Postdoctoral Fellow (PREP0004568)

The Chronicle Of Higher Education, Inc.; Gaithersburg (MD); On-site; USD 85,000 - 89,000; Full time

Job summary

The Chronicle Of Higher Education, Inc. is seeking a PREP Research Associate focused on corrosion science at NIST. This role involves designing experiments, conducting electrochemical assessments, and developing metrology standards for concrete structures.

The ideal candidate will hold a Ph.D. in Materials Science or a related field and have a strong background in corrosion mechanisms and testing methodologies. Join us to address challenges in civil infrastructure with innovative research.

Qualifications

• Deep background in materials science focused on corrosion of metals.
• Demonstrated expertise in investigating corrosion mechanisms.
• Strong laboratory experience with electrochemical tests.

Responsibilities

• Design and conduct advanced electrochemical assessments.
• Perform microstructural characterization using SEM.
• Translate corrosion data into structural models.

Skills

Materials science

Corrosion analysis

Electrochemical testing

Laboratory experiment design

Microstructural characterization

Education

Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering, Metallurgy, Chemistry

Tools

Scanning Electron Microscopy

Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy

Mott-Schottky Analysis

X-Ray Diffraction

X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy

Job description

Johns Hopkins, founded in 1876, is America's first research university and home to nine world‑class academic divisions working together as one university.

Salary

$85,000 - $89,000

Description

PREP Research Associate – This position is part of the National Institute of Standards (NIST) Professional Research Experience (PREP) program. The program engages staff from a wide range of backgrounds in scientific research across many areas, enabling technical work that underpins the metrology needs of a broad range of industries.

Research Title: Metrology for Steel Corrosion in Innovative Cement Materials.

The Infrastructure Materials Group (IMG) at NIST develops science‑based tools and measurement standards to enhance the resilience and sustainability of the nation's physical infrastructure. The degradation of reinforced concrete due to embedded steel corrosion remains a monumental challenge, with direct and indirect costs consuming approximately 6 % of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product. Current building codes and testing standards are inadequate for assessing the complex environmental factors and novel binder chemistries that most strongly affect structural service life. The IMG "Assessing Steel Corrosion Risk in Innovative Cement Concretes" project aims to combine advanced electrochemical characterization with species transport modeling. We are seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Researcher with academic training and experience in corrosion science to develop new metrology standards specific to reinforced concrete structures, often in unsaturated conditions. The selected candidate will focus on measuring the precise rates of corrosion initiation and progression, ultimately providing the foundational data needed to build high‑fidelity service‑life and fragility models for reinforced concrete structures.

Key Responsibilities

• Electrochemical Metrology & Testing: Design and conduct advanced bench‑top electrochemical assessments of reinforcement steel to measure corrosion initiation and progression rates under varied solution properties and environmental conditions.
• Advanced Data Collection: Utilize Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS), potentiodynamic polarization, open‑circuit potential (OCP), and linear polarization resistance (LPR) to accurately quantify corrosion current density, corrosion potential, and charge transfer resistance. Also develop measurement plans to obtain Point Defect Model (PDM) parameters for modeling rebar passivation and passive film breakdown.
• Microstructural Characterization: Perform high‑resolution materials characterization using Scanning Electron Microscopy–Energy Dispersive X‑Ray Spectroscopy (SEM‑EDS) to study the steel‑concrete interface and understand the morphology of localized degradation.
• Model Integration: Translate fundamental bench‑top corrosion data and transport property measurements into accurate inputs for numerical and structural models, connecting atomic‑level physicochemical mechanisms to building‑scale performance.

Qualifications

• Deep background in materials science, strictly focused on the fundamental corrosion of metals.
• Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering, Metallurgy, Chemistry, or a closely related physical science discipline, completed within the last five (5) years.
• Demonstrated expertise in investigating corrosion mechanisms of metallic systems under a range of environmental and solution conditions.
• Strong experience designing and executing laboratory experiments to study corrosion processes, including controlled electrochemical testing and environmental exposure studies.
• Hands‑on laboratory experience with Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) and Mott‑Schottky Analysis.
• Hands‑on experience executing standard electrochemical corrosion tests: potentiodynamic polarization, galvanostatic polarization, potentiostatic polarization, corrosion potential, corrosion current density, and mass loss measurements.
• Proficiency in surface/sample preparation of metals for metallographic analysis and advanced microstructural characterization techniques: Scanning Electron Microscopy–Energy Dispersive X‑Ray Spectroscopy (SEM/EDS), Raman spectroscopy, X‑Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), optical profilometry, optical microscopy, and ion chromatography.
• Familiarity with ceramic materials chemical characterization techniques: X‑Ray Diffraction analysis and X‑Ray Fluorescence analysis.
• Experience with atmospheric corrosion and field exposure studies in marine environments, including sample design, deployment, and post‑exposure analysis.
• Familiarity with accelerated corrosion testing methodologies and relevant ASTM and AMPP standards, particularly those related to corrosion rate measurements and chloride‑induced corrosion in reinforced concrete systems.
• Experience with a range of corrosion cell configurations, including droplet, syringe, and flat cells.
• Demonstrated ability to develop experimental protocols, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and laboratory infrastructure.
• A strong record of scientific productivity, evidenced by publications in peer‑reviewed journals.

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of cement chemistry, including hydration and the complex pore solutions of traditional or alternative binders.
• Knowledge of the Point Defect Model for corrosion and an understanding of how to obtain the relevant model parameters from laboratory measurements.
• U.S. citizen is preferred.

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, which may include the successful candidate’s geographic location, skills, work experience, internal equity, market conditions, education/training and other factors, as reasonably determined by the University.

Total Rewards

Johns Hopkins offers a total rewards package that supports employees’ health, life, career and retirement. More information can be found here.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

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. The University is committed to providing qualified individuals access to all academic and employment programs, benefits and activities on the basis of demonstrated ability, performance and merit without regard to personal factors or demographic characteristics that are irrelevant to the program involved. EEO is the law.