General Description

Salary: $85,000-$100,000 a year

PREP Research Associate

This position is part of the National Institute of Standards (NIST) Professional Research Experience (PREP) program. NIST recognizes that its research staff may wish to collaborate with researchers at academic institutions on specific projects of mutual interest, thus requires that such institutions must be the recipient of a PREP award. The PREP program requires staff from a wide range of backgrounds to work on scientific research in many areas. Employees in this position will perform technical work that underpins the scientific research of the collaboration.

Supports the Cellular Engineering Group and NIST Engineering Biology Program by advancing measurement assurance for cell-free systems from diverse samples, including reconstituted and microbial samples. Assist in advancing metabolic engineering and scale-up for cell-free systems. Assists in the automation of reagent preparation, cell-free reaction assembly, and, for using NIST Living Measurement Systems Foundry (LMSF) or other laboratory automation. Analyzes experimental and simulation data, including uncertainty and other statistical analyses. Documents and manages manual and automated laboratory protocols, data, and analyses. Regularly presents and discusses progress with the larger organization.

Plans and carries out difficult and complex assignments in a scientific, engineering, mathematics, or information technology discipline with limited supervision. Develops new methods, approaches, and procedures usually in cooperation with coworkers or advisors. Works with peers and others to develop resolutions to complex or challenging issues and provide recommendations for improvements to meet program objectives. Completed work is expected to have a sound overall approach and effectively meet stated requirements. Work impacts the technical planning, completion, and direction of major scientific, mathematical, engineering, or information technology projects.

Research Title:

Metabolic engineering for cell-free expression systems

The work will entail: 

Key responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

• Developing assays to characterize the metabolism and scale-up of cell-free reactions.
• Investigating experimental and analytical means to support measurement assurance for cell-free systems.
• Assisting with the automation of methods for preparation of cell-free lysates, cell-free reagents, cell-free reaction assembly, and assaying cell-free systems and their performance.
• Analyzing heterogeneous data sources, including uncertainty and other statistical analyses.

§  Presenting results at internal meetings, and occasional meetings with external stakeholders.

§  Ensuring that results, protocols, software, and documentation have been archived or otherwise transmitted to the larger organization.

Qualifications

§  A Master's degree in chemical engineering, bioengineering, cell biology, chemistry, physics, synthetic biology, or a related field.

§  3 years of relevant experience.

§  Strong oral and written communication skills.

Application Instructions

Please upload the following with your application:

-         CV/Resume

*Please limit C.V to 3 pages only and ONLY include a valid email address for your contact info. Please DO NOT include telephone numbers, home address or photos on your resume. 

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.

About Johns Hopkins University

Johns Hopkins University remains committed to its founding principle, that education for all students should be grounded in exploration and discovery. Hopkins students are challenged not just to learn but also to advance learning itself. Critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, and entrepreneurship are all encouraged and nourished in this unique educational environment. After more than 130 years, Johns Hopkins remains a world leader in both teaching and research. Faculty members and their research colleagues at the university's Applied Physics Laboratory have each year since 1979 won Johns Hopkins more federal research and development funding than any other university. The university has nine academic divisions and campuses throughout the Baltimore-Washington area. The Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, the Whiting School of Engineering, the School of Education and the Carey Business School are based at the Homewood campus in northern Baltimore. The schools of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing share a campus in east Baltimore with The Johns Hopkins Hospital. The Peabody Institute, a leading professional school of music, is located on Mount Vernon Place in downtown Bal...timore. The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies is located in Washington's Dupont Circle area.

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