Assistant Research Scientist (PREP0005125)

Johns Hopkins University; Gaithersburg (MD); On-site; USD 96,000 - 117,000; Full time

Job summary

Johns Hopkins University invites applications for a PREP Research Associate. This role supports collaboration with NIST and develops AI-ready publication tools for the Cybersecurity Framework and other publications.

Ideal candidates have a bachelor’s in information systems or computer science, experience building information systems, and programming skills in Python, C, and Java, with strong technical writing and research methodology expertise.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field.
• Experience building and testing information systems.
• Experience in a research environment.
• Experience with Python, C, and Java.
• Skilled in technical writing, research methodology development, creative problem solving.
• Knowledge of markdown, retrieval models, language models, natural language processing, database administration practices aplus.

Responsibilities

• Investigating emerging AI-ready publication methods at other research institutions.
• Investigating emerging technologies, best practices, supporting processes, and KPIs that could transform the NIST publication process into one that supports both human readers and AI agents.
• Designing options for a publication system and workflow optimized for external AI agents.
• Identifying options for public-facing tools to support external practitioners that implement NIST cybersecurity and privacy publications like the Cybersecurity Framework.
• Designing a possible pilot study to assess the feasibility of the proposed AI-ready publication approach and tools.
• Presenting findings and the proposed approach at internal meetings.
• Ensuring that findings and documentation have been archived or transmitted to the larger organization.

Skills

Technical writing

Research methodology

Creative problem solving

Markdown knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems/Computer Science

Tools

Python

C

Java

Markdown

Job description

Johns Hopkins, founded in 1876, is America's first researchuniversity and home to nine world-class academic divisions workingtogether as one university.

Salary : $70-$85 per hour

Johns Hopkins University: Whiting School of Engineering: Office ofResearch and Translation

Description

PREP Research Associate

This position is part of the National Institute of Standards andTechnology (NIST) Professional Research Experience Program (PREP).NIST recognizes that its research staff may want to collaboratewith researchers at academic institutions on specific projects ofmutual interest and, therefore, requires those institutions to berecipients of a PREP award. The PREP program involves staff from awide range of backgrounds conducting scientific research acrossvarious fields. Individuals in this position will perform technicalwork supporting the collaboration's scientific research.

Research Title:

Transforming the NIST Publishing Process to be AI-Ready

The work will entail:

The candidate will work with NIST staff to conceive of and pilotnovel approaches to NIST’s current publication process, includingdevelopment of AI-ready versions of active NIST publications (e.g.,the Cybersecurity Framework) and other digital tools to supportimplementers of NIST publications.

U.S. Citizen Preferred

Key responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

• Investigating emerging AI-ready publication methods at otherresearch institutions.
• Investigating emerging technologies, best practices, supportingprocesses, and KPIs that could transform the NIST publicationprocess into one that supports both human readers and AIagents.
• Designing options for a publication system and workflowoptimized for external AI agents.
• Identifying options for public-facing tools to support externalpractitioners that implement NIST cybersecurity and privacypublications like the Cybersecurity Framework.
• Designing a possible pilot study to assess the feasibilityofthe proposed AI-ready publication approach and tools.

Presenting findings and the proposed approach at internalmeetings.

Ensuring that findings and documentation have been archived or otherwise transmitted to the larger organization.

Qualifications

A Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems, Computer Science, ora related field.

Experience building and testing information systems.

Experience in a research environment.

Experience with Python, C, and Java.

Skilled in technical writing, research methodology development,creative problem solving.

Knowledge of markdown, retrieval models, language models, naturallanguage processing, database administration practices aplus.

Salary Range

The referenced salary range represents the minimum and maximumsalaries for this position and is based on Johns HopkinsUniversity's good faith belief at the time of posting. Not allcandidates will be eligible for the upper end of the salary range.The actual compensation offered to the selected candidate may varyand will ultimately depend on multiple factors, which may includethe successful candidate's geographic location, skills, workexperience, internal equity, market conditions, education/trainingand other factors, as reasonably determined by theUniversity.

