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PREP Graduate Research Assistant Position at NIST in the Ion Storage Group (PREP0004958)

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 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.


The Professional Research Experience Program (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.

Research Location:

At NIST in the Ion Storage Group

Summary of the Position:

We are developing optical atomic clocks based on quantum logic spectroscopy of trapped ions. Goals of this research include the development of new protocols for transferring quantum information and generating entanglement; the design and operation of world-leading optical clocks for applications in fundamental physics and metrology; and the development of ion traps, ultra-high vacuum systems and cryogenics for use in precision measurements.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Design, construction and operation of the optical clock apparatus including laser optics, digital and analog electronics, opto-mechanics, ultra-high vacuum systems and cryogenics.
  • Design and implementation of experiments to evaluate and optimize various aspects of clock performance.
  • Evaluation of experimental data.
  • Communication of experimental results in the form of peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.

Minimum Qualifications:

  • Applicants must be enrolled full-time at the University of Colorado Boulder master’s degree or doctoral degree program in physics, mathematics, engineering, or closely related program.
  • Must currently possess a 3.0 GPA or higher.
  • Must be a degree seeking student through CU Boulder.

Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree in physics, engineering, or a related field.
  • Strong Mathematics/physics skills.
  • Strong oral and written communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Prior experience with atomic physics or precision measurement experiments.
  • Prior experience building or operating laser systems, laboratory control electronics and ultra-high-vacuum systems.

Currently Funded: 

  • Fall 2026 – Summer 2027

Salary (contract pay format):

  • Pre-comps: $3,258 per month
  • Post-comps: $3,430 per month

Benefits:

  • Graduate Research Assistant contract pay based on pre-comps/post-comps rate.
  • Tuition, fees, and insurance paid for by PREP during the academic year while in PREP.

If interested, please send your resume/CV to Lisa Valencia at recruitprep@colorado.edu. The finalist will be required to submit their resume/CV and transcript.


This position requires the successful completion of an NAIS agreement and federal security clearance as mandated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Employment is contingent upon approval of these requirements as determined by NIST.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW:

Citizenship/Nationality Information (NIST PREP Requirement): As a condition of funding for this Professional Research Experience Program (PREP) position, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) requires the University of Colorado Boulder to provide applicant citizenship or nationality information as part of the candidate submission process. This requirement is imposed by NIST and is not a University of Colorado employment requirement. Information provided in response to this question will be used solely to satisfy NIST reporting, eligibility, compliance, and research security requirements and will not be reviewed, considered, or used by the University of Colorado Boulder in evaluating applicants, determining qualifications, or making any employment decision. Access to this information will be limited to personnel responsible for administering NIST PREP program requirements. If you choose not to provide this information, the University may be unable to submit your application to NIST for consideration under the PREP program. Please state your citizenship and/or nationality. (https://cuboulderdata.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_56ZF1rxD4WHTBEG)

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.