Scientist - Plasma Control

Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) has the fastest, lowest cost path to commercial fusion energy. 

CFS is collaborating with MIT to leverage decades of research combined with new groundbreaking high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnet technology. HTS magnets will enable compact fusion power plants that can be constructed faster and at lower cost. 

The mission is to deploy fusion power plants to meet global decarbonization goals as fast as possible. CFS has assembled a team of leaders in tough tech, fusion science, and manufacturing with a track record of rapid execution. Supported by the world’s leading investors, CFS is uniquely positioned to deliver limitless, clean, fusion power to combat climate change. 

If you are interested in joining our team, check out cfs.energy/careers for more information.

Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) has the fastest, lowest cost path to commercial fusion energy.

CFS is collaborating with MIT to leverage decades of research combined with new groundbreaking high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnet technology. HTS magnets will enable compact fusion power plants that can be constructed faster and at lower cost. The mission is to deploy fusion power plants to meet global decarbonization goals as fast as possible. CFS has assembled a team of leaders in tough tech, fusion science, and manufacturing with a track record of rapid execution. Supported by the world’s leading investors, CFS is uniquely positioned to deliver limitless, clean, fusion power to combat climate change. To execute this plan, we are looking to add talented people to the team who are mission-driven and treat people well, improve our team by adding diverse perspectives and new ways of solving problems, have demonstrated exceptional results through a range of different pursuits, and have skill sets and experience that relate to this role.

Generating net energy plasmas in the SPARC tokamak will involve a skilled team of physicists and engineers designing, building, and operating the tokamak and its many systems.  Candidates will work as part of a combined physics and engineering team to support the final design of SPARC, as well as performing the calculations and developing the tools needed for plasma operations, with an emphasis on early campaigns.

This Scientist – Plasma Control position will lead the development, testing, and evaluation of the real-time control algorithms within the plasma control system, working with MIT-PSFC scientists and other collaborators around the world.  The candidate will contribute to innovative, low-latency, robust, real-time control systems, including plasma control and machine protection, and the development of simulation platforms necessary to achieve the mission of SPARC.  This position will work closely with the engineering team that is developing the real-time control and protection systems, with the physics operations team responsible for defining scenarios and actuator interfaces, and with the diagnostics team that provides control inputs.  The position will also contribute to the development of various simulation frameworks, including a SPARC ‘flight simulator’ that will be used to plan SPARC discharges.

The candidate will be a key member of the team that operates SPARC, working to improve the control system during SPARC operation and contributing to the SPARC operational plan.

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.