Principal Scientist - Radio Frequency Plasma Heating

Job Description

About Commonwealth Fusion Systems:

Commonwealth Fusion Systems is on a mission to deliver the urgent transition to fusion energy.

Combining decades of research, top talent, and new technologies, we're designing and building commercially viable fusion power plants. And we're working with policymakers, suppliers, and many others to build the energy industry of the future.

We're in the best position to make it happen. Since 2018, we've raised $4 billion of capital, making us the largest and leading fusion company in the world.

Now we're looking for more thinkers, doers, builders, and makers to join us. People who'll bring new perspectives, solve tough problems, and thrive as part of a team.

If that's you and this role fits, we want to hear from you.

Join the power movement as a Scientist - Scenarios and Integrated Modeling

Scientist - Scenarios and Integrated Modeling will develop plasma physics scenarios for SPARC and ARC based on comprehensive integrated simulation and modeling of the core and edge plasma. Will coordinate with a multi-institutional team of plasma physics experts to develop and improve an integrated modeling toolset, and to employ that toolset for experimental planning and analysis on SPARC.

Commonwealth Fusion Systems is assembling the high-field SPARC tokamak, which aims to be the first magnetic fusion device to achieve net fusion energy, and is predicted to be able to achieve high gain and fusion power up to 140MW. In parallel CFS is designing and optimizing the ARC fusion power plant, the first of which will be built in Virginia in the early 2030s. To achieve SPARC's goals and validate the physics understanding necessary for optimizing ARC, we plan to develop and continuously improve a comprehensive predictive toolchain, including all physics capabilities needed to evaluate plasma scenario performance and robustness. The person in this role will coordinate and contribute to the development and testing of this toolchain, and its use in planning and executing experiments on SPARC, as well as in development and optimization of future power plants. The person in this role will also play a key role in defining plasma operation goals, identify optimal operation scenarios for each goal, and participate directly in execution and analysis of SPARC operations.

What you'll do:

Simulate the SPARC ICRH antennas and RF network system to inform commissioning and operation

Contribute to testing of ICRH/ICDC components

Inform the implementation of the RF control system and operator interfaces

Contribute to the development of commissioning and operation plans and procedures for the ICRH/ICDC system

Commission the SPARC ICRH/ICDC system into early plasmas

Operate the SPARC ICRH system during Q>1 and high power DT plasmas

Study the physics of radio frequency waves in SPARC

Provide input to ARC design through simulation and modeling efforts

Work with multi-institutional team of collaborators from universities and national labs

What we’re looking for:

PhD in plasma physics or a closely related discipline

7+ years experience (post degree) working with radio frequency heating, current drive or discharge cleaning systems in fusion plasmas (this may include ion cyclotron, lower hybrid, helicon, or other similar wave systems)

Experience running experiments on tokamaks, stellarators, or similar plasma confinement devices

Experience developing hardware for plasma physics experiments

Experience working with COMSOL, ANSYS HFSS, CST, or similar finite element tools

A desire for active participation in tokamak design and operations

A drive toward practical solutions to integrated physics and engineering challenges

Expertise in ICRF, plasma physics, fusion engineering, and fusion power plant design

Bonus points for:

10+ years experience in operating and/or simulating RF heating of plasmas

Experience with Python

Experience designing ICRH system, RF diagnostics, control and operation tools and procedures for radio frequency heating

Experience modelling ICDC physics

Must-have Requirements:

Perform extended activities such as typing, standing, sitting, etc.

Willingness to travel or work required nights/weekends/on-call regularly; expected to travel 1-2 times per year for conferences

Work in a facility that contains industrial hazards including heat, cold, noise, fumes, strong magnets, lead (Pb), high voltage, high current, pressure systems, and cryogenics

#LI-Onsite
At CFS, we excel in fast-paced environments, driven by our values of integrity, execution, impact, and self-critique. As we grow, we're eager to bring on mission-driven folks who offer diverse perspectives and fresh ways to tackle challenges.

We value diversity deeply and are proud to be an equal opportunity employer by choice. We consider all qualified applicants equally, regardless of race, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, protected veteran status, religion, physical or mental disability, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, or any other basis protected by law.

This role requires compliance with U.S. laws concerning the export of controlled or protected technologies or information (collectively, "Export Control Laws"). Any offer of employment will be contingent on the need for compliance with such Export Control Laws.