Postdoctoral Fellow; PREP

PREP Research Associate

Salary: $82,000-$89,000 a year

This position is part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Professional Research Experience Program (PREP). NIST recognizes that its research staff may want to collaborate with researchers at academic institutions on specific projects of mutual interest and, therefore, requires those institutions to be recipients of a PREP award. The PREP program involves staff from a wide range of backgrounds conducting scientific research across various fields.

Individuals in this position will perform technical work supporting the collaboration's scientific research.

Performance Evaluation of AI Capabilities in Autonomous and Human‑Robot Interaction (HRI) Systems

To support the National Institute of Standards and Technology's Measurement Science for Manufacturing Robotics and Autonomous Systems (MSRAS) Program. The focus of this role is to advance standard test methods, metrics, and evaluation tools for artificial intelligence, machine learning, and advanced autonomy within human‑robot environments, ensuring these systems operate with transparent, verifiable, and securely integrated decision‑making frameworks.

U.S. Citizen Preferred

• Conducting state‑of‑the‑art measurement science research in robotics, advanced autonomy, and artificial intelligence systems.
• Utilizing deep learning, large language models (LLMs), reinforcement learning, and unsupervised machine learning techniques to enhance robot capabilities, human objective prediction, and decision‑making architectures.
• Developing verification methods, transparent evaluation frameworks, and performance metrics to ensure robotic AI systems and automated sorting or ranking methodologies are inspectable and risk‑aware.
• Implementing advanced filtering techniques and symbolic spatial relation models to optimize tracking, navigation, and behavioral classification in highly dynamic environments.
• Programming, simulating, and validating physical and simulated autonomous systems using a variety of modern software, libraries, and probabilistic frameworks.
• Helping develop standards, benchmark scenarios, and performance metrics for human‑robot interaction (HRI), autonomous systems, and cooperative robotics integrated into complex environments.
• Developing test apparatuses, digital twins, and virtual/physical testbeds using 3D rendering, CAD, and sensor fusion tools to validate repeatability and reproducibility.
• Collaborating with interdisciplinary teams to design and optimize systems while publishing peer‑reviewed research results in high‑impact journals and international conferences.

• Ph.D. or equivalent experience in natural sciences, engineering, or related fields.
• Innovative thinking and strong experimental skills.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively.
• Effective written and oral communication skills.
• Prior hands‑on experience in one or more of the following areas:
  • Micro‑/nanofabrication.
  • Integrated photonics design and characterization.
• Applicants with strengths in PIC design, numerical simulations, or device‑level metrology are encouraged to apply.

• U.S. citizenship is strongly preferred.
• Full‑time (40 hours/week).
• Location:
  
  NIST Gaithersburg, Maryland.
• Duration: 1‑year appointment, with possible extension.
• Applications accepted until filled.

Contact:
Dr. Nikolai N. Klimov (nklimov)

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or veteran status.