Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock (
) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
Materials Science and Rheology of Complex Polymeric and Composite Materials
The Material Measurement Laboratory of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is seeking a qualified materials scientist (U.S. citizens preferred) to advance metrology development in rheology, thermal analysis, and structure–property relationships for complex polymeric and composite materials. The candidate will conduct high-level, independent research, translating cutting-edge measurements into industry-relevant metrics, reference methods/materials, and standards.
Duties
- Design and execute rheological characterization of complex fluids and soft solids
- Lead thermal and thermomechanical characterization
- Characterize and model reactive/curing systems
- Build structure–property insights through multimodal characterization
- Author publications and present research to stakeholders
Required Skills, Expertise, and Qualifications
- Ph.D. in polymer science, materials science, chemical engineering, or a related discipline
- Expertise in rheology, including advanced techniques such as orthogonal superposition rheology and large amplitude oscillatory shear rheology
- Experience with thermal analysis (DSC and at least one of DMA/TGA/TMA/CTE/thermal conductivity methods), including calibration/validation
- Solid background in cure kinetics, chemorheology, and polymer physics
- Experience with additive manufacturing (extrusion-based and vat photopolymerization)
- Strong quantitative/data skills (e.g., Matlab/Python/Origin/JMP) for processing large datasets, fitting models, and producing publication-quality figures
- Track record of technical writing (peer-reviewed papers, technical reports, SOPs) and communicating results to mixed audiences
- Demonstrated ability to lead projects, mentor students/postdocs, and coordinate crossfunctional collaborations
- Ability to work on-site in a laboratory setting in Gaithersburg, MD and meet all safety/training requirements
Employment Terms
This opportunity is to be an associate researcher in the NIST Materials Science and Engineering Division for a term of 1 year, with options to renew. Associate researchers are NOT Federal Employees, but they work along with NIST researchers and with NIST’s world-class instrumentation. Relocation expenses will not be provided. U.S. citizens hired into associate positions may have the opportunity to seek longer term Federal Employment.
How to Express Interest
Interested persons (U.S. citizens preferred) who meet all of the required qualifications are invited to express their interest by sending an email that briefly describes their qualifications along with a CV to 643assoc [at] nist.gov (643assoc[at]nist[dot]gov). U.S. citizens should note “U.S. Citizen” and the opportunity title in the email subject line. All others should note “Non-U.S. Citizen” and the opportunity title in the email subject line.