Plasma Material Interaction Engineer

WHO WE ARE At Proxima Fusion, we're driven by a bold mission – to redefine the future of sustainable energy. Our unique concept, built upon the groundbreaking W7-X stellarator and the latest advances in technology, paves the way for commercially viable fusion power plants. What’s more, our work in stellarator optimization, powered by cutting-edge computation and machine learning, is propelling us into uncharted territories of fusion technology. New, higher-performance design points are unlocked by high temperature superconducting magnets. To fully grasp this huge opportunity, we’re building a team of extremely dedicated and passionate people who come together driving something extraordinary, radically transforming technology in the world. WHY JOIN PROXIMA FUSION Working with us, you have the chance to: - Translate state-of-the-art numerical tools directly into hardware design decisions with reactor-scale consequences. - Contribute to the European initiative leading the critical path to a fusion power plant. - Work alongside talented, mission-driven experts in a supportive, ambitious environment that is building real devices, not just reactor concepts YOUR IMPACT In a fusion reactor, the plasma-facing components - divertor targets, first wall panels, and baffles - are the first line of defense against extreme heat and particle loads, requiring them to endure complex plasma-surface interactions. Developing materials and component solutions that withstand these conditions is one of the most significant challenges in fusion science and engineering, determining device lifetime, maintainability, and overall viability. As a Plasma-Facing Materials engineer at Proxima, you will lead efforts to model, understand, and validate the performance of PFC materials and assemblies under reactor-relevant conditions. Your work will directly inform the operational window of Proxima’s future stellarators. The work will span both detailed plasma-material interaction simulation, building towards full physics assessments of Tungsten migration, as well as targeted experimental validation of material architectures to ensure that PFC designs meet demanding reliability and engineering criteria. This role offers a rare opportunity to directly influence the design and qualification of components at the heart of a commercial stellarator. Your work will determine how long Proxima’s core components last, how clean our plasma remains, and how economically our power plant can operate. WHAT YOU WILL DO - Own the solution to critical plasma-material engineering challenges that govern the lifetime and optimal performance of steady state fusion reactors. - Define and advance the impurity migration and plasma material interaction modeling framework used for specifying reactor-relevant stellarator exhaust solutions. - Work closely with engineers to ensure that net erosion and core impurity contamination from plasma facing components, particularly the divertor and first wall, are compatible with intended reactor relevant operational scenarios. - Lead development, validation and application of advanced edge physics models for plasma material interaction studies in order to guide the divertor subsystem and first wall design. - Quantify plasma-surface interaction constraints to ensure plasma-facing components remain within engineering limits. - Collaborate with academic partners to develop and apply workflows that characterise divertor and edge impurity migration. - Identify, initiate, and lead R&D projects, working closely with industry and scientific partners. WHO YOU ARE - Hold a postgraduate degree in plasma physics. - Have strong experience in impurity transport and a clear interest in translating physics understanding into a practical plasma exhaust strategy. - Bring experience using simulation and modeling to inform the geometry and operational limits of high-heat-flux systems. - Be comfortable working across disciplines, collaborating directly with engineers to f