Assistant Research Scientist (PREP0003671)

General Description

PREP Research Associate

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 :

Researching Scenarios for AI Evaluations and Metrics

The work will entail :

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is building a library of sector-specific scenarios to facilitate AI evaluations and measurements. These scenarios are grounded in real-world AI use cases and developed with input from the broader AI community and sector stakeholders. Well-defined key elements of scenarios will ensure AI evaluations are both realistic and effective. The PREP candidate will be responsible for assisting in refining and documenting the AI scenario collection and generation process. The candidate will actively participate in NIST measurement science and be involved in human-centered research and evaluations of AI technologies.

Key responsibilities will include but are not limited to :

Developing methodology to assess various dimensions of the "goodness" of scenarios for AI evaluations, such as, but not limited to :

Measurability of risks and benefits in AI scenarios, both at the individual and organizational levels.

Applicability of scenarios to various evaluation types, such as evaluations to elicit negative impacts (e.g., risks), evaluations to elicit positive impacts (e.g., benefits), and evaluations of human-AI interaction.

§Operationalizing higher-level key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics of AI scenarios into meaningful measures of risks and benefits.

§Refining and documenting the AI scenario collection and generation process for replicability and efficient scenario library development.

§Presenting results at internal meetings and occasional meetings with external stakeholders.

§Ensuring that results, protocols, and documentation have been archived or otherwise transmitted to the larger organization.

Qualifications §Background in any of the following or comparable fields : Computer Science, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Industrial / Organizational (I / O) Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Human Factors / Engineering Psychology, Psychometrics, Economics.

§Education level : graduate student or higher (postdoc preferred).

§Strong background in research methodology.

§Competency in quantitative and / or qualitative research and data analysis.

§Knowledge / interest in human-computer interaction and human-AI interaction.

§Knowledge / interest in machine learning and AI test and evaluation.

§Ability to work both in teams and independently.

§Strong oral and written communication skills.

Number of Positions and hours / week

§1 position, if postdoctoral (preferred), full-time at 40 hours / week

§The details of the work arrangement are negotiable, but the position is envisioned to be telework, with the possibility of occasional in-person meetings on the NIST Gaithersburg campus.

Application Instructions Please upload the following with your application :

• CV / Resume
• Please limit C.V to 3 pages only and ONLY include a valid email address for your contact info. Your resume will not be considered if the following information is included on your CV / resume.
• Self portraits
• Phone number
• Home address / Country
• Citizenship status
• Languages spoken
• Sex / Gender

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.

To apply for this position, visit : apply.interfolio.com / 170752

Salary Range

The referenced salary range represents the minimum and maximum salaries for this position and is based on Johns Hopkins University's good faith belief at the time of posting. Not all candidates will be eligible for the upper end of the salary range. The actual compensation offered to the selected candidate may vary and will ultimately depend on multiple factors, which may include the successful candidate's geographic location, skills, work experience, internal equity, market conditions, education / training and other factors, as reasonably determined by the University.

Total Rewards

Johns Hopkins offers a total rewards package that supports our employees' health, life, career and retirement. More information can be found here : https : / / hr.jhu.edu / benefits-worklife / .

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Johns Hopkins University is committed to equal opportunity for its faculty, staff, and students. To that end, the university does not discriminate on the basis of sex, gender, marital status, pregnancy, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status or other legally protected characteristic. The university is committed to providing qualified individuals access to all academic and employment programs, benefits and activities on the basis of demonstrated ability, performance and merit without regard to personal factors that are irrelevant to the program involved.

Pre-Employment Information

If you are interested in applying for employment with The Johns Hopkins University and require special assistance or accommodation during any part of the pre-employment process, please contact the HR Business Services Office at [email protected] . For TTY users, call via Maryland Relay or dial 711. For more information about workplace accommodations or accessibility at Johns Hopkins University, please visit accessibility.jhu.edu .

Background Checks

The successful candidate(s) for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background check including education verification.

EEO is the Law :

https : / / www.eeoc.gov / sites / default / files / 2023-06 / 22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights6.12ScreenRdr.pdf

Diversity and Inclusion

The Johns Hopkins University values diversity, equity and inclusion and advances these through our key strategic framework, the JHU Roadmap on Diversity and Inclusion .

Vaccine Requirements

Johns Hopkins University strongly encourages, but no longer requires, at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The COVID-19 vaccine does not apply to positions located in the State of Florida. We still require all faculty, staff, and students to receive the seasonal flu vaccine . Exceptions to the COVID and flu vaccine requirements may be provided to individuals for religious beliefs or medical reasons. Requests for an exception must be submitted to the JHU vaccination registry. This change does not apply to the School of Medicine (SOM). SOM hires must be fully vaccinated with an FDA COVID-19 vaccination and provide proof of vaccination status. For additional information, applicants for SOM positions should visit https : / / www.hopkinsmedicine.org / coronavirus / covid-19-vaccine / and all other JHU applicants should visit https : / / covidinfo.jhu.edu / health-safety / covid-vaccination-information / .

The following additional provisions may apply, depending upon campus. Your recruiter will advise accordingly. The pre-employment physical for positions in clinical areas, laboratories, working with research subjects, or involving community contact requires documentation of immune status against Rubella (German measles), Rubeola (Measles), Mumps, Varicella (chickenpox), Hepatitis B and documentation of having received the Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) vaccination. This may include documentation of having two (2) MMR vaccines; two (2) Varicella vaccines; or antibody status to these diseases from laboratory testing. Blood tests for immunities to these diseases are ordinarily included in the pre-employment physical exam except for those employees who provide results of blood tests or immunization documentation from their own health care providers. Any vaccinations required for these diseases will be given at no cost in our Occupational Health office.