Senior Scientist - Experimental Fuel Physics Group

Job Description

Job Description

First Light Fusion is building the world’s largest pulsed power machine, M4, to demonstrate inertial confinement fusion ignition. The Fuel Physics Group sits within the Experimental Department and is responsible for experimentally studying ICF fuel cavity physics and validating fusion target performance. A key element of the group’s work involves the development of the fusion plasma diagnostics suite for M4.

The role is a senior/scientist level position, depending on experience, reporting to the Fuel Physics Group Lead. Working and training alongside other senior members of the Experimental Physics team, you will design experiments and diagnostic techniques to study high energy density (HED) plasmas using in-house and external facilities, providing critical data for benchmarking our numerical design tools.

Whilst we welcome applicants with broad applicable knowledge, we are particularly keen to hire somebody with experience in designing, fielding and modelling nuclear diagnostics such as neutron time-of-flight and recoil spectrometers, gamma ray detectors and activation diagnostics.

First Light maintain strong links with many UK and international universities. You will have opportunities to collaborate and to travel internationally for conferences and external experiments. You will also interact regularly with First Light’s Pulsed Power, Numerical and Data science teams.

Responsibilities will include:

• Developing experimental platforms and diagnostics (e.g. VISAR, x-ray spectrometers, neutron detectors) to study HED physics and fusion plasmas
• Running experiments using two stage light gas guns and pulsed power machines
• Using hydrodynamics simulations, atomic physics calculations and Monte Carlo particle codes to design and model diagnostics
• Performing data analysis including image processing, development of synthetic diagnostics and use of statistical methods
• Communicating results

Essential

• Masters level degree (2.1 or above) in physics or a related subject
• Experience working in an experimental research team
• Knowledge of HED plasma diagnostic techniques such as spectroscopy and radiography
• Knowledge of shock physics, plasma physics and inertial conferment fusion
• Use of numerical tools for data analysis
• Evidence for taking the initiative and a strong sense of responsibility
• Excellent teamwork and communication
• Fast and effective problem-solving skills
• An ability to organise and plan effectively and to work consistently

Desirable

• PhD in physics or related subject
• Demonstrated ability to deliver to agreed objectives and manage resources using project management techniques
• Practical laboratory skills, for example opto-mechanics, data acquisition, etc.

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• 25 days annual leave + bank holidays
• Free lunch, snacks, and soft drinks
• Cycle to work scheme
• Electric vehicle car scheme
• Relocation support
• Flexible working
• Generous share options scheme
• Health and wellbeing scheme
• 8% employer pension contribution without matching requirements
• Enhanced maternal / paternal and sick leave

First Light Fusion

We are a lean, focused, and agile company researching energy generation by inertial confinement fusion. We spun out from the University of Oxford in June 2011 and are based near Oxford. First Light continues to collaborate closely with the academic community, both in the UK and internationally. The company is well-funded by both institutional investors and private individuals.

Inertial confinement fusion for energy generation is a well-established research field and is being pursued in many laboratories worldwide, most notably in the US at the National Ignition Facility.

We are exploring a number of alternative research directions that harness the same fundamental physics, with the prime focus being power generation. Our work to-date has included theoretical analysis, detailed numerical simulation, and experimental validation. We have a clear vision of the pathway to a power plant.

We really believe fusion will be solved in the 2020s. If it is solved by us, fantastic, if it is solved by someone else, still great!

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