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Postdoctoral Associate

Requisition Number:

69242

Location:

Boulder, Colorado

City

Boulder

State

Colorado

Employment Type:

Research Faculty

Schedule:

Full-Time

Posting Close Date:

21-Jan-2026

Date Posted:

14-Jan-2026
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Job Summary

The Postdoctoral Associate focuses on developing device- and module-level electrical methods of measuring the secure, efficient, and verifiable erasure (‘sanitization’) of magnetic random-access memory (MRAM) and magnetic hard disk drives (HDDs).  These measurements and methods will be developed in collaboration with NIST scientists and an industry working group to ensure alignment with existing and emerging technologies.  The Associate will develop testing infrastructure utilizing both standalone test and measurement equipment, as well as tests utilizing industry-standard memory and storage interfaces.  In each of these projects the Associate will work closely with NIST staff, but the Associate must be self-motivated in designing and executing measurements, developing robust data analysis methods with proper statistical validation, and reporting these results to the group and via publication.

This position is part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST) Professional Research Experience Program (PREP).  NIST recognizes that its research staff may wish to collaborate with researchers at academic institutions on specific projects of mutual interest and thus requires that such institutions be the recipients 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.
CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Who We Are

PREP is a special partnership between the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the University of  Colorado Boulder.  PREP provides research opportunities to CU undergraduate and graduate students, as well as  researchers with a Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD in NIST labs to gain research experience alongside NIST scientists.

The particular group that needs a researcher is the Spin Electronics Group under the Applied Physics Division at NIST.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

  • Developing high speed electronic (microwave) measurements, including pulsed, harmonic, sampled and real-time measurement methods using microwave sources, arbitrary waveform generators, and oscilloscopes.  
  • Developing high speed electronic measurements using existing chip, module, and drive interfaces, as well as methods for verifying their function.
  • Analyzing heterogeneous data sources including read- and write-error rate data streams, real-time and sampled high speed electronic traces.
  • Modeling device response to applied external magnetic fields.
  • Presenting results at internal meetings, and occasional meetings (including travel) with external stakeholders.
  • Ensuring that results, protocols, software, and documentation have been archived or otherwise transmitted to the larger organization.

What You Should Know

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 of 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 the 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.  By applying to a CHIPS-funded PREP opportunity, you also acknowledge that participation in the project requires signing a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) prior to beginning any work.

What We Can Offer

  • The salary range for this full-time position is $67,000 - $100,000 annually.
  • Onboarding/relocation assistance may be available, however, if within a 12-month period you exercise your right to willfully terminate your employment with the University of Colorado, you hereby agree to reimburse the department for your relocation expense.

Benefits

At the University of Colorado Boulder, we are committed to supporting the holistic health and well-being of our employees. Our comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental, and retirement plans; generous paid time off; tuition assistance for you and your dependents; and an ECO Pass for local transit. As one of Boulder County’s largest employers, CU Boulder offers an inspiring academic community and access to world-class outdoor recreation. Explore additional perks and programs through the CU Advantage program.

Be Statements

Be ambitious. Be pioneering. Be Boulder.

What We Require

  • A PhD in Physics, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.

What We Would Like You to Have

  • Basic understanding of computer memory and data storage architectures.
  • Experience developing data acquisition platforms to acquire DC and RF data.
  • Familiarity with scripting languages including Python.
  • Experience with micromagnetic simulation tools including MuMAX.
  • Experience with characterization tools including SQUID, MOKE desirable but not necessary.
  • Ability to develop tools needed to analyze large datasets using Python, MATLAB, or similar programming environments.
  • Strong oral and written communication skills.
  • Track record of publishing in peer reviewed scientific journals.
  • Experience in measurement techniques to determine relevant parameters for ferromagnetic materials (e.g. exchange constant, damping, moment).

Special Instructions

To apply, please submit the following materials:
  1. Resume/CV
  2. Cover Letter
(Optional) Transcripts/Proof of Degree: If you are selected as the finalist, your degree will be verified by the CU Boulder Campus Human Resources Department using an approved online vendor.  However, if your degree was obtained outside of the United States, please submit an English-translated version as an Optional document.

During the application process, you will need to enter contact information for a reference.  We will request the letter of recommendation immediately following your application.

Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until January 21, 2026.

Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email.  For consideration, applications must be submitted through CU Boulder Jobs.

In compliance with the Colorado Job Application Fairness Act, in any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.

Posting Contact Information

Posting Contact Name: Lisa Valencia

Posting Contact Email: recruitprep@colorado.edu