Experimental Physicist

The Daedal Systems Experimental Physicist joins the lab team in Toronto to help design and build the measurement and diagnostic devices at the heart of the company’s industrialised plasma diagnostic platform. Daedal Systems is a plasma diagnostic company for the fusion energy industry, and the role works alongside its senior physicists.

Daedal Systems observes that every fusion company needs the same R&D plasma diagnostics but builds them in-house, even though they are not core IP, and it is building a platform to deploy suites of plasma diagnostics on fusion devices across the industry. The Daedal Systems Experimental Physicist role is hands-on and full-time, and involves building lab set-ups, running experiments, recording results with care and sourcing the components that the diagnostics depend on. The physicist also travels occasionally to install and service Daedal’s products at customer sites.

The role joins as one of Daedal’s early technical hires and gains hands-on experience across the full life of a diagnostic, from bench-top prototype to a system installed on a customer’s fusion device. As the team grows, the physicist takes on increasing ownership of experiments and diagnostic subsystems and helps shape the measurement infrastructure that will be applied across the fusion industry.

Key Responsibilities

• Work with senior physicists to design and build plasma measurement and diagnostic devices
• Build, align and maintain laboratory set-ups for diagnostic development and testing
• Plan and run experiments, and record procedures, data and results diligently
• Analyse experimental data and help translate findings into design improvements
• Identify vendors and source components that meet the required technical specifications
• Lead lab management, including designing the lab’s organisational system for equipment, components, cabling and power supplies, setting good working practices for an orderly and safe lab, and ensuring the whole team adheres to them
• Travel occasionally to install, commission and service Daedal diagnostics at customer sites

Requirements

Essential:

• Hands-on experimental experience building and operating laboratory set-ups, ideally involving plasmas
• Experience designing, running and documenting experiments, with rigorous record-keeping
• Experience with spectroscopy, preferably in plasma diagnostics
• Ability to read technical specifications and source suitable components from vendors
• Collaborative working style and the ability to work closely with senior physicists
• Ability to work full-time and in person in the Toronto lab
• Comfort with occasional travel to install and service systems at customer sites

Desirable:

• PhD in plasma physics or a closely related field is preferred, with no prior industry experience required
• Experience on fusion devices or other plasma experiments
• Experience with high-power laser optics, such as beam alignment and handling, and laser safety, as well as practical skills with vacuum systems, RF electronics and data acquisition
• Experience with data analysis in Python, MATLAB or similar
• Prior experience in a startup or early-stage technical business

BSc and MSc applicants with relevant hands-on experience are also welcome to apply.