Postdoctoral Fellow (PREP0004186)

The Chronicle Of Higher Education, Inc.; Gaithersburg (MD); On-site; USD 80,100 - 97,900; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Total rewards package including health and retirement benefits

Job summary

The Chronicle Of Higher Education, Inc. is seeking a PREP Research Associate at Johns Hopkins University in Gaithersburg, MD. This position supports technical work in NIST's CHIPS R&D Metrology project, involving the development of measurement methodologies and advanced optical techniques. Candidates with a PhD in a relevant field and strong skills in micro-fabrication and optical sensing are encouraged to apply. The role includes significant responsibilities in fabrication and simulation tasks within a supportive research environment.

Qualifications

• Skilled in micro‑fabrication, optical/microfluidics, and optical sensing of particles.
• Highly experienced in designing nanoparticle trapping techniques using optical methods.
• Demonstrated ability to develop prototype sensors integrated with optical fibers.

Responsibilities

• Fabrication of optical cavities in a cleanroom/nanofabrication facility.
• Simulation of optical micro‑ and nano‑cavities for optical traps for nanoparticle sensing.
• Construction/adaptation of optical microscopes for optical trapping.

Skills

Micro-fabrication

Optical sensing of particles

Nanoparticle trapping techniques

Scripting languages (MATLAB, Python)

Electro-optical modeling

Education

PhD in Materials, Electrical Engineering, or related field

Tools

Optiwave (FDTD)

COMSOL

Proteus

Lumerical

LaTeX

Job description

Overview

Johns Hopkins University’s Whiting School of Engineering Office of Research and Translation is hiring a PREP Research Associate for a CHIPS funded project. The position is part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Professional Research Experience Program (PREP).

Salary

$89,000

Job Description

As a PREP Research Associate, you will perform technical work supporting NIST’s CHIPS R&D Metrology project. The work involves developing measurement methodologies for detecting and identifying very low‑concentration contaminants in liquid environments, optimizing photonic enhancement techniques, and surface engineering for sub‑20 nm particle detection.

Research Title

Research scientist: Optical trapping and sensing of nanoparticles (U.S. Citizens preferred)

Key Responsibilities

• Fabrication of optical cavities in a cleanroom/nanofabrication facility
• Simulation of optical micro‑ and nano‑cavities for optical traps for nanoparticle sensing
• Construction/adaptation of 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 development and analysis of optical cavities

Qualifications

• PhD in Materials, Electrical Engineering, or related field
• Skilled in micro‑fabrication, optical/microfluidics, and optical sensing of particles
• Highly experienced in designing nanoparticle trapping techniques using optical methods
• Skilled in modeling electro‑optical nano‑systems 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 to detect and analyze related data

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. The actual compensation offered may vary and will ultimately depend on multiple factors.

Total Rewards

Johns Hopkins offers a total rewards package that supports employees’ health, life, career and retirement. More information can be found at https://hr.jhu.edu/benefits-worklife/.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Johns Hopkins University is a committed equal opportunity employer. It 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 characteristic.

Background Checks

Successful candidates will be subject to a pre‑employment background check including education verification.

Vaccine Requirements

Johns Hopkins University strongly encourages, but no longer requires, at least one dose of the COVID‑19 vaccine. Faculty, staff, and students are required to receive the seasonal flu vaccine. Exceptions may be provided to individuals for religious beliefs or medical reasons.