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Posted: 20-Mar-26
Location: Gaithersburg, Maryland
Type: Full-time
Salary: 80,000.00 - 90,000.00
Categories:
Internal Number: A-183548-26
General Description
PREP Research Associate
CHIPS Funded Project
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:
Thermoreflectance Thermal Property Measurements (U.S. Citizens 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 validate and improve thermoreflectance
optical pump-probe thermal-property measurement methods, develop and refine instrumentation,
optimize protocols, and provide thermal property data for thin-film and multilayer materials that can
improve the performance, reliability, and thermal management in microelectronics packages and
wide bandgap power electronics. The researcher will work closely with NIST experts in optics,
thermal metrology, scientific instrument design, and uncertainty analysis.
Key responsibilities will include but are not limited to:
- Designing, building, operating, and/or refining pump-probe instrumentation
- Operating and developing physics-based analysis software
- Measuring thermal property data for internal and external collaborators and stakeholders
- Depositing and characterizing thin films in the NIST NanoFab
- Presenting results at internal and/or external meetings as required
- Writing and publishing results
This opportunity is to be an associate researcher in the Materials Measurement Science Division for a term of 1 year, with options to renew. Associate researchers are NOT Federal Employees, but they work aside NIST researchers and with NIST's often world class instrumentation. Relocation expenses will not be provided. U.S. Citizens hired into associate positions may have the opportunity to seek longer term Federal Employment.PREP Research Associate
CHIPS Funded Project
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:
Thermoreflectance Thermal Property Measurements (U.S. Citizens 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 validate and improve thermoreflectance
optical pump-probe thermal-property measurement methods, develop and refine instrumentation,
optimize protocols, and provide thermal property data for thin-film and multilayer materials that can
improve the performance, reliability, and thermal management in microelectronics packages and
wide bandgap power electronics. The researcher will work closely with NIST experts in optics,
thermal metrology, scientific instrument design, and uncertainty analysis.
Key responsibilities will include but are not limited to:
- Designing, building, operating, and/or refining pump-probe instrumentation
- Operating and developing physics-based analysis software
- Measuring thermal property data for internal and external collaborators and stakeholders
- Depositing and characterizing thin films in the NIST NanoFab
- Presenting results at internal and/or external meetings as required
- Writing and publishing results
Qualifications
- Ph.D. in physics, optics, materials science/engineering, or other related field
- Experience in designing, building, and operating thermoreflectance-based measurement
instrumentation
- Experience in thermal metrology, thermal analysis, and optics
- Experience in thin film deposition and thin film characterization
- Experience with data modeling and programming (MATLAB required)
- Expertise in semiconductor manufacturing processes and device failure analysis
- Experience working in cleanrooms
- Ability to work collaboratively and independently
- Strong oral and written communication skills
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 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. By
applying to a CHIPS-funded PREP opportunity, you also acknowledge that participation in the project
requires signing a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) prior to beginning any work
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 jhurecruitment@jhu.edu. 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
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 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 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.
