Description

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.  

The work will entail: In contribution to the NIST Circular Economy Program, the NIST Mass Spectrometry 
Data Center is working on a comprehensive approach to the identification of plastic particles using mass 
spectrometry. Due to the wide use of synthetic plastics, plastic particles have become ubiquitous. This 
has become an issue of national importance. Standard reference data, and standard measurement 
procedures, are required to put the field on a firm metrology foundation. The postdoctoral candidate will 
work to 1) extend the existing NIST Py-GC-MS spectral reference library (NIST Polymer Pyrolysis Search 
Software) to include a greater number of common consumer plastics, 2) develop experimental methods 
for repeatable and robust pyrolysis of polymers, 3) develop computer code for the evaluation of the data 
generated in items 1 and 2, and 4) author peer-review publications and documentary standards resulting 
from these efforts. Additional mass spectral methods to be used include may liquid chromatography 
mass spectrometry (LC-MS) with electrospray ionization (ESI) or atmospheric pressure chemical 
ionization (APCI), and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry.  

Requirements

Key responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

Measurements by mass spectrometry.  
Sample preparation including cryogrinding of laboratory and commercial plastic samples.  
Computer code creation for data analysis and mass spectral library searching.  
Creation of standard measurement protocols.  
Presenting results at internal meetings, and occasional meetings with external stakeholders. ♣ 
Ensuring that results, protocols, software, and documentation have been archived or otherwise 
transmitted to the larger organization.  

Qualifications:  
A Master’s degree or higher in chemistry, chemical engineering, materials science, or a related 
field.  
Working familiarity with mass spectrometry  
Knowledge of organic chemical structures and nomenclature  
Strong oral and written communication skills. 

Please upload the following (preferably in a single PDF) with your application:  
Research proposal