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: Fellowship supporting postdoctoral research to develop novel chemical and physical metrology methods for isolating and analyzing micro- and nanoplastics.
Key Information: Open to U.S. citizens with a doctoral degree; research conducted on-site at NIST in Gaithersburg, MD; requires prior contact with research advisers.
Description
This fellowship opportunity at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) focuses on advancing the chemical and physical metrology of micro- and nanoplastics. The research addresses the environmental challenge posed by the degradation of plastic waste into microscopic and nanoscale particles that enter ecosystems and food chains. The project aims to develop innovative analytical methods to isolate, characterize, and understand micro- and nanoplastics of diverse origins.
Key research areas include:
- Developing laboratory methods to produce controlled-size micro- and nanoplastics.
- Creating field-flow fractionation (FFF) techniques combined with multi-detector online characterization to isolate subpopulations.
- Applying surface chemical and chromatographic methods to separate subpopulations based on composition.
- Using surface and near-surface chemical analysis to differentiate material origins and evaluate degradation processes.
- Detecting and analyzing surface-adsorbed species on micro- and nanoplastics under various environmental exposure scenarios.
The research is supported by advanced instrumentation and facilities, including multi-detector FFF, physical characterization tools (MALS, DLS, TEM, SEM, AFM), and bulk/surface chemical analysis techniques (EDX, XPS, SIMS, ATR-FTIR). Additional analytical methods may be accessible as needed.
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: Approximately $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 doctoral degree (Ph.D., Sc.D., M.D., D.V.M., or equivalent) before beginning tenure
- Career stage: Postdoctoral applicants who 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
- Research location: Research must be conducted on-site at NIST in Gaithersburg, MD
Application Process
- Applicants must identify the research opportunity and contact the listed Research Advisers prior to applying:
- Justin M. Gorham (justin.gorham@nist.gov, 301-975-5944)
- Diana L. Ortiz-Montalvo (diana.ortiz-montalvo@nist.gov, 301-975-2019)
- Complete an online application via the NRC Research Associateship Programs portal
- Submit required documents including:
- Profile information and education history with transcripts (postdocs only)
- Research proposal (max 10 pages) detailing problem statement, background, methodology, expected results, and significance
- Letters of recommendation (minimum 3, including dissertation adviser for postdocs)
- Follow formatting and submission guidelines carefully (e.g., PDF format, page limits, no headers/footers)
- Applications are reviewed by expert panels; scoring above 70 typically recommended for award
- Applicants will receive reviewer feedback approximately one week after review finalization
Additional Information
- Health insurance enrollment is required throughout the tenure; group plans available with cost-sharing
- Relocation assistance is provided for awardees moving more than 50 miles to the host laboratory
- Annual travel allowance supports conference attendance, meetings, or fieldwork
- Applicants may apply to up to three research opportunities but only one per sponsoring federal agency per cycle
- Previous NRC Research Associateship holders may apply again after a two-year gap from prior award termination
- Security clearance or background checks may be required depending on agency policies
External Links
Contact Information