Postdoctoral Researcher: Interferometric Micros

PREP Research Associate:

This position is part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Professional Research Experience (PREP) program. NIST recognizes that its research staff may wish to collaborate with researchers at academic institutions on specific projects of mutual interest, thus requires that such institutions must be the recipient of a PREP award. The PREP program requires staff from a wide range of backgrounds to work on scientific research in many areas.

Employees in this position will perform technical work that underpins the scientific research of the collaboration.

The Microsystems and Nanotechnology Division at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) seeks an enthusiastic postdoctoral researcher to advance novel interferometric optical microscopy techniques for single-particle, multiparameter characterization of nanoparticles at high-through puts. The postdoc will work closely with a collaborative, multidisciplinary team of researchers to design, build, and model new optical microscopes to provide physical measurements (such as mass, size, concentration, composition) of nanoparticles, with a focus on gene delivery nanoparticles.

These physical parameters are crucial to the development and optimization of gene delivery therapies. For additional details about this research, please visit https://(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below). or contact Aaron Goldfain (aaron.goldfain).

• Designing, improving, and using custom-built, laser-based light scattering microscopes for quantitative nanoparticle characterization.
• Building new optical models of gene delivery nanoparticles and interferometric microscopes.
• Conducting experimental investigations to validate instrument performance and characterize nanoparticle physical characteristics and heterogeneity.
• Collaborating with researchers to develop innovative algorithms for data analysis and interpretation.
• Collaborating with researchers to evaluate the impact of particle heterogeneity on gene delivery efficacy.
• Publishing research in peer-reviewed journals and presenting at scientific conferences.

• A PhD in Physics, Optics, Biophysics, or a related field.
• Completed PhD within the last 5 years.
• Familiarity or experience with optical models of particle light scatter and/or optical instruments.
• Familiarity or experience with optical imaging and/or microscopy.
• Enthusiasm for learning new theoretical, computational, and experimental techniques.
• Programming experience with Python, MATLAB, or similar.

Authority: 15 U.S.C.

• 278g-1(e)(1) and (e)(3) and 15 U.S.C.
• 272(b) and (c)
  
  Purpose:
  
  The National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) hosts the Professional Research Experience Program (PREP), which is designed to provide valuable laboratory experience and financial assistance to undergraduates, post-bachelor's degree holders, graduate students, master's degree holders, postdocs, and faculty. PREP is a 5-year cooperative agreement between NIST laboratories and participating PREP Universities to establish a collaborative research relationship between NIST and U.S. institutions of higher education in the following disciplines including (but may not be limited to) biochemistry, biological sciences, chemistry, computer science, engineering, electronics, materials science, mathematics, nanoscale science, neutron science, physical science, physics, and statistics.
  
  This collection of information is needed to facilitate the administrative functions of the PREP Program. Routine Uses: NIST will use the information collected to perform the requisite reviews of the applications to determine eligibility and to meet programmatic requirements. Disclosure of this information is also subject to all the published routine uses as identified in the Privacy Act System of Records Notices: NIST-1: NIST Associates.
  
  Disclosure:
  Furnishing this information is voluntary. When you submit the form, you are indicating your voluntary consent for NIST to use the information you submit for the purpose stated.

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. 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.

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