Associate Research Scientist (PREP0004233)

Johns Hopkins University; Baltimore (MD); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Johns Hopkins University is seeking a PREP Research Associate to work on high-speed metrology for magnetoelectronic devices. The role involves designing and executing measurements, analyzing data from multiple sources, and presenting results. A Ph.D. in Physics or Electrical Engineering is required, along with experience in magnetic nanostructure fabrication.

Ideal candidates will demonstrate strong communication skills and have a track record of publishing scientific papers.

Qualifications

• Experience with design and fabrication of magnetic nanostructures.
• Familiarity with optical and electron beam lithography techniques.
• Strong communication skills and published research.

Responsibilities

• Design and maintain optical measurement systems.
• Analyze data from various measurement sources.
• Present findings during meetings.

Skills

Optical measurement systems

Microwave measurement methods

Data analysis including temperature-dependent data

Scripting languages like Python

Micromagnetic simulation tools

Education

Ph.D. in Physics or Electrical Engineering

Tools

SQUID

MOKE

X-ray reflectometry

MuMAX

Job description

PREP Research Associate

CHIPS Funded Project. This position is part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Professional Research Experience (PREP) program, allowing research staff to collaborate with academic institutions on specific projects.

Research Title: High speed metrology for magnetoelectronic devices and models.

The work will focus on developing film‑level optical methods to measure the Heisenberg exchange parameter in thin films relevant to the MRAM industry, correlating measurements with device performance, and developing electrical methods to estimate the attempt time of MRAM bit cells. The Associate will work closely with NIST staff, design and execute measurements, develop robust data analysis methods with proper statistical validation, and report results through internal meetings and publication.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, maintain, and use optical measurement systems based on inelastic light scattering.
• Develop high‑speed electronic (microwave) measurement methods, including pulsed, harmonic, sampled, and real‑time techniques using microwave sources, arbitrary waveform generators, and oscilloscopes.
• Analyze heterogeneous data sources including optical spectra, read/write error rate data streams, and high‑speed electronic traces.
• Analyze temperature‑dependent magnetization data using advanced atomistic fitting models.
• Fabricate magnetoelectronic devices using optical and electron beam lithography, reactive and physical ion etching methods.
• Present results at internal meetings and occasional external stakeholder meetings.
• Ensure that results, protocols, software, and documentation are archived or transmitted to the larger organization.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Physics, Electrical Engineering, or related field; several years of post‑degree experience preferred.
• Experience with the design and fabrication of magnetic nanostructures, including sputter deposition, e‑beam evaporation, and lithography.
• Experience with characterization tools such as SQUID, ferromagnetic resonance spectroscopy, MOKE, X‑ray reflectometry, and secondary‑ion mass spectrometry.
• Demonstrated experience with micromagnetic simulation tools, including MuMAX.
• Experience with temperature‑dependent magnetic simulations, particularly atomistic simulations of magnetization temperature dependence.
• Experience developing novel data acquisition platforms for DC and RF data at scale.
• Familiarity with scripting languages such as Python and implementation on GPU clusters for data analysis.
• Ability to develop tools for analyzing large datasets using Python, MATLAB, or similar environments.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Track record of publishing in peer‑reviewed scientific journals.

Eligibility

U.S. citizenship is preferred.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The National Institute of Standards and Technology is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other legally protected characteristic.

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