Postdoctorate Scientist jobs in Madison, WI

Realta Fusion is a rapidly growing start-up developing compact magnetic mirror fusion energy systems to address the biggest challenge of our time – tackling global climate change while ensuring sufficient energy supply for at least ten billion people on (and off) earth. Realta is targeting the need to decarbonize industrial process heat as the fastest path to full-scale deployment of our technology. We are building a team with diverse talents dedicated to making fusion energy a real solution to humanity’s most pressing problem.

The Experimental Scientist will work with Realta’s technical teams to plan, execute, and synthesize experimental research. The Experimental Scientist will collaborate with researchers in private, national laboratory, and academic research institutions - including with University of Wisconsin personnel working on the Wisconsin High-Temperature-Superconducting Axisymmetric Mirror (WHAM) device. The Experimental Scientist will additionally interface with Realta’s theoretical team to build a functional understanding of fusion plasmas confined in magnetic mirror devices.  

Responsibilities

1. Provide technical expertise in a fast-paced scientific R&D program.  Contribute scientifically to implementation of experimental apparatus; conduct experiments collaboratively with academic researchers and Realta scientific staff.
2. Develop and execute experimental investigations to address risks facing commercialization of magnetic mirror fusion energy systems using all available experimental facilities, including WHAM.  Conduct experiments, collect and analyze complex research data, document and communicate results. 
3. Aid corporate fund raising by contributing to oral presentations and written proposals.
4. Communication:  Synthesize and present technical work internally and externally, communicate daily with project teams, technical leadership, and non-technical stakeholders to support programmatic needs.
5. Safety:  Contribute to the establishment of company safety standards and lead implementation of these standards within R&D and Engineering team.
6. Culture and Values:  Foster a positive and inclusive work environment that aligns with the company's mission, values, and sustainability goals, promoting innovation, collaboration, and employee engagement.

Required Qualifications

• Education: Ph.D. in Physics or a related field.
• A minimum of 2 years’ experience in experimental physics. 

Preferred Qualifications

1. Experience with fusion plasma confinement in open magnetic systems.
2. Functional knowledge of plasma diagnostics (e.g. FIDA, CXR, bolometers, electrostatic ion energy analyzers, interferometers, Mirnov coils, spectroscopy) and analysis techniques. 
3. Understanding of externally applied controls of fusion plasmas including RF heating in the ion cyclotron range of frequencies, neutral beam injection, electron cyclotron heating, and/or biasing. 
4. Software skills including correlation analysis techniques, data acquisition and database management (e.g. MDSplus), archiving data from multiple ADC platforms. 
5. Communication skills (written, verbal, public presentation) to collaborate effectively with colleagues, external partners, and stakeholders.

Applicants who do not meet the entire job specification are encouraged to apply.

Compensation and Benefits

What we are working on is hard… and hugely important. Realta Fusion is assembling a talented team bound together by a passion to solve humanity’s biggest challenge with first-of-a-kind technology. That shared mission is a primary benefit of working in our team. Additionally, Realta offers:

• Competitive compensation, including equity stock options
• Excellent health / dental / vision and other benefits
• Flexible paid vacation/time-off
• The opportunity to work in one of America’s most livable cities, Madison, Wisconsin