This position is part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Professional Research Experience Program (PREP). NIST recognizes that its research staff may want to collaborate with researchers at academic institutions on specific projects of mutual interest and, therefore, requires those institutions to be recipients of a PREP award. The PREP program involves staff from a wide range of backgrounds conducting scientific research across various fields. Individuals in this position will perform technical work supporting the collaboration's scientific research.
Research Title:
Analysis and Modeling of Wireless Channels for Wearables and Implants
The work will entail:
Developing accurate computational models and phantoms that can be used to emulate tissues and human body organs, although quite challenging, is often needed to assess the reliability of the communication channel used to transfer biological data. These models are not only needed to advance biotech research, but they can also be used to provide channel assessment information to ongoing and future standardization efforts. The project will develop methodologies, computational models, and programming modules to assess wireless channel characteristics for human lung monitoring and brain-computer interface applications.
Candidates must be eligible to obtain a Department of Commerce background check for facility access.
Key responsibilities will include but are not limited to:
- Collaborate with domain experts to design appropriate parametric framework to study the scientific problem
- Develop computational models to investigate the performance of a wearable AI system for detecting pulmonary edema.
- Perform sensitivity analysis of the wireless channel with respect to antenna placement.
- Investigate feasibility of antenna arrays and assess viability of in-body beamforming by conducting simulations and analysis.
- Investigate the impact of creeping waves using Poynting vector data
- Communicate results via technical publications at select conferences and journals.
Qualifications
- A PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering, or a related field.
- Familiarity with Body Area Networks, IEEE 802.15.6 and IEEE802.15 TG6ma, wearable and implant antenna design, computational modeling of human tissues and organs, Maxwell-Garnet model, RF propagation channel modeling.
- Experience in coding or using ANSYS HFSS, SCAN IP, XCAT, Python, MATLAB.
- Ability to develop matching computational models for liquid and solid phantoms used in experiments.
- 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.