RESEARCH SCIENTIST / ENGINEER

RESEARCH SCIENTIST / ENGINEER

As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world.

UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty.

The William E. Boeing Department of Aeronautics & Astronautics (A&A) within the College of Engineering has an outstanding opportunity for a Research Scientist Engineer.

The Department of Aeronautics & Astronautics offers the only aerospace degree program in the Pacific Northwest, a region whose aerospace industry has been a major contributor to the technological development, economic vitality and the security of the United States.

Our faculty, students and alumni are at the nexus of new space, and are creating the future of automated aerospace manufacturing, novel aerospace materials, and autonomous aerospace systems.

The Research Scientist will study and develop Transient CHI (Coaxial Helicity Injection) capability on PEGASUS-III Spherical Torus to develop it as a tool for solenoid-free plasma startup in low aspect ratio tokamaks.

The job location would be the University of Wisconsin, Madison, at the PEGASUS-III facility. The work also entails examining Transient CHI capability on future devices and some modeling to assess the benefits of this solenoid-free plasma startup method to future Spherical Torus and Low Aspect Ratio Tokamak Reactors.

The job involves working with high-voltage capacitor bank equipment, hardware assembly, and maintenance of needed components on the PEGASUS-III experiment experience with magnetic diagnostics and developing and maintaining electronics related to these systems.

The individual would help operate the CHI system and other related systems on PEGASUS-III, analyze the experimental data and publish associated papers.

The capability of Transient CHI for solenoid-free plasma startup is relatively well understood. So, it is anticipated that research on PEGASUS-III would lead to implementing such a startup capability on future (larger) STs and reactors.

Prior knowledge of is not a requirement for applying for this position.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Research Design, Data Collection and Analysis

• Collect Data
• Analyze experimental data from magnetic and other diagnostics
• Write and publish associated papers
• Manage continuous process improvement in the design of the equipment and hardware assembly to support the research design of the project
• Modeling to assess the benefits of this solenoid-free plasma startup method to future Spherical Torus and Low Aspect Ratio Tokamak Reactors
• Attend and present at conferences on research findings
• Participate in lab meetings
• Identify problems and related technical issues and recommend and implement long-term sustainable solutions

Design and Modeling Support

• Design and debugging to support the maintenance of high voltage capacitor bank equipment, hardware assembly and maintenance of needed components on the PEGASUS III experiment, as needed
• Develop and maintain electronics related to the systems that support the PEGASUS III experiment
• Help operate the CHI System and other related systems

Lab Administration and Operations

• Engage in tasks to maintain and fix the equipment used to support PEGASUS III experiments
• Other tasks as assigned

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS ?

• Masters in physics or a related field (such as electrical or nuclear engineering)
• Three months to 1 year related work experience with an experimentalist perspective
• Experience with magnetic diagnostics and developing and maintaining electronics related to these systems

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• PhD in plasma physics or a related field (such as electrical or nuclear engineering) is preferred
• Proficiency in computational tools such as ANSYS or other electromagnetic and Computational Fluid Dynamics software
• Experience running one or more plasma MHD codes would also be a helpful asset
• Demonstrated critical thinking, problem solving and analytical skills
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a highly collaborative team environment
30+ days ago