About The Role

We currently have an opening at our Foothill Ranch, CA (Orange County) facility for a Computational Plasma Physicist. The scientist will bring advanced HPC methods to bear on the development and application of high-fidelity simulation tools for high beta fusion plasmas in the field-reversed configuration.  Goals will include physical interpretation of existing experimental results, and prediction and optimization of future operating conditions. This is a full-time position with a rich compensation package.

• This is a professional scientific researcher position in the Computation department of TAE Technologies’ Fusion Power research division.
• The researcher will be comfortable working in a highly collaborative environment where technical goals are determined by shared scientific and corporate goals. Technical competency, creative problem solving, communication skills, and collaborative mindset are the hallmarks of a successful researcher in this environment.
• The researcher will use computer simulation to advance plasma physics understanding in identified focus areas of the TAE physics team. Current focus areas include fast ion physics, stability and operational boundaries, particle and energy transport, and the physics of electrode biasing.
• The researcher will become lead developer of a simulation tool addressing one or more of the focus areas
• Responsibilities will include:
• Development of new models, algorithms, and HPC implementations.
• Creative refactoring of existing TAE simulation tools. This may include development of new physics models and algorithms and/or incorporation of advanced HPC tools to accelerate existing algorithms.
• Design and perform verification and validation studies
• Bring state-of-the-art algorithms and codes from existing public repos such as those developed by the Exascale Computing Project (ECP).
• Improve TAE utilization of existing DOE Leadership Computing Facilities such as NERSC and ALCF, and refactor codes for utilization of accelerator technology on the upcoming Exascale class computers
• Collaborate with publicly funded scientists in identified areas of strategic interest.
• Participate in simulation campaign planning and project management with the goal of determining a goal-oriented simulation strategy and its execution
• Contribute to code planning, development, performance, benchmark and reliability efforts
• Design and perform simulation campaigns for scientific discovery through interpretive simulation of experimental results and predictive simulation of future experiments.
• Presentation of results to the TAE physics team.
• Presentation of results to domestic and international conferences.
• Publication of approved results in peer-reviewed journals.
• Documentation of work in collaboration and revision control software

About You

• 6 years of experience in plasma physics, applied math, or computer science
• Demonstrated contributions to team work on long term research projects.
• Demonstrated ability to organize and schedule work to meet deadlines.
• Experience presenting reports of scientific or technical progress at national level
• Publication in peer-reviewed journals
• The successful candidate will be expected to continually sharpen their skills, learn new methods, and stay current with advances in HPC and plasma physics simulation.
• Previous hands-on software development (> 3 years) in Fortran or C++ is required.
• Development of scientific code in collaborative environment, especially using paradigms used routinely in plasma physics, such as Monte Carlo, particle-in-cell, magnetohydrodynamics
• Discretization of differential equations and solution of discretized equations using numerical methods
• Fortran and/or C++ development experience
• Expertise in High Performance Computing methods, especially desirable is experience with ECP tools for distributed memory, shared memory, and accelerator architecture
• Parallel I/O in scientific data formats
• Visualization with python libraries, paraview, Visit
• Collaboration and revision control software experience.
• MS Office Applications

Education:

• Required Education: Master’s degree in plasma physics, applied math, or computer science
• Preferred Education: PhD in plasma physics, applied math, or computer science