PREP Research Associate

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, thus requires that such institutions must be the recipient 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.

The Microsystems and Nanotechnology Division at NIST has a CHIPS-funded project on measuring the electromechanical properties of piezoelectric materials and devices that operate at microwave frequencies. Device design based on multi-physics simulations and correlation of experimental results with multi-physics models will be important for this project. This will allow us to fabricate microwave acoustic resonators that have specific performance properties that will simplify our measurements and to determine materials properties by fitting experimental data to these models. NIST will use these measurements to provide critical, trusted electromechanical properties at previously unexplored frequencies to the U.S. semiconductor industry.

The work will entail:

Key responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

• Performing multi-physics simulations to generate optimize mechanical resonator geometries,

• Drawing fabrication layouts that match with constraints of the employed fabrication processes,

• Measuring fabricated mechanical resonators using vector network analysis,

• Extracting resonator performance specifications for electrical measurements,

• Working with other lab member to measure resonators with optical interferometry,

• Extracting material properties by fitting interferometry data to multi-physics models,

§ Presenting results at internal meetings, and occasional meetings with external stakeholders.

§ Ensuring that results, protocols, software, and documentation have been archived.

§ A Ph.D. in physics, electrical engineering, or mechanical engineering

§ 5 years of relevant laboratory experience.

§ Experience in designing piezoelectric mechanical resonators

§ Experience with multi-physics simulations in COMSOL

§ Experience with vector network analysis for microwave acoustic resonators

Please upload the following (preferably in a single PDF) with your application:

• Cover Letter

• CV/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) (https://www.nist.gov/iaao/academic-affairs-office/nist-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.

Job Type: Full Time Johns Hopkins University is committed to active recruitment of a diverse faculty and student body. The University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer of women, minorities, protected veterans and individuals with disabilities and encourages applications from these and other protected group members. Consistent with the University’s goals of achieving excellence in all areas, we will assess the comprehensive qualifications of each applicant.