Funder: NRC Research Associateship Programs
Due Dates: February 1, 2025 (NIST February Review) | May 1, 2025 (NIST May Review) | August 1, 2025 (NIST August Review)
Funding Amounts: $82,764 stipend per year + $3,000 travel allowance; typical appointment duration 2 years.
Summary: Postdoctoral fellowship supporting research in ultrafast physics and precision spectroscopy using stable lasers and optical frequency combs at NIST.
Key Information: Open to U.S. citizens with a doctoral degree earned within the last 5 years; requires contacting a research adviser prior to application.
Description
This postdoctoral fellowship opportunity at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Boulder, CO, focuses on cutting-edge research in ultrafast physics and precision spectroscopy. The research leverages stable lasers and optical frequency combs to enable precision spectroscopy and extreme nonlinear optics spanning from the mid-infrared to the extreme ultraviolet spectrum. This work provides novel probes of large quantum systems, facilitates real-time trace detection relevant to health and environmental monitoring, and opens new avenues for spectroscopy in nuclear transitions, including nuclear clock development.
Key research areas include:
- Optical frequency combs and comb spectroscopy
- Quantum state resolution and cold molecule studies
- Real-time detection of trace species and kinetics
- Nuclear transition spectroscopy and nuclear clock research
The fellowship is part of the NRC Research Associateship Programs (RAP), which offer prestigious postdoctoral awards to promising scientists to conduct self-directed research aligned with federal laboratory goals.
Due Dates
- February 1, 2025 (NIST February Review)
- May 1, 2025 (NIST May Review)
- August 1, 2025 (NIST August Review)
NIST participates only in the February and August review cycles for this opportunity.
Funding Amount
- Annual stipend: $82,764
- Annual travel allowance: $3,000
- Typical appointment duration: 2 years
Eligibility
- Citizenship: Open to U.S. citizens only.
- Education: Applicants must have earned a Ph.D. 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.
- Applicants must contact the proposed Research Adviser before applying.
Application Process
Steps to Apply
- Review eligibility criteria on the NRC RAP website.
- Identify this Research Opportunity at NIST (Opportunity Number: 50.68.92.B4406).
- Contact the Research Adviser (Jun Ye, ye@jila.colorado.edu) to discuss research plans and funding availability.
- 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)
- Register and submit your application via the NRC RAP online portal.
- Ensure all letters of recommendation are uploaded by the deadline.
Application Materials
- Profile information including education history and transcripts (postdocs only)
- Research proposal detailing problem statement, background, methodology, expected results, and significance
- Letters of recommendation uploaded by referees via the online system
- Contact information for references and Research Adviser
Review and Selection
- Applications are reviewed by expert panels in physics and related disciplines.
- Each application is scored on a 100-point scale; scores above 70 are recommended for awards.
- Review considers academic record, research proposal quality, letters of recommendation, and alignment with NIST mission.
- Applicants receive reviewer feedback approximately one week after review finalization.
Additional Information
- Health insurance enrollment is required throughout the tenure.
- Relocation assistance is available for awardees moving more than 50 miles.
- Travel allowance supports conference attendance and fieldwork.
- Applicants may apply to up to three NRC RAP opportunities but only one per sponsoring agency.
- Previous NRC Research Associates may apply again after a two-year gap post-termination of prior award.
External Links
Contact Information