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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: Uncertainty characterization of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning models
The work will entail: Building a Python-based numerical sandbox that abstractly simulates a step-by-step sequential process representing modern manufacturing. The simulations will involve complex and irreversible systems, where early choices constrain later ones and outcomes are delayed. Distribution-free statistical theory and metrological discipline will be directly integrated into the evaluation of black-box deep learning architectures. The main goal is to design independent statistical oversight layers to monitor AI behavior and catch systemic errors under dataset shift. Specifically, the research will target two major AI failure modes: 1) Silent Overconfidence: This occurs when an AI operates on shifted out-of-distribution data but continues to output incorrect predictions with high mathematical certainty. You will design and evaluate distribution-free calibration and uncertainty quantification (UQ) frameworks to force deep architectures to output honest, mathematically guaranteed coverage intervals. 2) Rapid Failure Velocity: Because automated systems execute instantly, a mis-calibrated AI agent can propagate a continuous string of systematic errors at runtime speed before human operators can intervene. You will develop independent tracking layers using advanced time series and multivariate monitoring methods to isolate small, sustained process drifts before they hit catastrophic boundaries.
U.S. Citizen Preferred
Key responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

• Conduct a comprehensive survey of state-of-the-art uncertainty quantification methods for AI models and tools, and software implementation of these methods. Develop test examples for evaluating their performance, conduct relevant simulation experiments, and publish the results.

• Construct a parameterized, mathematical Python testbed simulating a multi-stage sequential decision framework (inspired by manufacturing workflows) characterized by time-delays, irreversibility, and endogenous data generation loops (i.e., Abstract Process Simulation).
• Develop functional, lightweight AI agent architectures to interact with the simulated environment, establishing a controlled subject for statistical stress testing (i.e., Agent-Environment Implementation). Design independent statistical tracking infrastructure to model and monitor the in-control dynamics of streaming data independently of the agent's internal decision-making assumptions (i.e., Advanced Temporal and Multivariate Monitoring).
• Implement and validate distribution-free uncertainty quantification frameworks and evaluate scoring rules to bound neural network overconfidence. Formulate statistical methods to account for correlation structures within generated data streams. Develop automated techniques to inspect internal latent states and intermediate network layer activations during execution to flag out-of-distribution inputs.
• Apply formal statistical decision theory to balance the trade-offs between different types of AI errors, setting rules for when the agent can act on its own versus when it must escalate to a human operator.
• Present results at meetings, mostly internal and occasionally with external stakeholders; Ensuring that results, protocols, software, and documentation have been archived or otherwise transmitted to the larger organization.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Statistics or related field
• Expertise in statistical uncertainty quantification, including simulation-based uncertainty propagation methods and conformal prediction.
• Expertise in time series analysis, spatial statistics, multivariate statistics, and hierarchical mixed-effects modeling.
• Expertise in statistical decision theory (Bayesian loss analysis, cost modeling)
• Expertise in Python
• Hands-on experience with deep learning libraries (such as PyTorch or TensorFlow), including the technical capability to extract and evaluate hidden-layer tensor activations.
• Ability to create and experiment with Agentic AI.

Privacy Act StatementAuthority: 15 U.S.C. § 278g-1(e)(1) and (e)(3) and 15 U.S.C. § 272(b) and (c)
Purpose: The National Institute of 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.
SURA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe that no one should be discriminated against because of their differences, such as age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity and expression, religion, or sexual orientation. All employment decisions shall be made without regard to age, race, creed, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, disability status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, citizenship status, or any other basis as protected by federal, state, or local law.
PREP0004846