Research Associate Jobs in Colorado
Research associate jobs in Colorado concentrate in biomedical research, clinical trials, environmental science, and academic scholarship, with demand spread across organizations ranging from early-career positions to senior lab roles. Denver, Boulder, and Aurora are the primary hiring metros, anchored by institutions such as the University of Colorado system, National Jewish Health, and Anschutz Medical Campus. The most in-demand specialties are clinical research coordination, genomics and molecular biology, and environmental or public health research. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Job Summary
This NIST PREP research position is to support the Applied Systems Metrology (ASM) group in the development of a future-proof testbed for measurement and characterization of COTS 5G and NG wireless access technologies. Specifically, there is a strong need to develop a testbed that can physically emulate in situ channel conditions up to the full spatial spectrum as perceived by the device under test (DUT). The PREP researcher will assess the current capabilities of the NIST facilities to determine the practical limitations in terms of time, cost, and capability to physically emulate realistic channel conditions for current and Next Generation (NG) wireless devices. Such devices include but are not limited to multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) arrays, static metasurfaces, holographic MIMO (HMIMO) arrays, and reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS). The PREP researcher will also investigate augmentation of the NIST facilities to improve their ability to impose real-world electromagnetic environments and stimuli.
This research thrust will require three components. The first component is the development of a digital twin for use in planning and orchestration of testbed dynamics. The second component is the development of signaling and measurement strategies for sufficient coverage and reconstruction of environmental dynamics and DUT actions. Techniques such as compressive sensing and data-driven modelling will be leveraged to balance precision with associated time and cost for evaluation. The third component is to develop and implement physical channel emulation devices. Electronically controllable emulation is desirable over mechanical actuators, with emphasis on improvement of emulation adaptability and cost. Such channel emulators may be realized using reflectors, including passive metastructures or RIS, or both. Finally, the PREP researcher will investigate next steps towards the practical development of future-proof testbed standard(s) for adoption by regulators and developers. The investigation will include the tradeoff between precision and adaptability, as well as physical actuation versus electrical control. The purpose of this stage of the research will be to assist in the development of a NG testbed roadmap for both institutions and commercial communities.
This position is part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST) Professional Research Experience Program (PREP). 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.
Who We Are
What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be
- Assessment of current NIST testing capabilities and their ability to characterize various NG wireless devices.
- Provide insight on how current test capabilities may be augmented or enhanced for NG wireless device characterization.
- Develop a digital twin leveraging a real-time ray tracing system such as NVIDIA Sionna to predict the full spatial spectrum presented to the DUT.
- Develop measurement and signal generation strategies of using various NG wireless devices to be characterized by NIST’s testbed.
- Document testbed methodologies developed during this program that may be leveraged by developers and researchers of novel NG wireless devices.
What You Should Know
This position requires the successful completion of an NAIS agreement and federal security clearance as mandated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Employment is contingent upon approval of these requirements as determined by NIST.
Anticipated start date is January 1, 2027. Anticipated end date is March 31, 2028.
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 of 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.
What We Can Offer
- The salary range for the full-time Postdoctoral Associate position is $74,000 - $108,000 annually.
- The salary range for the full-time Research Associate position is $78,000 - $135,000 annually.
Benefits
At the University of Colorado Boulder, we are committed to supporting the holistic health and well-being of our employees. Our comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental, and retirement plans; generous paid time off; tuition assistance for you and your dependents; and an ECO Pass for local transit. As one of Boulder County’s largest employers, CU Boulder offers an inspiring academic community and access to world-class outdoor recreation. Explore additional perks and programs through the CU Advantage program.
Be Statements
What We Require
- Postdoctoral Associate: Doctoral degree in Electrical Engineering, Physics, or related field with 0 – 4 years of post-doctoral degree experience.
- Research Associate: Doctoral degree in Electrical Engineering, Physics, or related field with 5+ years of post-doctoral degree experience.
What We Would Like You to Have
- Two (2) or more years of relevant experience.
- Strong background in NG wireless devices, digital twin development, and measurement techniques of these devices.
- Ability to document advanced concepts in research venues such as conferences and journal papers.
- Demonstrated ability to collaborate within a research environment.
- Strong oral and written communication skills.
Special Instructions
- Resume or CV
- Cover letter addressed to the Search Committee briefly describing your qualifications, professional goals, and specific interest in this position.
In compliance with the Colorado Job Application Fairness Act, in any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.
Posting Contact Information
Posting Contact Name: Lisa Valencia
Posting Contact Email: recruitprep@colorado.edu
Requisition Number:
Location:
City
State
Employment Type:
Schedule:
Posting Close Date:
Date Posted:
Job Summary
This NIST PREP research position is to support the Applied Systems Metrology (ASM) group in the development of a future-proof testbed for measurement and characterization of COTS 5G and NG wireless access technologies. Specifically, there is a strong need to develop a testbed that can physically emulate in situ channel conditions up to the full spatial spectrum as perceived by the device under test (DUT). The PREP researcher will assess the current capabilities of the NIST facilities to determine the practical limitations in terms of time, cost, and capability to physically emulate realistic channel conditions for current and Next Generation (NG) wireless devices. Such devices include but are not limited to multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) arrays, static metasurfaces, holographic MIMO (HMIMO) arrays, and reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS). The PREP researcher will also investigate augmentation of the NIST facilities to improve their ability to impose real-world electromagnetic environments and stimuli.
