PREP0003673 AI Dataset Documentation Researcher

PREP Research Associate

Opportunity No.: PREP0003673

This position is part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (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, and 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.

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AI Dataset Documentation Researcher

Project Description:

AI Dataset Documentation: This project focuses on documenting the Assessing Risks and Impacts of AI (ARIA) dataset, which is used to evaluate risks as part of the NIST ARIA Program. The student will assist in the design and development of a comprehensive dataset card aligned with emerging standards for AI, including the principles of transparency, reliability, and reproducibility. This work supports the advancement of rigorous, standardized data documentation practices consistent with federal and international frameworks.

Key Responsibilities: 

• Collaborate with AI researchers to develop a dataset card documenting the technical and operational parameters of datasets used in AI evaluations and emerging AI standards
• Identify and describe the dataset’s technical parameters, including intended use, limitations, collection methods, and risk-relevant features
• Conduct quality assurance checks to detect anomalies, inconsistencies, and completeness issues in the dataset
• Assist in the preparation of the dataset for public release, including metadata curation, file organization, and access provisioning
• Apply and assess data anonymization techniques to ensure privacy compliance and mitigate re-identification risks

Deliverables: 

• • Dataset card following relevant documentation standards
  • Finalized version of the dataset curated for public release, with accompanying metadata
  • Report summarizing identified data limitations, anonymization procedures applied, and mitigation strategies for potential risks
  • Checklist-based audit log of quality assurance checks performed

Desired Qualifications: 

• Graduate student in Data Science, Computer Science, Information Science, HCI, or a related field
• Familiarity with dataset documentation standards and risk assessment frameworks (e.g., NIST AI Risk Management Framework)
• Strong written communication skills for technical documentation

Other Details:

• Part-time: the participant is expected to work 20 hours a week
• Location: Hybrid - the participant will work at the NIST Gaithersburg Campus and telework.
• Duration: this is expected to be a one year position. Extensions are sometimes granted depending on the availability of funds.
• For questions related to the research project or the nature of the work in this position, please contact Dr. Mark A. Przybocki (mark.przybocki@nist.gov). For questions related to the online application or NIST PREP more generally, please contact msu-nistprep@morgan.edu.

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 the 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 the information you submit for the purpose stated.