NIST PREP Research Associate to Develop Techniques for Precision RF Power Measurements

This position is part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Professional Research Experience Program (PREP). NIST recognizes that its research staff may want to collaborate with researchers at academic institutions on specific projects of mutual interest and, therefore, requires those institutions to be recipients of a PREP award. The PREP program involves staff from a wide range of backgrounds conducting scientific research across various fields. Individuals in this position will perform technical work supporting the collaboration’s scientific research.

Research Title:  PREP0004340 – 672.01 – Develop techniques for precision RF power measurements

The work will entail:  As the United State’s National Metrology Institute, NIST is responsible for providing traceable precision measurements to industry. The goal of this project is to improve NIST’s traceable radio-frequency (RF) power measurement capabilities. The work is partially supported by other-agency partners, who need NIST to deliver a power measurement system with the lowest possible uncertainties. This system also needs to be well-tested and easy to use. The successful candidate will develop and test this system, in conjunction with other staff.

U.S. Citizen Preferred

Key responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

• Development of test systems for precision measurements of radio-frequency (RF) power in coaxial and waveguide connector types.
• Development of code to acquire data from measurement instruments.
• Performing measurements, following established procedures.
• Developing (and performing) new measurement procedures.
• A careful, detailed, and well-documented analysis of various sources of measurement uncertainty in the system.
• Extensive testing of the data analysis code, data acquisition code, with a variety of types of RF power sensors.
• Recording daily lab work at a level of detail where another person could reproduce the work.
• Writing papers, manuals, and other documentation.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in electrical engineering, physics, optics, or a related field.
• Practical research experience using laboratory equipment (preferably electrical/RF test equipment).
• Enough familiarity with multivariate calculus, linear algebra, and statistics to implement these concepts in a practical context and clearly articulate how they work.
• Experience implementing novel algorithms for data analysis or modelling in software (as opposed to using software developed by someone else in a situation that it was specifically designed for).
• Experience with complex software projects. A complex software project involves collaboration between more than 3 contributors, sustained effort over the course of at least one year, and use of version control software (for example, Git).

Privacy Act Statement
Authority:  15 U.S.C. § 278g-1(e)(1) and (e)(3) and 15 U.S.C. § 272(b) and (c)
Purpose:  The National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) hosts the  Professional Research Experience Program (PREP) which is designed to provide valuable laboratory experience and financial assistance to undergraduates, post-bachelor’s degree holders, graduate students, master’s degree holders, postdocs, and faculty.
PREP is a 5-year cooperative agreement between NIST laboratories and participating PREP Universities to establish a collaborative research relationship between NIST and U.S. institutions of higher education in the following disciplines including (but may not be limited to) biochemistry, biological sciences, chemistry, computer science, engineering, electronics, materials science, mathematics, nanoscale science, neutron science, physical science, physics, and statistics. This collection of information is needed to facilitate administrative functions of the PREP Program.
Routine Uses:  NIST will use the information collected to perform the requisite reviews of the applications to determine eligibility, and to meet programmatic requirements. Disclosure of this information is also subject to all the published routine uses as identified in the Privacy Act System of Records Notices:  NIST-1: NIST Associates.
Disclosure:  Furnishing this information is voluntary. When you submit the form, you are indicating your voluntary consent for NIST to use of the information you submit for the purpose stated.

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PREP0004340