Postdoctoral Associate or Research Associate in Ultrafast Extreme Ultraviolet Metrology and Thermal Transport

Job Summary

The Physics NIST-PREP Department invites applications for a
Postdoctoral Associate or Research Associate ! This position
focuses on developing and applying ultrafast extreme ultraviolet
(EUV) and ultraviolet (UV) based metrology to understand and
untangle the mechanisms involved in thermal transport at the
nanoscale. Film-level and patterned arrays will be measured using a
pump-probe method to measure the time dependence of heat flow
allowing an estimation of the local thermal conductivity.
Geometric, material and nonequilibrium effects on thermal transport
will be investigated. These measurements will be correlated with
theory and models being developed by collaborators. This position
requires knowledge and skills in ultrafast optics and all
associated alignment procedures, data analysis, and
instrument/optics design as well as semiconductors and wide-bandgap
systems.

This position is part of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology's (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.

CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all
applicable federal, state, and local laws governing
nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a
workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and
dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to
apply, including protected veterans and individuals with
disabilities.

Who We Are

PREP is a special partnership between the National Institute of
Standards and Technology (NIST) and the University of Colorado
Boulder. PREP provides research opportunities to CU undergraduate
and graduate students, as well as researchers with a Bachelor's,
Master's, or PhD in NIST labs to gain research experience alongside
NIST scientists.

The particular group that needs a researcher is the Spin
Electronics Group at NIST.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

• Designing, building, maintaining, and applying pulsed lasers to

measure the dynamic change in reflectivity or diffraction of thin
films and patterned nanostructures. This can include EUV
diffraction and transient grating with UV systems.

• Analyzing data to relate the data to the thermal response.
• Working with collaborators to design experiments and sample

systems.

• Presenting results at internal and external meetings.
• Ensuring that results, protocols, software, and documentation

have been backed up and archived.

What You Should Know

This position requires the successful completion of an NAIS
agreement and federal security clearance as mandated by the
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Employment
is contingent upon approval of these requirements as determined by
NIST.

• Anticipated start date is October 22, 2026.
• Anticipated end date is September 30, 2027.

Privacy Act Statement

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 of 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 of the information you submit for the purpose stated.
By applying to a CHIPS-funded PREP opportunity, you also
acknowledge that participation in the project requires signing a
Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) prior to beginning any work.

What We Can Offer

• The salary range for the full-time Postdoctoral

Associate position is $74,000 - $108,000 annually.

• The salary range for the full-time Research Associate

position is $78,000 - $135,000 annually.

Benefits

At the University of Colorado Boulder , we are
committed to supporting the holistic health and well-being of our
employees. Our comprehensive benefits package includes medical,
dental, and retirement plans; generous paid time off; tuition
assistance for you and your dependents; and an ECO Pass for local
transit. As one of Boulder County’s largest employers, CU Boulder
offers an inspiring academic community and access to world-class
outdoor recreation. In fact, CU Boulder has been named one of
Forbes' America's Best
Large Employers , ranking #4 among large employers in Colorado
and #28 among universities nationwide. Explore additional perks and
programs through the CU Advantage program.

Be Statements

Be ambitious. Be pioneering. Be Boulder.

What We Require

• Postdoctoral Associate: A PhD degree or higher in

Physics, Electrical Engineering, Materials Engineering or a related
field with 0 – 4 years of post-doctoral degree experience.

• Research Associate: A PhD degree or higher in Physics,

Electrical Engineering, Materials Engineering or a related field
with 5+ years of post-doctoral degree experience.

What We Would Like You to Have

• Experience with the design and implementation of optical

system.

• Experience with design, operation and maintenance of

high-harmonic generation extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light
sources.

• Experience with pump-probe and ultrafast optical system

design.

• Experience with data analysis and modeling light-matter

interactions.

• Experience developing novel data acquisition and instrument

control platforms to acquire data.

• Ability to develop tools needed to analyze large datasets using

Python, MATLAB, or similar programming environments.

• Strong oral and written communication skills.

Special Instructions

To apply, please submit the following materials:

• Resume or CV
• Cover letter addressed to the Search Committee briefly

describing your qualifications, professional goals, and specific
interest in this position.

If you are selected as the finalist, your degree will be verified
by the CU Boulder Campus Human Resources department using an
approved online vendor. If your degree was obtained outside of
the United States, please submit a translated version as an
optional attachment.

During the application process, you will need to enter contact
information for one reference . We will request the letter
of recommendation immediately following your
application.

Please apply by November 11, 2026 for consideration.

Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For
consideration, applications must be submitted through CU Boulder Jobs.

In compliance with the Colorado Job Application Fairness Act, in
any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying
information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school
attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting
or removing this information.

Posting Contact Information

Posting Contact Name: Lisa Valencia

Posting Contact Email: recruitprep@colorado.edu