This research thrust will require three components. The first component is the development of a digital twin for use in planning and orchestration of testbed dynamics. The second component is the development of signaling and measurement strategies for sufficient coverage and reconstruction of environmental dynamics and DUT actions. Techniques such as compressive sensing and data-driven modelling will be leveraged to balance precision with associated time and cost for evaluation. The third component is to develop and implement physical channel emulation devices. Electronically controllable emulation is desirable over mechanical actuators, with emphasis on improvement of emulation adaptability and cost. Such channel emulators may be realized using reflectors, including passive metastructures or RIS, or both. Finally, the PREP researcher will investigate next steps towards the practical development of future-proof testbed standard(s) for adoption by regulators and developers. The investigation will include the tradeoff between precision and adaptability, as well as physical actuation versus electrical control. The purpose of this stage of the research will be to assist in the development of a NG testbed roadmap for both institutions and commercial communities.
This position is part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST) Professional Research Experience Program (PREP). 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.
Who We Are
What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be
- Assessment of current NIST testing capabilities and their ability to characterize various NG wireless devices.
- Provide insight on how current test capabilities may be augmented or enhanced for NG wireless device characterization.
- Develop a digital twin leveraging a real-time ray tracing system such as NVIDIA Sionna to predict the full spatial spectrum presented to the DUT.
- Develop measurement and signal generation strategies of using various NG wireless devices to be characterized by NIST’s testbed.
- Document testbed methodologies developed during this program that may be leveraged by developers and researchers of novel NG wireless devices.
What You Should Know
This position requires the successful completion of an NAIS agreement and federal security clearance as mandated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Employment is contingent upon approval of these requirements as determined by NIST.
Anticipated start date is January 1, 2027. Anticipated end date is March 31, 2028.
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 of 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.
What We Can Offer
- The salary range for the full-time Postdoctoral Associate position is $74,000 - $108,000 annually.
- The salary range for the full-time Research Associate position is $78,000 - $135,000 annually.
Benefits
At the University of Colorado Boulder, we are committed to supporting the holistic health and well-being of our employees. Our comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental, and retirement plans; generous paid time off; tuition assistance for you and your dependents; and an ECO Pass for local transit. As one of Boulder County’s largest employers, CU Boulder offers an inspiring academic community and access to world-class outdoor recreation. Explore additional perks and programs through the CU Advantage program.
Be Statements
What We Require
- Postdoctoral Associate: Doctoral degree in Electrical Engineering, Physics, or related field with 0 – 4 years of post-doctoral degree experience.
- Research Associate: Doctoral degree in Electrical Engineering, Physics, or related field with 5+ years of post-doctoral degree experience.
What We Would Like You to Have
- Two (2) or more years of relevant experience.
- Strong background in NG wireless devices, digital twin development, and measurement techniques of these devices.
- Ability to document advanced concepts in research venues such as conferences and journal papers.
- Demonstrated ability to collaborate within a research environment.
- Strong oral and written communication skills.
Special Instructions
- Resume or CV
- Cover letter addressed to the Search Committee briefly describing your qualifications, professional goals, and specific interest in this position.
In compliance with the Colorado Job Application Fairness Act, in any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.
Posting Contact Information
Posting Contact Name: Lisa Valencia
Posting Contact Email: recruitprep@colorado.edu
See All 16 Research Associate Jobs in Colorado
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Find Research Associate JobsResearch Associate Jobs by City in Colorado
Where Colorado roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Research Associate Job Market in Colorado
A snapshot from current Colorado openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Education
- Science & Research
What Colorado Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in research associate jobs across Colorado.
- Bachelor's degree in a life science, social science, or related field required
- Experience with IRB protocols and human subjects research compliance preferred
- Proficiency in statistical software such as SPSS, R, or SAS required
- Strong data collection, entry, and quality-control skills expected by most employers
- Ability to maintain detailed lab notebooks and comply with GLP standards
- Familiarity with grant reporting requirements and research documentation practices
Research Associate Jobs in Colorado: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a research associate in Colorado?
Most research associate positions in Colorado require at minimum a bachelor's degree in a relevant field such as biology, chemistry, public health, or a social science. Colorado does not issue a state-specific license for research associates generally, but clinical research roles often require certification through the Association of Clinical Research Professionals. Hiring institutions like the University of Colorado and Anschutz Medical Campus typically expect demonstrated lab or data analysis experience alongside your degree.
Which companies hire research associates in Colorado?
Colorado research associate roles are posted by Colorado State University, KBI Biopharma, and Univeristy Of Colorado Boulder and others right now, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Colorado's concentration of biotech firms, academic medical centers, and federal research agencies creates a particularly broad range of employers actively hiring into this role.
Which Colorado cities have the most research associate jobs?
Boulder, Fort Collins, and Denver have the most research associate openings in Colorado. Denver and Aurora dominate because of the Anschutz Medical Campus and the dense cluster of hospital systems and biotech companies nearby, while Boulder's concentration of federal labs such as NCAR and NIST and university-affiliated research centers drives strong demand in that market.
Are there remote research associate jobs in Colorado?
Yes, but they're less common than in purely desk-based fields because many research associate roles involve hands-on lab work, sample handling, or on-site clinical contact. About 60% of research associate openings tied to Colorado are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, and those positions tend to concentrate in data analysis, survey research, policy research, and health informatics subspecialties rather than bench or clinical roles.
How can I get hired as a research associate in Colorado with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is a research assistant or lab technician role, which large Colorado employers such as Anschutz Medical Campus, National Jewish Health, and CU Boulder use as a direct pipeline into research associate positions. Completing a clinical research coordinator certificate through an accredited program gives candidates a clear edge for clinical trial roles. Adjacent positions in data entry, biostatistics support, or study coordination at Colorado's public health agencies also serve as strong lateral moves into full research associate work.
Where can I find and apply to research associate jobs in Colorado?
You can find and apply to research associate jobs in Colorado on Migrate Mate, which lists current Colorado openings across industries and hiring levels. Search the listings, find roles that fit your background and location, and apply directly to the employers posting them.
See All 16 Research Associate Jobs in Colorado
Find roles in Colorado that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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