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:
Research Staff
The work will entail:
The position is for a postdoctoral associate level researcher interested and experienced in applied mathematics, statistics or data science to work jointly with NIST research scientists and mathematicians to participate in a research project involving the characterization and modeling of properties and spectra of PFAS chemicals with the goals of improving detection of PFAS compounds, replacing PFAS in plasma etching processes, or identifying solid adsorbent additives to remove PFAS. To accomplish these goals, the candidate will participate in the development of mathematical, statistical and AI/ML algorithms for the prediction of chemical properties, infrared and mass spectra, and ionization cross sections, incorporating uncertainty quantification (UQ) into approaches and providing useful information in aid of models to discern patterns in physical properties. The position will be highly interdisciplinary, requiring regular communication between chemists, computer scientists and mathematicians working on modelling
these compounds using experimental as well as data from chemistry/physics calculations/simulations.
U.S. Citizen Preferred
Key responsibilities will include but are not limited to:
- Developing novel algorithms for the prediction of physical and chemical properties, infrared and mass spectra, and ionization cross sections using data derived from experiment and computation.
- Implementing algorithms to study the performance of classification models.
- Assessing uncertainty in prediction and classification of experimental data as well as data sets derived from quantum chemistry and physics calculations and simulations.
- Computationally testing models with respect to accuracy and uncertainty quantification.
- Developing software to implement the goals stated above (most likely in Python or R).
- Disseminating results through posters/seminars at international meetings and university
- seminars.
- Ensuring that all results, findings, data, software, etc. are correctly archived and transmitted
- through appropriate channels
Qualifications
§ An advanced degree in a scientific/mathematical/statistical area.
§ Familiarity with applied science and numerical work
§ Ability to work with a multi-disciplinary research team
§ Strong oral and written communication skills.
Application Instructions
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.