Postdoctoral Fellow (PREP0004186)

Johns Hopkins University; Baltimore (MD); On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Johns Hopkins University seeks a Research Associate for a CHIPS Funded Project focusing on developing innovative measurement methodologies for detecting contaminants. This role involves fabricating optical cavities, simulating nanoparticle traps, and implementing optical microscopy techniques.

The ideal candidate will have a PhD in Materials, Electrical Engineering, or a related field and extensive experience in optical sensing and micro-fabrication.

Qualifications

• PhD degree in a relevant field.
• Skilled in micro-fabrication and optical sensing.
• Experienced in designing nanoparticle trapping techniques.

Responsibilities

• Fabricate optical cavities in a cleanroom facility.
• Simulate optical micro- and nano-cavities.
• Perform single-particle detection in microfluidic setups.

Skills

Micro-fabrication

Optical sensing of particles

Modeling electro-optical nanostructures

Scripting languages (MATLAB, Python)

Education

PhD degree in Materials or Electrical Engineering

Tools

Optiwave (FDTD)

COMSOL

Proteus

Lumerical

LaTeX

Job 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). The role supports a CHIPS R&D Metrology project aimed at developing measurement methodologies for detecting very low concentrations of contaminants in liquid environments. The focus is on optimizing photonic enhancement techniques to improve optical scattering of single impurity particles, using surface engineering, theoretical modeling and optical microscopy to design robust sensors for sub-20 nm particle detection.

Key Responsibilities

• Fabricate optical cavities in a cleanroom/nanofabrication facility.
• Simulate optical micro- and nano-cavities for optical traps for nanoparticle sensing.
• Construct or adapt optical microscopes for optical trapping and dark-field optical microscopy.
• Perform single-particle detection and spectroscopy in a microfluidic setup.
• Perform various microscopies including scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical microscopy (OM) equipped with a cryogenic stage for surface analysis.
• Develop computer code (e.g., Python) for the development and analysis of optical cavities.

Qualifications

• PhD degree in Materials, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
• Skilled in micro-fabrication, optical- and microfluidics, and optical sensing of particles.
• Highly experienced in designing nanoparticle trapping techniques using optical methods.
• Skilled in modeling electro-optical nanostructures to predict properties and fluid dynamics.
• Highly skilled in multiple scripting languages, including MATLAB, Python, Optiwave (FDTD), COMSOL, Proteus, Lumerical and LaTeX.
• Demonstrated ability to develop prototype sensors integrated with optical fibers and detectors needed to detect and analyze related data.

Authority

15 U.S.C. § 278g‑1(e)(1), (e)(3), and 15 U.S.C. § 272(b) and (c).

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Johns Hopkins University is committed to equal opportunity for its faculty, staff, and students. The university does not discriminate on the basis of sex, gender, marital status, pregnancy, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status or other legally protected characteristics. Qualified individuals are given access to all academic and employment programs, benefits and activities based on demonstrated ability, performance and merit.

Salary Range

The referenced salary range represents the minimum and maximum salaries for this position and is based on Johns Hopkins University's good faith belief at the time of posting. Not all candidates will be eligible for the upper end of the salary range. The actual compensation offered may vary and will ultimately depend on multiple factors including the candidate's location, skills, work experience, internal equity, market conditions, education/training and other factors, as reasonably determined by the university.