Scientist, Model Validation and Experimental Data Analysis

About the role

Proxima Fusion is developing the hardware and infrastructure for the world's first commercial stellarator fusion power plant. This role focuses on validating the company's predictive plasma models by confronting them with real experimental data from the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator. The successful candidate will bridge the gap between modeling and experiment to ensure the credibility of simulations for future fusion machines.

Responsibilities

• Validate predictive plasma models against W7-X experimental data and record comparisons as reproducible reports.
• Reconstruct the plasma state from diagnostic measurements using a time-dependent Bayesian state-estimation workflow.
• Work with raw and pre-processed diagnostic data, including instrument geometry and calibrations.
• Validate against databases of discharges across various magnetic configurations and operating regimes.
• Act as a technical interface to W7-X and IPP, including scoping data requests and supporting experiments.
• Feed validation results back into design requirements for future diagnostic sets.
• Extend the modeling stack, including synthetic diagnostics and analysis workflows.

Required skills

• Plasma physics
• Fusion science
• Experimental data analysis
• Magnetic confinement
• Bayesian state estimation
• Scientific software development
• Stellarator Architecture
• Plasma Modelling & Research
• Numerical Optimization

Nice to have

• W7-X experience
• Stellarator physics
• Uncertainty quantification
• Machine learning
• Integrated modeling codes
• Julia
• Python
• IMAS data model

Qualifications

• PhD in plasma physics, fusion science, or a closely related discipline

About the Company

Proxima Fusion is Europe's fastest-growing fusion company and the first spin-out from the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics. Backed by over €650M, the company is developing the hardware and infrastructure needed to deliver the world's first commercial stellarator fusion power plant.