Plasma Physicist

The Stellarex Energy Plasma Physicist drives the physics design and optimisation of the company’s prototype stellarator facility in the Greater Toronto Area. Stellarex Energy is building foundational technology for the clean energy transition by harnessing stellarator fusion to provide safe, reliable and carbon-free baseload power.

Reporting to the technical leadership of the project, the Stellarex Energy Plasma Physicist serves as a technical specialist in optimising 3D magnetic field geometry to achieve superior plasma confinement. The role integrates advanced numerical modelling and theoretical physics across plasma shaping, fast particle and alpha confinement, turbulent transport reduction, energy confinement scaling and high-beta equilibrium, bridging fundamental physics calculations directly into engineering coil design baselines.

Key Responsibilities

• Drive the multi-variable optimisation of 3D non-axisymmetric magnetic field configurations to maximise plasma performance, stability and operational margins
• Execute physics modelling and codes to minimise energetic ion and alpha particle losses, ensuring neoclassical transport optimisation and robust heat load management
• Analyse micro-instabilities, gyrokinetic turbulence and turbulent transport reduction strategies to enhance global energy confinement times
• Evaluate 3D MHD equilibrium, finite-beta stability limits and magnetic island divertor topologies to support stable, high-density plasma operations
• Translate optimised magnetic flux surfaces and boundary conditions into actionable engineering requirements for high-field superconducting magnet coil designers

Requirements

Essential:

• PhD in plasma physics, nuclear engineering, applied physics or a closely related computational field
• 5+ years of post-doctoral or senior research experience executing computational plasma physics and magnetic confinement optimisation programmes
• Deep technical mastery in 3D magnetic equilibrium (for example VMEC), neoclassical transport (for example STELLOPT, ROSE, NEO), gyrokinetics or fast ion orbit dynamics
• Proven track record developing, modifying or deploying physics simulation codes, multi-objective optimisation algorithms and magnetics modelling tools
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate with magnet engineering teams and communicate complex physics baselines to technical leadership