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.
Research Title:
AI Researcher: Engineering Biology
The work will entail:
Plan and conduct research to advance measurement capabilities to aid in the predictive engineering of biological systems, such as proteins, as part of the NIST Engineering Biology Program. Develop artificial intelligence and machine learning analysis pipelines to support automation and protocol development for wetlab procedures, as well as development of platforms for new, quantitative measurements and validated methods for evaluating the functional performance of engineered biological parts and systems. Develop automation workflows for bottleneck processes in biosecurity screening and synthetic biology. Support NIST's mission through service as a subject matter expert in the application of artificial intelligence and machine learning to measurement innovation in synthetic biology. Engage stakeholders and identify opportunities for standards development.
Candidates must be eligible to obtain a Department of Commerce background check for facility access.
Key responsibilities will include but are not limited to:
Perform measurement analysis using artificial intelligence and/or machine learning
Generate and maintain analysis software, along with documentation
Conduct analysis and assist staff in conducting analysis
Maintain and administer hardware solutions for project and group compute tasks
Advise Division and NIST management as a subject matter expert
Organize, conduct, and attend relevant meetings, and provide written summaries or other documentation to NIST management and stakeholders
Obtain and provide relevant information to inform NIST management and stakeholders
Maintain deep technical knowledge of advances in the application of artificial intelligence and machine learning to measurement challenges in synthetic biology, such as those relevant to biosafety and biosecurity
Demonstrate attention to detail
Execute novel technical research
Support sequence to function research for protein engineering
Develop and apply infrastructure for data analysis
Establish and document standard operating procedures for analysis pipelines
Qualifications
- A Ph.D. in Computer Science, Engineering, Manufacturing, or a related field.
- 2 years of relevant experience.
- Familiarity with DevOps and CICD pipelines.
- 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.
The university is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer that does not unlawfully discriminate in any of its programs or activities on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law.