Funder: NRC Research Associateship Programs
Due Dates: February 1, 2025 | May 1, 2025 | August 1, 2025 | November 1, 2025
Funding Amounts: Base stipend approximately $82,764/year with $3,000 travel allowance; typical appointment duration 2 years.
Summary: Postdoctoral fellowship at NIST for experimental and theoretical research to improve understanding and prediction of fundamental fluid properties relevant to industrial applications.
Key Information: Open to U.S. citizens with a doctoral degree earned within the last 5 years; requires contacting a NIST research adviser prior to application.
Description
This postdoctoral research opportunity at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) focuses on experimental and theoretical studies of fundamental fluid behavior. The goal is to improve the understanding and prediction of thermophysical properties of fluids, which are critical for designing efficient processes involving fuels, refrigerants, foodstuffs, and other industrially important fluids.
Despite the vast number of fluids in use globally, accurate property data exist for only a limited number. This fellowship supports research that combines state-of-the-art experimental measurements—such as speed of sound and pressure-density-temperature properties over wide temperature (up to 700 K) and pressure (up to 100 MPa) ranges—with theoretical modeling to develop better fluid property models.
Proposals are encouraged that address both pure fluids and mixtures, including studies on molecular size, polarity, and behavior under extreme pressures. There are also opportunities to expand and enhance NIST's instrumentation capabilities.
Due Dates
- February 1, 2025 (Review finalized early March)
- May 1, 2025 (Review finalized early June)
- August 1, 2025 (Review finalized early September)
- November 1, 2025 (Review finalized early December)
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
- Appointment duration: Typically 2 years
- Supplementation by host institution may be possible but is not guaranteed
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
- Affiliation Restrictions: Applicants with current or recent prior affiliation with NIST (e.g., employment or previous NRC fellowship) may be ineligible
- Other: Applicants must contact a NIST research adviser prior to applying to discuss research projects and funding availability
Application Process
Steps to Apply
- Review Eligibility: Confirm eligibility on the NRC RAP website and specific NIST opportunity page.
- Identify Opportunity: Select the NIST fluid behavior research opportunity (Research Opportunity number 50.64.72.B8499).
- Contact Adviser: Reach out to one of the NIST advisers (e.g., Allan Herbert Harvey or Mark O McLinden) to discuss your research proposal and funding.
- Prepare Application: Complete the online application including:
- Profile information and education history (upload transcripts)
- Research proposal (max 10 pages) with clear problem statement, methodology, expected results, and significance
- Previous and current research description (max 4 pages)
- List of publications and presentations (max 2 pages)
- References (minimum 3, including dissertation adviser for postdocs)
- Submit Application: Upload all required documents in PDF format and submit by the deadline.
- Letters of Recommendation: Notify letter writers to upload their letters via the online system by the deadline.
Review and Selection
- Applications are reviewed by expert panels in relevant disciplines (Physics, Chemistry, Engineering).
- The proposed Research Adviser and NIST program representatives review and endorse applications before panel review.
- Applicants are scored on academic record, research proposal quality, letters of recommendation, and relevance to NIST’s mission.
- Scores above 70 are recommended for awards; funding depends on availability.
- Feedback is provided approximately one week after review finalization.
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.
- Applicants with prior NRC Research Associateships must wait at least two years before applying again.
- Applications with incomplete or missing materials will not be reviewed.
- Letters of recommendation must be from individuals familiar with the applicant’s work and not employed by NIST unless they have served as mentors or collaborators during prior academic work.
External Links
Contact Information
Applicants are encouraged to contact the NRC RAP office for general questions and the NIST advisers for research-specific inquiries.