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: Supports postdoctoral research focused on quantum error correction and fault-tolerance to address decoherence and errors in quantum information processing.
Key Information: Open to U.S. citizens holding a doctoral degree; research conducted at NIST in collaboration with University of Maryland experimental groups; requires contacting a Research Adviser prior to application.
Description
This fellowship opportunity under the NRC Research Associateship Programs supports postdoctoral researchers working on quantum error correction and fault-tolerance in quantum information science. The primary challenge addressed is overcoming decoherence and errors caused by imperfect isolation of quantum systems from their environment. The research aims to develop theoretical and practical strategies for error correction and fault-tolerant quantum computing.
Key research topics include:
- Noisy, random, and monitored quantum circuits
- Quantum coding theory
- Theory of fault-tolerance thresholds and protocols
- Statistical mechanics mappings for quantum error correction
The research is conducted at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Physical Measurement Laboratory, Nanoscale Device Characterization Division, with collaborations involving experimental groups at NIST and the University of Maryland.
Due Dates
Applications are accepted four times annually with deadlines at 5 PM ET on:
- February 1, 2025
- May 1, 2025
- August 1, 2025
- November 1, 2025
If a deadline falls on a weekend or federal holiday, it is moved to the next business day. NIST participates in the February and August review cycles specifically.
Funding Amount
- Base stipend: $82,764 per year
- Travel allowance: $3,000 annually
- Typical appointment length: 2 years
- No supplementation specified
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
- 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 or related postdoctoral fellowships at the agency may be ineligible
- Letter writers: Cannot be employed by the agency unless they have served as mentors or collaborators during the applicant’s prior academic or research training
Application Process
- Identify Research Opportunity: Review the opportunity details and confirm eligibility.
- Contact Research Adviser: Applicants must contact the proposed Research Adviser (Michael John Gullans at michael.gullans@nist.gov) before applying to discuss research plans and funding availability.
- Prepare Application:
- Complete profile information including education history and transcripts
- Upload documents: dissertation abstract, previous/current research description, list of publications/presentations
- Submit a detailed research proposal (max 10 pages) including problem statement, background, methodology, expected results, and significance
- Provide at least three references, including the dissertation adviser, who will upload letters of recommendation via the online system
- Submit Application: Applications must be submitted by the deadline through the NRC RAP online portal.
- Review: Applications are reviewed by expert panels; scores above 70 are recommended for awards.
- Notification: Applicants receive reviewer feedback approximately one week after review finalization and award decisions within 6-8 weeks thereafter.
Additional Information
- Health insurance coverage 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 and related activities.
- Applicants may apply to up to three different federal agencies per cycle but only one application per agency.
- Previous NRC Research Associateship holders may apply again after a two-year gap from prior award termination.
- Applications with incomplete or insufficient letters of recommendation will not be reviewed.
External Links
Contact Information