Computational Physicist

Job description

WHO WE ARE Proxima Fusion is Europe’s fastest-growing fusion company and the continent’s best-funded fusion player, as well as the first spin-out from the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (IPP). Backed by over €650M and powered by a growing team across Munich, Zurich, and Oxford, we are developing the hardware and infrastructure needed to deliver the world’s first commercial stellarator fusion power plant. Our concept advances the most mature fusion technology out there, the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator, through two next-generation machines: Alpha and Stellaris. Our work combines stellarator optimization, advanced computation, machine learning, and high-temperature superconducting magnets to unlock higher-performance designs that were previously out of reach. Turning these designs into a functioning fusion power plant requires excellence and ownership across every discipline, from physics and engineering to software, manufacturing, law, and business functions. TEAM AND ROLE - Shape the architecture of the world’s first commercial fusion power plant – Own system-level decisions that determine how a first-of-a-kind energy technology is designed, integrated, and ultimately deployed at scale. - Solve some of the most complex engineering challenges in industry – Work across tightly coupled disciplines (plasma physics, magnets, cryogenics, manufacturing, controls, and more) to resolve critical trade-offs and turn cutting-edge science into a functioning product. - Build real hardware with a pragmatic, fast-moving team from all over the world – Combine advanced simulation and systems thinking with a strong execution mindset, focusing on practical engineering solutions that accelerate the path to commercial fusion energy. WHY JOIN PROXIMA FUSION - You will get to work on some of the most complex tech challenges to bring abundant, safe, clean energy to the world. - You'll get to join and learn from an exceptional selection of accomplished and driven individuals. - Do your life’s best work and enjoy the journey. - Get to show that big things are possible in Europe when you assemble the best talent. YOUR IMPACT As a computational physicist at Proxima, you will play a central role in developing and applying state-of-the-art numerical models that characterise the behaviour of fusion plasmas. This is a deeply hands-on technical role to design, implement, and validate simulation tools and numerical methods to answer research questions at the frontier of plasma physics. This role is specifically tailored for someone who will spend the majority of their time building, improving and validating such simulation tools, rather than primarily running existing codes and workflows. You will leverage modern software engineering practices—including the effective use of large language models (LLMs) as development aids—to accelerate code development, refactoring, testing, and documentation, while retaining full ownership of scientific correctness and numerical integrity. The production-quality simulation tools that you build will inform critical design and physics decisions for future fusion power plants. WHAT YOU WILL DO - Design, implement and extend workflows that characterise plasma performance. - Write high performance scientific code both lightweight integrated models, and high fidelity HPC simulations. - Apply modern development tools and workflows, including LLM-based assistants, to improve development velocity, code readability, and testing coverage. - Communicate your results, and collaborate with integrated modellers and engineers to ensure stellarator designs correctly meet the requirements for effective plasma confinement and control. - Validate and benchmark models against theory, and experimental data where relevant. WHO YOU ARE - Hold a PhD or Masters in physics, mathematics, or computational physics. - Proven experience, building numerical tools from first principles, taking problems from governing equations through numerical formulation, implementation, and validated simulation results. - Proficient in one or more of: Python, Julia, C++, Fortran. - Comfortable using LLM-based development tools as part of a modern scientific software workflow, with a clear understanding of their limitations and failure modes. - Proficient in modern software development workflows, and HPC. - Proactive in framing problems, as well as proposing and interrogating solutions. - Motivated to work with and cultivate a diverse team of physicists, numerical modellers, and engineers. INTERVIEW PROCESS - Recruiter Interview (30-60 min) - Technical Screening (30 min) - Technical Panel (3x60 min) *This role sits at L3 of our framework, please inquire during the recruitment process for further information. At Proxima Fusion, our mission is bold: making limitless clean energy a reality. To get there, we need a high-performing, diverse team that brings different perspectives, challenges assumptions, and builds together with purpose. We know that diversity of thought and experience leads to better ideas, stronger execution, and a more resilient team. We don’t look at how you identify, what you look like, who you choose to worship or what ethnicity you are. We care about what you can bring to the table.