NIST/NRC Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in the Material Measurement Laboratory (MML)

Building a Career Foundation in the Chemical, Biological and Materials Sciences 

The NIST/NRC Program

NIST works with the National Research Council (NRC) to offer awards for postdoctoral research in the diverse fields of physical science in which NIST is actively involved. The mission of the NRC's Research Associateship Programs is to provide advanced training for highly qualified postdoctoral and visiting scientists, while enhancing the research conducted in federal laboratories.

The NRC-NIST postdoctoral fellowship has become a flagship program that brings value to the federal research enterprise by inviting new ideas and skills and helping to build future generations of research leaders.  For NIST positions, the NRC application process is very competitive and involves two application cycles starting in February and August of each year. The NRC evaluates all applications using a peer review process. Each application receives multiple reviews by scientists and engineers with expertise across the range of sponsored programs. Sponsor labs have input on the quality of applicants and the relevance to their programs.  

The NRC Postdoctoral Experience in MML

The MML is a premier organization with which to perform post-doctoral research in measurement science related to chemical, biological and materials sciences and technologies. Every year, MML receives more than 130 applications for NRC-NIST postdoctoral fellowships and makes 25 to 30 successful appointments.  MML programs are significantly enriched by the fresh ideas and talent brought by NRC postdocs, who enjoy close interactions with a broad range of experienced researchers and access to world class equipment and resources. MML has over 400 postdoctoral research opportunities in the biosciences, chemistry and chemical engineering, and in materials science and engineering. These include exciting opportunities to develop and apply measurement science and technologies for a wide range of applications, such as advanced electronics, advanced materials, biomanufacturing, the environment and climate, food safety, forensics, healthcare, national security, renewable energy, and physical infrastructure.

The benefits for MML and NRC postdoctoral associates do not end upon completion of the two-year postdoctoral tenure. The alumni of the NRC-NIST postdoctoral program are typically in high demand because of the high quality of their work and NIST's excellent reputation worldwide. Because the program opens doors to a wide range of research careers, MML postdoctoral fellows take on leading positions in industry, academia and government agencies.  Indeed, a significant fraction of the permanent staff in MML began their careers as NRC postdoctoral associates. In addition, a measure of the success of the MML program is the large number of postdoctoral alumni who remain in contact with NIST as their careers progress, often as part of scientific collaborations or to recommend one of their own graduate students to the fellowship competition.

To learn more about the research in MML, browse our website. To learn more about NRC postdoctoral research opportunities in the NIST Material Measurement Laboratory, see the NRC search website. Application instructions for the NIST NRC Postdoctoral Research program can be found on the NRC Research Associate Program website.

Applications for NRC Associateships at NIST are accepted on February 1st and August 1st of each year. NIST NRC Associateships are only open to US Citizens.

For research opportunities that are open to international postdoctoral candidates, please visit our Opportunities and Interactions page.