Total Rewards

Johns Hopkins offers a total rewards package that supports ouremployees' health, life, career and retirement. More informationcan be found here: https://hr.jhu.edu/benefits-worklife/.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Johns Hopkins University is committed to equal opportunity forits faculty, staff, and students. To that end, the university doesnot discriminate on the basis of sex, gender, marital status,pregnancy, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age,disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity orexpression, veteran status or other legally protectedcharacteristics. The University is committed to providing qualifiedindividuals access to all academic and employment programs,benefits and activities on the basis of demonstrated ability,performance and merit without regard to personal factors ordemographic characteristics that are irrelevant to the programinvolved.

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 isdesigned to provide valuable laboratory experience and financialassistance to undergraduates, post-bachelor’s degree holders,graduate students, master’s degree holders, postdocs, andfaculty.

PREP is a 5-year cooperative agreement between NIST laboratoriesand participating PREP Universities to establish a collaborativeresearch relationship between NIST and U.S. institutions of highereducation in the following disciplines including (but may not belimited to) biochemistry, biological sciences, chemistry, computerscience, engineering, electronics, materials science, mathematics,nanoscale science, neutron science, physical science, physics, andstatistics. This collection of information is needed to facilitateadministrative functions of the PREP Program.

Routine Uses: NIST will use the information collected toperform the requisite reviews of the applications to determineeligibility, and to meet programmatic requirements. Disclosure ofthis information is also subject to all the published routine usesas identified in the Privacy Act System of Records Notices: NIST-1:NIST Associates.

Disclosure: Furnishing this information is voluntary. Whenyou submit the form, you are indicating your voluntary consent forNIST to use of the information you submit for the purposestated.

Pre-Employment Information

If you are interested in applying for employment with Johns HopkinsUniversity and require special assistance or accommodation duringany part of the pre-employment process, please contact the HRBusiness Services Office at [e-mail] . ForTTY users, call via Maryland Relay or dial 711. For moreinformation about workplace accommodations at Johns HopkinsUniversity for disabilities, medical conditions (including medicalconditions related to pregnancy or childbirth), accessibility, orreligious 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 backgroundcheck including education verification. When deciding whether acandidate’s conviction history is job-disqualifying, the Universityconsiders the nature and gravity of the offense, the time that haspassed since the conviction, and the nature of the job beingsought.

EEO is the Law

https://www.eeoc.gov/employees-job-applicants

Vaccine Requirements

Johns Hopkins University strongly encourages, but no longerrequires, at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. This changedoes not apply to the School of Medicine (SOM). SOM hires must be fully vaccinated with an FDA COVID-19 vaccination and provide proofof vaccination status. We still require all faculty, staff, andstudents to receive the seasonalflu vaccine.

Exceptions to the seasonal flu vaccine or COVID-19 vaccine (forSOM) requirement(s) may be provided to individuals with sincerelyheld religious beliefs or medical conditions that preclude themfrom receiving the vaccine. Requests for an exception must besubmitted to the JHU vaccination registry. For additionalinformation, applicants for SOM positions should visit https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/coronavirus/covid-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 departmentfor more information.

The pre-employment physical for positions in clinical areas,laboratories, working with research subjects, or involvingcommunity contact requires documentation of immune status againstRubella (German measles), Rubeola (Measles), Mumps, Varicella(chickenpox), Hepatitis B and documentation of having received theTdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) vaccination. This may includedocumentation of having two (2) MMR vaccines; two (2) Varicellavaccines; or antibody status to these diseases from laboratorytesting. Blood tests for immunities to these diseases areordinarily included in the pre-employment physical exam except forthose candidates who provide results of blood tests or immunizationdocumentation from their own health care provider. Anyvaccinations required for these diseases will be given at no costin our Occupational Health office.