Funder: NRC Research Associateship Programs
Due Dates: February 1, 2025 | May 1, 2025 | August 1, 2025 | November 1, 2025
Funding Amounts: Stipend approximately $82,764 per year plus $3,000 travel allowance; typical appointment duration 2 years.
Summary: Postdoctoral fellowship at NIST to conduct research on elemental speciation in clinical and biological systems using advanced tandem analytical and X-ray spectroscopy techniques.
Key Information: Open to U.S. citizens with a doctoral degree earned within the last 5 years; requires contacting a Research Adviser prior to application; NIST participates in February and August review cycles.
Description
This postdoctoral research opportunity at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) focuses on the elemental speciation of trace elements in clinical and biological systems. The biological and clinical functions of trace elements depend heavily on their chemical forms, making it critical to identify and quantify these species to understand their roles and functions.
Research involves the development and application of tandem analytical approaches combined with X-ray spectroscopy techniques to investigate bio-inorganic elemental species, whether free or bound to proteins or other molecular entities. State-of-the-art instrumentation is available, including:
- High-resolution magnetic sector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS)
- Collision-cell quadrupole ICP-MS
- Various chromatographic separation systems coupled with organic mass spectrometry for protein characterization
- Access to beamline 6-BM at the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II) for X-ray spectroscopy research through collaboration within the Material Measurement Laboratory
Key research areas include bio-inorganic chemistry, hyphenated analytical techniques, trace element speciation, and advanced spectroscopic methods.
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.
NIST specifically participates in the February and August review cycles.
Funding Amount
- Base stipend: $82,764 per year
- Travel allowance: $3,000 annually
- Typical appointment duration: 2 years
- No supplementation indicated
Eligibility
- Citizenship: Open to U.S. citizens only
- Education: Applicants must have earned a Ph.D., Sc.D., M.D., D.V.M., or equivalent research doctorate before beginning 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 at NIST) may be ineligible
- Applicants must contact the proposed Research Adviser before applying
- Applicants must not have ongoing or recent postdoctoral fellowships sponsored by or conducted at NIST unless the proposed research is distinct
Application Process
- Identify the Research Opportunity number: 50.64.61.B5547
- Contact one or more of the listed Research Advisers to discuss research interests and funding availability:
- Colleen Elizabeth Bryan Sallee (colleen.bryan@nist.gov)
- Steven J. Christopher (steven.christopher@nist.gov)
- Lee L. Yu (lee.yu@nist.gov)
- Prepare application materials including:
- Research proposal (max 10 pages) with sections on problem statement, background, methodology, new methods, expected results, and significance
- Previous and current research description (max 4 pages)
- List of publications and presentations (max 2 pages)
- Letters of recommendation (minimum 3, including dissertation adviser for postdocs)
- Transcripts (required for postdoctoral applicants)
- Submit application via the NRC Research Associateship Programs online portal before the deadline
- Applicants may apply to up to three Research Opportunities but only one per sponsoring federal agency
- Letters of recommendation must be uploaded by letter writers via the online system by the deadline
- Applications are reviewed by expert panels; scoring above 70 is typically required for award recommendation
Additional Information
- Health insurance enrollment is required throughout the tenure; a group plan is available with shared costs
- Relocation assistance is provided for awardees moving more than 50 miles to the host laboratory
- Annual travel allowance supports conference attendance, meetings, training, or fieldwork
- Awards are contingent on successful security clearance if required
- Applicants with prior NRC Research Associateships must have a two-year gap before applying again
- Reviewer feedback is provided approximately one week after review finalization
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Contact Information