Postdoctoral Associate or Research Associate

Job Summary

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 wish to
collaborate with researchers at academic institutions on specific
projects of mutual interest and thus requires that such
institutions be the recipients 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.

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 Guided Wave
Electromagnetics Group under the RF Technology Division at
NIST.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

• Contribute to research and development of novel microfabricated

devices for linear and nonlinear electromagnetic and acoustic
measurements of piezoelectric materials.

• Evaluate electromagnetic and acoustic properties of variable

composition samples at frequencies from 100 kHz up to 100 GHz,
using custom and commercial test fixtures.

• Develop and simulate computational models of material-loaded

microelectronic devices to quantify electric, acoustic, and
piezoelectric fields for a range of incident powers and applied
electromagnetic and acoustic fields.

• Analyze measurement results in conjunction with finite-element

simulations to identify relevant material parameters of materials
under test.

• Communicate and collaborate with team members, other NIST

teams, and external teams.

• Present and publish results as appropriate.

What You Should Know

Privacy Act Statement

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.

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.

What We Can Offer

• The salary range for the full-time Postdoctoral

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

• The salary range for the full-time Research Associate

position is $78,000 - $135,000

• Onboarding/relocation assistance may be available, however, if

within a 12-month period you exercise your right to willfully
terminate your employment with the University of Colorado, you
hereby agree to reimburse the department for your relocation
expense.

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 in physics, materials

science, electrical engineering or related field with 0 – 4 years
of post-doctoral degree experience.

• Research Associate: A PhD in physics, materials science,

electrical engineering or related field with 5+ years of
post-doctoral degree experience.

What We Would Like You to Have

• Basic experience with vector network analyzers.
• Experience with acoustic measurement techniques.
• Measurement and interpretation of electrical properties using

probe station.

• Laboratory safety training.
• Strong oral and written communication in English language.
• Familiarity with scientific scripting languages.
• Ability to develop prototypes of tools needed to analyze

data.

• Strong oral and written communication skills.

Special Instructions

To apply, please submit the following materials:

• Resume/CV
• Cover Letter

(Optional) Transcripts/Proof of Degree: 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.
However, if your degree was obtained outside of the United States,
please submit an English-translated version as an Optional
document.

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

Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue
until November 17, 2026.

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