Staff Scientist - Plasma Material Interaction

Commonwealth Fusion Systems•Devens, MA

48d•$130,000 - $200,000•Onsite

About The Position

Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) is seeking a Staff Scientist specializing in Plasma Material Interaction (PMI) to play a critical role in the design and operation of fusion power plants. The plasma-facing components (PFCs) in SPARC and ARC are the hardware interface between high-performance burning plasmas and the tokamak. These components face extreme heat and particle loads. The Scientist will bridge plasma physics, materials science, and nuclear engineering. This role involves connecting computational models across these disciplines to enable predictive modeling of PFC materials and plasma evolution over various timescales. The ultimate goal is to inform the design and operation of PFCs for ARC, a 400MWe fusion power plant planned for the early 2030s. The Scientist will oversee experimental test campaigns at global facilities to validate these workflows, focusing on PMI and neutron loading. Access to Deuterium-Tritium experimental data from the SPARC tokamak will be used to benchmark predictive workflows. This position is expected to foster a deep understanding of material degradation due to plasma loading and neutron irradiation, establishing the Scientist as a world expert in this field.

Requirements

PhD or equivalent in plasma physics, materials science, nuclear engineering, or related, with demonstrated research in plasma material interactions
Working knowledge of plasma material interactions, specifically within the context of magnetically confined plasmas (e.g. heat and particle loads, sputtering and erosion, dust formation, PMI diagnostics)
Working knowledge of multiscale material evolution under plasma and/or neutron loading (e.g. PKA and displacement damage, defect and gas-bubble kinetics, transmutation effects, microstructural evolution, surface morphology, and resulting thermomechanical property degradation)
Experience with at least two of the following calculations: ion energy angle distribution (hPIC or equivalent), binary collision approximation (e.g. RustBCA, SDTrimSP, F-TRIDYN), cluster dynamics or rate theory (Xolotl or equivalent), finite element (e.g. ANSYS, MOOSE, COMSOL)
Experience designing and executing test campaigns at plasma-material exposure devices (e.g. Magnum-PSI, MPEX) and/or high heat flux facilities (e.g. GLADIS, HADES)
Experience with Python, C++, or similar
Version control with git or similar
HPC using Slurm, AWS, or equivalent
Excellent writing and technical communication skills

Nice To Haves

Experience with PMI-specific codes: (e.g. ERO2.0, WallDYN, FESTIM, HEAT)
Knowledge of boundary plasma physics and experience with edge/neutral transport codes (e.g. SOLPS-ITER, EMC3-EIRENE)
Experience with neutron or ion-beam irradiation campaigns and post-irradiation examination (e.g. HFIR, ATR)
Experience with materials characterization (e.g. thermal desorption spectroscopy, SEM/TEM)
Knowledge of irradiation damage metrics (e.g. dpa, appm He/dpa) and the limits of fission and ion beam surrogates for fusion neutron spectrum
Knowledge of tungsten metallurgy, processing, and joining
Knowledge of degradation and failure mechanisms in tungsten from plasma and neutron exposure (e.g. recrystallization, embrittlement, DBTT shift, erosion)
Demonstrated ability to build and maintain coupled multi-code computational workflows
Experience containerizing codes (eg Docker, Apptainer)

Responsibilities

Build computational workflows to predict PFC material degradation under plasma loading conditions, and subsequent impact on plasma performance
Build computational workflows to predict PFC material degradation under neutron irradiation
Support ARC design team by running predictive models to inform PFC material lifetime estimates, component shaping, and consequences of overloading
Conduct experimental tests of candidate ARC materials at test facilities around the world, including PMI, heat loads, and neutron irradiation
Leverage SPARC experimental data to benchmark predictive models used for ARC design and optimization
Develop interpretive models used to infer PFC material state from power plant relevant diagnostics
Serve as a bridge between the Plasma Physics Department, Materials Science Department, and Nuclear Engineering Department at CFS
Manage collaborations with universities, national labs, and private companies, around the world
Present scientific results at technical conferences and in a peer reviewed publications