Postdoctoral Fellow (PREP0004333)

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

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits package supporting health and retirement

Job summary

Johns Hopkins University is seeking a PREP Research Associate to conduct scientific research in semiconductor strain measurements. The role requires a Ph.D. in a relevant field and involves operating advanced equipment like scanning electron microscopes, analyzing data, and collaborating with teams. This position is essential for advancing research in semiconductor technology and requires strong communication and technical skills. Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits are offered, supporting employee health and career development.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in materials science, physics, chemistry, chemical engineering or related field.
• Hands-on expertise operating scanning electron microscopes with EBSD detectors.
• Experience with developing custom data analysis workflows including image processing.

Responsibilities

• Operate a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to collect EBSD data.
• Analyze HR-EBSD data with various software.
• Collaborate with the Strain Measurement for Semiconductor Devices and Packages team.

Skills

Operating scanning electron microscopes with EBSD detectors

Developing custom data analysis workflows

Strong written and oral communication skills

Education

Ph.D. in materials science, physics, chemistry, or related field

Tools

Python

C++

Mathematica

Matlab

Job description

PREP Research Associate – CHIPS Funded Project

Salary: $89,000.

Johns Hopkins University – Whiting School of Engineering – Office of Research and Translation.

Description

This position is part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Professional Research Experience Program (PREP). Individuals in this position will perform technical work supporting the collaboration's scientific research.

Research Title

HR-EBSD/HR-TKD Strain Measurement for Semiconductor Devices (U.S. Citizen Preferred).

Responsibilities

• Operate a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to collect EBSD data for HR-EBSD analysis.
• Analyze HR-EBSD data with commercial, open source, and custom‑developed software.
• Perform assessments of precision and accuracy of strain measurements using NIST developed reference materials and customized samples.
• Use commercial and open-source codes to generate simulated EBSD patterns for comparison with experimental patterns and for assessing performance of new HR-EBSD analysis tools.
• Operate a state‑of‑the‑art automated FIB to create electron‑transparent samples from blanket films and leading node semiconductor devices for strain measurements via TKD and 4D-STEM.
• Collaborate with the Strain Measurement for Semiconductor Devices and Packages team within NIST, as well as with external stakeholders.
• Publish results in peer‑reviewed scientific journals and present results at scientific conferences.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in materials science, physics, chemistry, chemical engineering or related field.
• Hands‑on expertise operating scanning electron microscopes with EBSD detectors.
• Experience with developing custom data analysis workflows including image processing using programming environments like Python, C++, Mathematica, Matlab, or similar.
• Comprehension of the mechanics of materials including stress, strain, and deformation. Mathematical formalizations of single‑crystal elasticity are required, as well as basic understanding of crystalline defects that influence strain.
• Basic understanding of the finite element analysis (FEA) method for simulation of the mechanical behavior of complex geometries like transistors.
• Strong written and oral communication skills; ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• U.S. Citizen Preferred.

Benefits

• 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 Statement

The Johns Hopkins University is committed to equal opportunity for its faculty, staff, and students. To that end, 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 characteristic.

Background Checks

The successful candidate(s) for this position will be subject to a pre‑employment background check including education verification.