Software Engineer – Plasma

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.
The Software Engineer – Plasma position will develop, test, and deploy a wide variety of software applications to support the design and operation of the SPARC tokamak.  This position will work closely with scientists and engineers on the Tokamak Operations and Diagnostics teams to write and/or adapt software that models plasma behavior, interacts with first-principles simulation codes, visualizes the inputs and outputs to simulations, analyzes plasma diagnostic data, and predicts operational timelines.  This software will enable rapid design iteration of various components of the SPARC tokamak, including linking physics and engineering calculations at various levels of fidelity, and will evolve into data analysis tools during SPARC operation.  This work will involve developing a variety of smaller stand-alone programs, as well as larger frameworks that integrate data and codes from many sources.  Most early work will be in Python but will also evaluate and interface with software written in MATLAB, C, and FORTRAN.
The Software Engineer – Plasma will be a key member of the team that designs and operates SPARC, working with other scientists and engineers to guide the SPARC operational plan.

This team member will:

• Develop software tools with input from scientists to model plasma behavior, translate between physics and engineering computational models, pre-/post-process data for larger simulation frameworks, visualize plasma behavior, and link the inputs and outputs of other codes
• Work with scientists and operations engineers to determine software requirements for various applications before full implementation
• Manage the Tokamak Operations software repositories, including moderating and reviewing contributions from teammates and external collaborators
• Interact closely with the Tokamak Operations, Diagnostics, Instrumentation and Control, and R&D teams
• Evaluate existing open-source software solutions against the SPARC’s requirements and implement plans for adapting or replacing existing solutions
• Deploy software tools on dedicated Tokamak Operations servers, working with the CFS IT Infrastructure team
• Occasionally mentor 1-2 interns

The ideal candidate will have most, if not all, of these requirements:

• A bachelor’s degree in a technical field
• Strong software design and development ability
• Experience working with requirements-driven software development
• Experience working with technical experts to develop software tools
• Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team
• Comfort working with uncertainty
• Strong communication and teamwork skills
• Experience with Python
• Experience with git version control
• Comfortable using a Linux environment

Additional experience and/or qualifications:

• CI/CD processes, unit testing, software documentation, programming to a style standard
• Familiarity with C, MATLAB, or FORTRAN
• Familiarity with physics, mechanical engineering, or electrical engineering applications of software
• Experience with virtual machines and docker containers
• Experience with cloud computing
• Ability to do activities such as typing or sitting for extended periods of time
• Willingness to adhere to safety protocols to mitigate hazards such as strong magnets
• Willingness to travel or work required nights/weekends/on-call occasionally when asked

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.