Lead RF Plasma Scientist for SPARC ICRH

Socket.dev; Harvard (MA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Commonwealth Fusion Systems is seeking a Principal Scientist - Radio Frequency Plasma Heating to advance the SPARC project. You will simulate RF antennas, test ICRH/ICDC components, and help design control interfaces while collaborating with universities and national labs.

The role focuses on integrating physics and engineering for fusion power plant concepts. The position supports commissioning and operation of SPARC ICRH/ICDC systems, contributes to ARC design work, and requires a PhD in

Qualifications

• PhD in plasma physics or a closely related discipline.
• 7+ years experience post-degree in RF heating, current drive or discharge cleaning in fusion plasmas.
• Experience running experiments on tokamaks, stellarators, or similar plasma confinement devices.
• Experience developing hardware for plasma physics experiments.
• Experience with COMSOL, ANSYS HFSS, CST or similar finite element tools.
• Willingness to travel and work nights/weekends/on-call as needed.

Responsibilities

• 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.

Skills

RF heating experience

Tokamak experimentation

Fusion engineering

Hardware development

Education

PhD in plasma physics or closely related discipline

Tools

COMSOL

ANSYS HFSS

CST

Job description

Commonwealth Fusion Systems is seeking a Principal Scientist - Radio Frequency Plasma Heating to advance the SPARC project. You will simulate RF antennas, test ICRH/ICDC components, and help design control interfaces while collaborating with universities and national labs.

The role focuses on integrating physics and engineering for fusion power plant concepts. The position supports commissioning and operation of SPARC ICRH/ICDC systems, contributes to ARC design work, and requires a PhD in