SlipstreamJobs tracks this role from the company's public career site. Apply directly on the employer's site.
Commonwealth Fusion Systems is seeking a Principal Scientist to lead the development of plasma physics scenarios for SPARC (the company's high-field tokamak) and ARC (the commercial fusion power plant design). SPARC aims to be the first magnetic fusion device to achieve net fusion energy with predicted fusion power output up to 140MW, while ARC represents the first commercial power plant slated for construction in Virginia in the early 2030s.
In this role, you will develop comprehensive integrated simulation and modeling of core and edge plasma physics to define optimal operating scenarios. You will coordinate with a multi-institutional team of plasma physics experts to build and continuously improve an integrated modeling toolset that predicts plasma scenario performance and robustness. This toolchain will incorporate all physics capabilities needed to evaluate fusion reactor operation.
Key responsibilities include: developing and testing the predictive modeling toolchain; planning and executing experiments on SPARC; defining plasma operation goals and identifying optimal scenarios to achieve them; participating directly in SPARC operations execution and analysis; and contributing to the development and optimization of future power plants.
You will play a central role in translating physics understanding into practical operational strategies, working across teams to validate physics models and ensure SPARC achieves its net energy goals. This is a high-impact position at a critical juncture for fusion energy commercialization, requiring deep expertise in plasma physics, scenario modeling, and tokamak operations.
