Head of Scientific Software

If you’re excited about turning complex physics into robust, production-grade systems, this role is for you. This head of scientific software will lead the design, development, maintenance of Realta Fusion’s software stack. This is a hands-on leadership role spanning plasma diagnostics software, data acquisition pipelines, simulation infrastructure, analysis frameworks, and control system integration. You will work at the intersection of cutting-edge plasma physics and rigorous software engineering, shaping how the company collects, processes, and learns experimental data and simulation results. You will partner closely with physicists, engineers, and program management to translate scientific requirements into robust, maintainable software systems.

This work will include a key focus on validation of computational models with experimental data from the currently operating Wisconsin HTS Axisymmetric Mirror (WHAM) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, proposing new plasma diagnostics to be fielded on WHAM to aid in validation efforts, and using computational modelling to guide the design of future axisymmetric mirror devices at Realta Fusion called Anvil and Hammir.

Realta Fusion is a rapidly growing start-up developing compact magnetic mirror fusion energy systems to address the biggest challenge of our time - tackling global climate change while ensuring a sufficient energy supply for at least ten billion people on (and off) earth. We are building a team with diverse talents dedicated to making fusion energy a real solution to humanity’s most pressing problem.

Responsibilities

• Lead the architecture and development of scientific software across computational physics, experimental physics, and engineering functional areas.
• Collaborate with experimental physicists to co-develop analysis frameworks for plasma measurements including magnetics, spectroscopy, interferometry, Thomson scattering, and other diagnostics. Ensure software design and function serves evolving experimental priorities and analysis needs.
• Build and maintain real-time and post-shot data pipelines for processing experimental plasma data working with other members of the DAQ team.
• Serve as primary technical bridge between scientific software and hardware control systems - including heating systems (i.e. ECH, NBI, ICRH), fuel injection systems, limiter and end ring biasing, and active plasma feedback control systems. Ensuring software architecture reflects both physics requirements and engineering constraints, and control systems changes are propagated into analysis workflows.
• Drive and propagate software engineering best practices: version control, testing, documentation, reproducibility, and code review culture.
• Dive iterative feedback loops between the RealTwin plasma simulation suite and engineering design suite of software tools and streamline iterative design loops working with both the computational physics teams and engineering teams.
• Establish and enforce standards for data management, provenance tracking, and long-term archival of experimental data working with others on the DAQ team.
• Support technical program management through software project planning, milestone tracking, compute resource and cost management, and risk identification.

• PhD or equivalent experience in plasma physics, computational physics, applied mathematics, or a closely related field.
• 5+ years of experience in scientific software development.
• Demonstrated experience building data acquisition or real-time data processing systems in a laboratory or experimental physics environment.
• Strong understanding of plasma diagnostics and the physical interpretation of experimental measurements.
• Experience designing software systems that interface with hardware, DAQ systems, or embedded controllers.
• Track record of delivering reliable, maintainable software in a fast-paced research or startup environment.
• Excellent communication skills across technical and non-technical audiences., * Direct experience with magnetic confinement fusion devices (e.g., mirrors, tokamaks, stellarators)
• Familiarity with Extended-MHD and kinetic simulation codes (e.g., NIMROD, VPIC, WarpX, TRANSP)
• Experience with control system frameworks (EPICS, LabVIEW, or similar) and feedback control hardware (e.g. FPGAs) and algorithms (e.g., PID, LQG, etc…)
• Background in machine learning or statistical methods applied to experimental data and simulation results
• Experience scaling scientific software teams and processes in a startup environment
• Contributions to open-source scientific software communities

What we are working on is hard… and hugely important. Realta Fusion is assembling a talented team bound together by a passion to solve humanity’s biggest challenge with first-of-a-kind technology. Additionally, Realta offers:

• Competitive compensation package, including equity stock options.
• Comprehensive benefits including health, dental, and vision insurance, plus a retirement savings plan.
• Flexible paid time off (PTO) to support work-life balance.
• Work and live in Madison, Wisconsin - one of America’s most livable and vibrant cities.