Application Instructions
Please upload the following with your application:
- CV/Resume
*Please limit C.V to 3 pages only and ONLY include a valid email address for your contact info. Your resume will not be considered if the following information is included on your CV/resume.
- Self portraits
- Phone number
- Home address/Country
- Citizenship status
- Languages spoken
- Sex/Gender
-
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.
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 characteristics. 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 or demographic characteristics that are irrelevant to the program involved.
Pre-Employment Information
If you are interested in applying for employment with 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 jhurecruitment@jhu.edu. For TTY users, call via Maryland Relay or dial 711. For more information about workplace accommodations at Johns Hopkins University for disabilities, medical conditions (including medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth), accessibility, or religious reasons, please visit accessibility.jhu.edu.
Background Checks
After receiving a conditional offer, the successful candidate(s) for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background check including education verification. When deciding whether a candidate's conviction history is job-disqualifying, the University considers the nature and gravity of the offense, the time that has passed since the conviction, and the nature of the job being sought.
EEO is the Law
https://www.eeoc.gov/employees-job-applicants
Vaccine Requirements
Johns Hopkins University strongly encourages, but no longer requires, at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. 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. We still require all faculty, staff, and students to receive the seasonal flu vaccine.
Exceptions to the seasonal flu vaccine or COVID-19 vaccine (for SOM) requirement(s) may be provided to individuals with sincerely held religious beliefs or medical conditions that preclude them from receiving the vaccine. Requests for an exception must be submitted to the JHU vaccination registry. 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 vaccine requirements may apply, depending upon your campus. Please contact the hiring department for more information.
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 candidates 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.
