Jobs UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO BOULDER

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Professional Research Assistant

Requisition Number:

68281

Location:

Boulder, Colorado

City

Boulder

State

Colorado

Employment Type:

Research Faculty

Schedule:

Full-Time

Posting Close Date:

14-Nov-2025

Date Posted:

03-Nov-2025
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Job Summary

The goal of this position is to develop new measurement approaches for novel semiconductor materials, including 2D materials and wide bandgap (WBG) materials.  In order to understand how such novel materials can be effectively integrated with reliable microelectronic devices, the associate will develop complementary measurement and modeling approaches.  Specifically, approaches will be developed to characterize stacked 2D-material-based heterostructures and related devices.  Measurement and modeling approaches will also be developed for nanoscale dielectric breakthrough characterization of WBG materials.  The associate will characterize novel semiconductor materials (and devices that integrate those materials) by use of analytical characterization tools, including electron microscopy, Raman and photoluminescence spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy with a single-frequency, near-field, scanning microwave impedance microscope (sMIM) and near-field broadband (2 GHz to 20 GHz) scanning probe metrology.  The associate will subsequently develop data analysis and/or computational models to determine material properties, quantify charge distribution, and characterize defects in test structures.  They will organize and present data analysis and system models in ways that are clear and useful to team members and project managers.

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 Nanoscale Reliability Group under the Applied Chemicals and Materials Division at NIST.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

  • Development of electronic test structures for reliability testing.
  • Development of best practices for transfer of 2D materials from a variety of growth substrates.
  • Develop protocols for testing of 2D and WBG semiconductor materials.
  • Utilizing analytical measurement techniques (i.e. sMIM, Raman spectroscopy) and related methods to characterize 2D and WBG semiconductor materials on growth substrates.
  • Promptly analyze measurement data and provide in a presentation ready format.
  • Assist with automation, programming and data analysis needs for the project.

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

Candidate with Bachelor’s degree:  The salary range for this full-time position is $64,000 - $86,000 annually.
Candidate with Master’s degree:  The salary range for this full-time position is $66,000 - $125,000 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

  • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physical Sciences, or a related field.

What We Would Like You to Have

§  Master’s degree or equivalent in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physical Sciences or a related field.

§  Experience in transferring 2D materials onto substrates preferred.

§  Experience with analytical materials measurement techniques.

§  Familiarity with image processing, data analysis and/or programming preferred.

§  Strong oral and written communication skills.

§  Ability to work with real-time event data at scale.

§  Familiarity with multiple scripting languages.

§  Ability to develop prototypes of tools needed to analyze data.

§  Strong oral and written communication skills.

Special Instructions

To apply, please submit the following materials:
  1. Resume or CV
  2. Cover letter addressed to the Search Committee briefly describing your qualifications, professional goals, and specific interest in this position.
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.  If your degree was obtained outside of the United States, please submit a translated version as an optional attachment.
 
During the application process, you will need to enter contact information for a reference who will be contacted to provide a letter of recommendation immediately after you apply.
 
Review of applications will begin immediately and remain open until November 14, 2025.
 
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