Tokamak Physicist

Posted January 01, 2021
Apply: Commonwealth Fusion Systems


CFS' mission is to enable world-wide clean energy for everyone, creating a sustainable environment for current and future generations. We've created a credible path to an operating fusion power plant in 15 years which leverages our novel collaboration with MIT and funding from strategic and financial investors who share our vision. This begins by developing a new class of high-field superconducting magnets that will enable the SPARC tokamak to demonstrate net energy from fusion for the first time. To execute this plan, we are now looking to add talented people to the team who are mission-driven and treat people well; improve our team by adding diverse perspectives & new ways of solving problems; have demonstrated exceptional results through a range of different pursuits; and have skillsets and experience that relate to this role.

Design and operation of the SPARC tokamak will require considerable integration between plasma physics analysis and the device engineering. This includes understanding the requirements that plasma physics places on various engineering systems, evaluating the effect that engineering designs will have on the tokamak plasma, and the integration of diagnostics for plasma control and measurement into the engineering design.

This team member will:
    • work within a multi-disciplinary team of physicists and engineers as part of collaborative sponsored research projects at the MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center
    • work as part of the SPARC physics team to determine the requirements that the unique plasma conditions in the SPARC tokamak place on various engineering systems
    • Work with engineering teams to ensure that designs are compatible with other systems and tokamak operations define the requirements for the plasma diagnostics set on SPARC and create conceptual designs for mission-critical diagnostics contribute to other areas of plasma physics-related analysis as is needed
    • report on and be accountable for the diagnostic set design and other plasma physics calculations to the heads of the SPARC physics and design teams


The ideal candidate will have most, if not all, of these requirements:
    • a PhD in plasma physics or a closely related field
    • significant experience working with and/or operating magnetic confinement plasma devices (ideally tokamaks, but including other devices such as stellarators, RFPs, FRCs, spheromaks, etc.)
    • experience with providing physics input to the engineering design of plasma systems
    • broad knowledge of different diagnostic techniques used in plasma and fusion devices, including, but not limited to: magnetics (flux loops, Rogowski coils, etc.), thermocouples, interferometry, Thomson Scattering, neutron counters, neutron spectroscopy, bolometry, spectroscopy, and reflectometry
    • experience with designing and building diagnostic hardware, especially those operating in harsh conditions, such as neutron environments
    • the demonstrated ability to step into new roles as necessary in order to contribute to the most critical aspects of a project
    • an ability to clearly express and critique ideas
    • an emphasis on elegance and simplicity over complexity;
    • a drive towards commercially viable solutions;


CFS team members thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and have demonstrated exceptional results through a range of different pursuits. We all tightly align with our company values of integrity, execution, impact and self-critique. As we grow, we are looking to add talented people who are mission driven and bring diverse perspectives and new ways of solving problems.

At CFS, we deeply value diversity and are an equal opportunity employer by choice. We consider all qualified applicants equally for employment. We do not discriminate on the basis 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, ordinance, or regulation.

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