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Career Paths
NIST employees follow five main career paths:
- Scientific & Engineering
- Administrative Professionals
- Administrative Support
- Facilities Support
- Student and Postdoc
Scientific & Engineering
NIST has multiple labs that focus on different kinds of measurements—from physical things like pressure and humidity to those necessary for information and communication technology. We connect our world-class research with industry. For more than 120 years, our researchers – including five Nobel Prize winners – have been at the forefront of scientific exploration.
Learn what some of our researchers say about working at NIST.
Administrative Professionals
From information technology specialists and public affairs officers to contracting officers and human resource specialists, NIST’s administrative professionals keep NIST—and the important science happening here—running smoothly.
Learn more about what some of our administrative professionals have to say about working at NIST.
Administrative Support
Without the hard work of the administrative support staff at NIST, the world-class science and research would not get done. Administrative assistants do everything from booking travel and overseeing office purchases to managing calendars and providing other general office support.
Many of NIST’s administrative support professionals enter NIST via the Administrative Support Program (ASP), which places individuals into both short-term and long-term positions across NIST as opportunities arise. While an individual’s work schedule may start out as intermittent, many individuals who begin their NIST career as part of this program transition into full-time permanent positions when they are available.
Hear from one of our administrative support staff.
Facilities Support
Our campuses’ facilities teams plan, build, operate and service the facilities where our research happens. Our facilities support team—which works in building design, construction, maintenance and more—helps to provide a safe, secure and sustainable environment for everyone at NIST.
Students and Postdocs
From high school students through postdoctoral researchers, NIST helps develop the next generation of scientists, mathematicians and engineers.
Here from one of our former interns.