Funder: NRC Research Associateship Programs
Due Dates: February 1, 2025 | August 1, 2025
Funding Amounts: $82,764 stipend plus $3,000 travel allowance; typical appointment duration 2 years.
Summary: Postdoctoral fellowship at NIST Charleston using MC-ICPMS for innovative stable isotope research in environmental and forensic science, focusing on method development, standards, quality control, and specimen banking.
Key Information: Open to U.S. citizens with a doctoral degree; applications require prior contact with research advisers; NIST participates only in February and August review cycles.
Description
This postdoctoral research opportunity at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Charleston, SC, focuses on stable isotope metrology using multicollector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICPMS). MC-ICPMS enables sensitive and precise measurement of stable isotope ratios and can be coupled with various sample introduction systems, expanding stable isotope research to new elements and applications.
The research program emphasizes analytical method development, new and improved applications, standards development, quality control, and specimen banking related to environmental and forensic science, particularly marine ecosystems. Research topics include:
- Developing matrix isotopic reference materials (e.g., mercury)
- Measuring mercury isotopes in archived biological tissues (marine mammals, seabirds, sea turtles) to study mercury sources and biogeochemical cycling
- Improving methodologies for boron isotopes in marine carbonate skeletons (e.g., corals) as proxies for seawater pH
- Developing isotopic tools for provenance determination, forensics, dispersal and migration studies, and detection of groundwater contamination
Applicants are sought to perform innovative science using MC-ICPMS in these or related areas.
Due Dates
- February 1, 2025 (NIST participates in this review cycle)
- August 1, 2025 (NIST participates in this review cycle)
Applications must be submitted by 5:00 PM ET on the deadline date. If the deadline falls on a weekend or federal holiday, it is moved to the next business day.
Funding Amount
- Base stipend: $82,764 per year
- Travel allowance: $3,000 annually
- Typical appointment duration: 2 years
Additional benefits include health insurance (shared cost), relocation assistance if applicable, and access to state-of-the-art facilities.
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) may be ineligible
- Security: Award may be contingent on satisfactory completion of security clearance processes
Application Process
Steps to Apply
- Review eligibility criteria on the NRC RAP website.
- Identify this Research Opportunity (NIST, opportunity code 50.64.63.B7859).
- Contact one or both of the listed Research Advisers prior to applying:
- Steven J. Christopher (steven.christopher@nist.gov, 843-460-9858)
- John R. Kucklick (john.kucklick@nist.gov, 202-494-5353)
- Prepare application materials including:
- Research proposal (max 10 pages) with clear problem statement, background, methodology, expected results, and significance
- Curriculum vitae and transcripts (postdocs must upload transcripts from all post-secondary institutions)
- Letters of recommendation (minimum 3, including dissertation adviser)
- Submit application via the NRC RAP online system before the deadline.
Application Components
- Profile information (contact, education, employment, honors)
- Research proposal and abstract with keywords
- Previous and current research description
- List of publications and presentations
- Letters of recommendation uploaded by referees through the online system
Review and Selection
- Applications are reviewed by expert panels in relevant scientific disciplines.
- The proposed Research Adviser and NIST program representatives review and endorse applications before panel review.
- Scoring is on a 100-point scale; scores above 70 are recommended for awards.
- Funding decisions consider scientific merit, relevance to NIST mission, and available slots.
Additional Information
- Awards are for on-site research at NIST Charleston.
- Health insurance is required throughout tenure.
- Relocation assistance is available for those moving more than 50 miles.
- Annual travel allowance supports conference attendance and fieldwork.
- Applicants can apply to up to three NRC RAP opportunities but only one per sponsoring agency.
- Applicants who do not receive funding may reapply; those who fail review must wait one year.
External Links
Contact Information