Funder: NRC Research Associateship Programs
Due Dates: February 1, 2025 | May 1, 2025 | August 1, 2025 | November 1, 2025
Funding Amounts: $82,764 stipend plus $3,000 travel allowance; typical appointment duration 2 years.
Summary: Postdoctoral fellowship to develop a portable, calibration-free Doppler thermometer using microfabricated vapor cells, narrow linewidth lasers, and frequency combs for precise, fast industrial temperature measurements.
Key Information: Open to U.S. citizens with a Ph.D. earned within the last 5 years; requires contacting a Research Adviser prior to application; NIST participates in February and August review cycles.
Description
This fellowship opportunity supports research on next-generation deployable, calibration-free Doppler thermometers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The project aims to develop a portable Doppler thermometer that relates gas temperature to SI-defining physical constants through Doppler broadening of spectral lines, enabling primary thermometry without the need for calibration.
Key technological advances include:
- Use of microfabricated atomic vapor cells to reduce sensor size to that comparable with standard thermometers.
- Incorporation of narrow linewidth lasers from optical frequency metrology to improve atomic property knowledge and achieve unprecedented accuracy.
- Integration of tunable electro-optic frequency combs to increase measurement speed.
The combined approach targets industrial applications requiring high accuracy, compact size, and rapid temperature measurement.
Keywords: Atomic physics, Spectroscopy, Thermometry, Frequency comb, Vapor cell, Optical clock, Atomic clock, Laser stabilization.
Due Dates
- February 1, 2025 (5 PM ET)
- May 1, 2025 (5 PM ET)
- August 1, 2025 (5 PM ET)
- November 1, 2025 (5 PM ET)
Note: If a deadline falls on a weekend or federal holiday, it is moved to the next business day.
Funding Amount
- Base stipend: $82,764 per year
- Travel allowance: $3,000 annually
- Typical appointment length: 2 years
Eligibility
- Citizenship: U.S. citizens only
- Education: Ph.D., Sc.D., M.D., D.V.M., or equivalent research doctorate completed before starting tenure
- Experience: Postdoctoral applicants must have held their doctorate for less than five years as of the application deadline
- Prior affiliation: Applicants with current or recent prior affiliation with NIST (e.g., employment or previous NRC fellowship) may be ineligible
- Applicants must contact the proposed Research Adviser before applying
Application Process
- Identify Research Opportunity: Search and select this opportunity at NIST via the NRC RAP website.
- Contact Adviser: Reach out to the Research Adviser (Daniel Schaeder Barker, daniel.barker@nist.gov) to discuss research plans and funding availability.
- Prepare Application: Complete profile information, upload transcripts, research proposal (max 10 pages), previous research description, publications list, and letters of recommendation.
- References: Provide 3-5 references, including your dissertation adviser; letter writers must upload letters via the online system by the deadline.
- Submit Application: Use the NRC RAP online portal to submit before the deadline.
Application Materials
- Research proposal with clear problem statement, background, methodology, expected results, and significance
- Previous and current research description (max 4 pages)
- List of publications and presentations (max 2 pages)
- Letters of recommendation uploaded by referees
Review Process
- Applications are reviewed by expert panels in relevant scientific disciplines.
- The Research Adviser and Laboratory Program Representative review and endorse applications before panel review.
- Scoring is on a 100-point scale; scores above 70 typically recommended for award.
- Review feedback is provided approximately one week after panel decisions.
Additional Information
- Health insurance enrollment is required during tenure; group plans are available.
- Relocation assistance is provided for awardees moving more than 50 miles.
- Travel allowance supports conference attendance and fieldwork.
- Awards are for on-site research at NIST in Gaithersburg, MD.
- Applicants who do not receive awards may reapply; previous NRC awardees must wait two years before applying again.
External Links
Contact Information
For questions about eligibility or application procedures, contact the NRC RAP office at rap@nas.edu.