Associate Research Scientist; PREP

Position Overview

PREP Research Associate – This position is part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Professional Research Experience (PREP) program. It allows research staff to collaborate with academic institutions on projects of mutual interest. The candidate will be hired through the university associated with the PREP program and will be an employee of that university.

Robotics and Perception Engineer:
Perception Performance of Robotic Systems.

The Intelligent Systems Division at NIST is investigating the performance of 3D machine vision systems for various manufacturing applications. The research will focus on integrating 3D bin‑picking vision systems with robotic arms and conducting experiments to evaluate their performance. This work will support the development of new metrics and standards for these systems.

• Integrate robot arms and commercial bin‑picking systems into the NIST/ISD bin‑picking testbed.
• Program collaborative robot arms for conducting various tasks and experiments.
• Research the effects of various factors (part color, part surface properties, bin color, bin depth, ratio of part size to bin size, part distribution in a bin) on bin‑picking performance (e.g., cycle time, pose uncertainty, etc.).
• Collect data from various 3D imaging systems.
• Design and develop 3D printed artifacts and optimize 3D printer parameters for improved quality of the 3D prints.
• Use metrology systems (e.g., laser trackers, CMMs, etc.) for establishing reference measurements.
• Use analysis software (Python, MATLAB, Spatial Analyzer, Polyworks, Excel, etc.) to interpret results and produce visualizations.
• Assist in the development of demonstrations for trade shows and conferences.
• Write reports and contribute to peer‑reviewed publications.

Work schedule:

On‑campus (Gaithersburg, MD), Full‑time (40 hrs/week).

The selected applicant will receive minimal training in the use of certain systems needed for the work.

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 to the selected candidate 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.

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

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. 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 that are irrelevant to the program involved.

If you are interested in applying for employment with The Johns Hopkins University and require special assistance or accommodation during any part of the pre‑employment process, please contact the HR Business Services Office at jhurecruitment . For TTY users, call via Maryland Relay or dial 711. For more information about workplace accommodations or accessibility at Johns Hopkins University, please visit accessibility.jhu.edu

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

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