Staff Scientist, Plasma Materials Interaction

Cfsenergy; Harvard (MA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Commonwealth Fusion Systems in Cambridge, MA, seeks a Staff Scientist - Plasma Material Interaction to advance predictive models of PFC materials under plasma and neutron loading, linking plasma physics with materials science and nuclear engineering.

You will build workflows, validate with experimental data, collaborate across departments, and publish results. A PhD in a relevant field is required; experience with PMI, HPC, and code tooling is highly valued.

Qualifications

• PhD or equivalent in plasma physics, materials science, nuclear engineering, or related field.
• Demonstrated research in plasma material interactions.
• Experience with HPC and multi-code workflows.

Responsibilities

• Build computational workflows to predict PMI under plasma and neutron loading.
• Coordinate with ARC and SPARC teams to benchmark material models.
• Conduct tests at PMI facilities and compare with predictive models.
• Publish results at technical conferences and in peer-reviewed journals.
• Collaborate across Plasma Physics, Materials Science, and Nuclear Engineering departments.

Skills

Python

C++

HPC

Git

Slurm

Docker

Education

PhD or equivalent in plasma physics or materials science

Tools

Docker

Apptainer

ERO2.0

WallDYN

FESTIM

HEAT

SOLPS-ITER

Job description

Commonwealth Fusion Systems in Cambridge, MA, seeks a Staff Scientist - Plasma Material Interaction to advance predictive models of PFC materials under plasma and neutron loading, linking plasma physics with materials science and nuclear engineering.

You will build workflows, validate with experimental data, collaborate across departments, and publish results. A PhD in a relevant field is required; experience with PMI, HPC, and code tooling is highly valued.