Funder: NRC Research Associateship Programs
Due Dates: February 1, 2025 | May 1, 2025 | August 1, 2025 | November 1, 2025
Funding Amounts: $82,764 base stipend plus $3,000 travel allowance; typical appointment duration 2 years.
Summary: Postdoctoral fellowship at NIST using small-angle neutron and x-ray scattering to characterize nanoscale structures and materials properties, advancing metrology for sub-100 nm features.
Key Information: Open to U.S. citizens with a Ph.D. awarded 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 at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) focuses on the use of high-resolution small-angle neutron and x-ray scattering techniques, including grazing-incidence small-angle x-ray scattering, to characterize nanoscale structures fabricated by advanced nanofabrication methods. The research aims to quantitatively determine critical feature dimensions such as pitch, line profile, and line edge roughness in designed surface patterns like arrays of lines and rectangular holes etched into oxide layers.
A key advantage of this scattering-based metrology is its scalability and improved ease of measurement as feature sizes decrease into the sub-100 nm regime, which is critical for electronic and other applications. The research projects may include analyzing scattering from nanoscale structures composed of different materials, determining fundamental properties of fabricated nanostructures, and investigating patterned nanostructured materials.
The fellowship provides access to state-of-the-art facilities at NIST's Material Measurement Laboratory, Materials Science and Engineering Division, located in Gaithersburg, MD.
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 per year
- 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
- 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 at NIST) may be ineligible
- Letter writers: Cannot be employed by NIST unless they have served as mentors or collaborators during the applicant’s prior academic or research training
Application Process
Steps to Apply
- Review eligibility on the NRC RAP website and confirm suitability for this opportunity.
- Identify the Research Opportunity number: 50.64.21.B5588.
- Contact the Research Advisers prior to applying to discuss research interests and funding availability. Advisers for this opportunity include:
- Prepare application materials including:
- Research proposal (max 10 pages)
- Previous and current research description (max 4 pages)
- List of publications and presentations (max 2 pages)
- Letters of recommendation (minimum 3, including dissertation adviser)
- Transcripts (for postdocs)
- Submit application via the NRC RAP online portal before the deadline.
- Notify letter writers to upload their letters by the deadline.
Application Requirements
- Research proposal must clearly state the problem, background, methodology, expected results, and significance.
- Letters of recommendation must be uploaded by letter writers through the online system.
- Applicants must validate and submit their application by 5 PM ET on the deadline date.
- Only one application per sponsoring federal agency is allowed per cycle.
- Applicants may apply to up to three different agencies in one cycle.
Additional Information
- NRC Research Associateships at NIST are typically two-year appointments.
- Health insurance enrollment is required throughout the tenure.
- Relocation assistance is available for awardees moving more than 50 miles.
- Annual travel allowance supports conference attendance and related activities.
- Review process involves expert panels in relevant scientific disciplines.
- Applicants receive reviewer feedback approximately one week after review finalization.
- Award decisions are based on scientific merit, feasibility, and alignment with NIST’s mission.
External Links
Contact Information
For general questions about the NRC Research Associateship Programs, contact the Fellowships Office at rap@nas.edu.