Associate Research Physicist - Computational Fusion Physics

A postdoctoral position is open in the area of computational plasma physics, in gyrokinetic turbulence simulations for fusion energy applications, at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. This person will play a key role in the development and application of the Gkeyll code for gyrokinetic simulations (in full 5D and reduced models), which is important for determining the performance of a fusion power plant. Gkeyll uses advanced discontinuous Galerkin algorithms and can run on the largest supercomputers available. We seek energetic applicants who want to be at the forefront of high-performance computing with applications to fusion energy. This position supports work for a DOE Distinguished Scientist Award and other projects.

This postdoc will contribute to PPPL’s mission by helping develop comprehensive computer simulations of turbulence in fusion devices, applying these simulations to understand present fusion experiments and predicting the performance of future fusion devices.

A U.S. Department of Energy National Laboratory managed by Princeton University, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) is a longstanding leader in the science and innovation behind the development of fusion energy — a clean, safe, and virtually limitless energy source. With an eye on the future and in response to national priorities, PPPL also has begun a strategic shift from a singular focus on fusion energy to a multi-focus approach that includes microelectronics, quantum information science, and sustainability science. Whether it be through science, engineering, technology or professional services, every team member has an opportunity to make their mark on our world. PPPL aims to attract and support people with a rich variety of backgrounds, interests, experiences, and cultural viewpoints. We are committed to equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility and believe that each member of our team contributes to our scientific mission in their own unique way. Come join us!

Core Duties: 

• A successful candidate will work closely with the Gkeyll team to add new physics capabilities for modeling tokamaks and other fusion devices. This will involve extensive coding in C and higher-level scripting languages and optimization on parallel supercomputers. The mix of other duties will depend on the candidate chosen, but will include some work on applying the code to understand physics trends and compare with experiments. It will also involve theoretical work, in formulating equations for new physical effects to add to the code, and in analysis to understand the resulting simulations. 

Education and Experience: 

• Ph.D. in plasma physics, astrophysics, applied mathematics, or a closely related discipline.
• Extensive experience with scientific software development and modern software practices is required.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: 

• Knowledge of plasma physics and electrodynamics at the graduate level are required.
• Experience with gyrokinetic theory and gyrokinetic codes is a plus.
• Experience with C, parallel programming, and knowledge of fusion experimental results are a plus.
• English communication and writing skills are required and so is being able to work in a dynamic and a fast-moving team.

Princeton University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. KNOW YOUR RIGHTS

Please be aware that the Department of Energy (DOE) prohibits DOE employees and contractors from participation in certain foreign government talent recruitment programs. All PPPL employees are required to disclose any participation in a foreign government talent recruitment program and may be required to withdraw from such programs to remain employed under the DOE Contract.