Postdoctoral Fellow; PREP

Salary

Salary: $78,000 - $89,000

Johns Hopkins University:
Whiting School of Engineering:
Office of Research and Translation

This position is part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Professional Research Experience (PREP) program. The role supports collaboration with the Johns Hopkins University and is focused on advancing optical metrology for semiconductor processes.

Postdoctoral Research Associate:
Advanced Optical Metrology for Semiconductor Processes

U.S. Citizen Preferred

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is seeking a driven Postdoctoral Researcher to bridge the gap between fundamental frequency comb spectroscopy and industrial semiconductor fabrication. Joining a multidisciplinary team, you will deploy electro-optic (EO) frequency combs to perform real‑time, in‑situ mid‑IR spectroscopy of Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) processes. Your work will directly impact the next generation of microelectronics by quantifying the partial pressures of deposition precursors and reaction byproducts with microsecond resolution.

• Experimental Leadership:
  Drive the development and alignment of high‑accuracy EO frequency comb spectrometers.
• Advanced Optical Metrology:
  Execute time‑resolved molecular spectroscopy experiments; analyze complex data sets by fitting experimental spectra to molecular databases (e.g., HITRAN).
• Computational Analysis:
  Build and maintain Python‑based tools for signal processing, noise reduction, automated data acquisition, and data analysis.
• Scientific Communication:
  Lead the authoring of high‑impact manuscripts and represent NIST’s research at international conferences.

• Education:
  
  Ph.D. in Physics, Chemistry, Optical Engineering, or a related field.
• Technical Expertise:
  Proven experience with optical measurements. Direct experience with frequency combs or molecular spectroscopy is highly desirable.
• Programming:
  Strong programming skills for data analysis and instrument interfacing.
• Soft Skills:
  
  A collaborative mindset suited for a fast‑paced, multidisciplinary lab environment and excellent technical writing ability.
• U.S. Citizen Preferred

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 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.

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 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.

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