Scientist, Scenario and Control

Company: General Atomics and Affiliated Companies
Location: San Diego
Posted on: January 26, 2023

Job Description:

General Atomics (GA), and its affiliated companies, is one of the world's leading resources for high-technology systems development ranging from the nuclear fuel cycle to remotely piloted aircraft, airborne sensors, and advanced electric, electronic, wireless and laser technologies.

The General Atomics Plasma Control and Operations Group develops tokamak control solutions for many devices around the world, including the Korean Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research (KSTAR, South Korea), the East Asian Superconducting Tokamak (EAST, China), the Mega-Ampere National Spherical Tokamak Experiment Upgrade (MAST-U, UK) facility, the National Spherical Torus Experiment Upgrade (NSTX-U, USA), and the DIII-D National Fusion Facility (San Diego, CA) operated by General Atomics, among others. The group focuses upon creating cutting edge control tools, analyses, and scenario access for those devices, driving towards real-world control solutions for ITER and future burning plasma devices.

We currently have an exciting opportunity for a Scientist to join the Plasma Control & Operations Group at General Atomics for the development of the integrated modeling simulations, optimizations and control approaches for facilitating high performance reactor-relevant plasma operations on KSTAR, EAST, NSTX-U, DIII-D, and future devices. The Plasma Control and Operations group advances the fields of tokamak integrated control research for developing scientific understanding and identification of key innovations for a range of tokamak facilities around the world, including the above devices and in support of the ITER tokamak in France.

**DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:**

+ Plasma modeling and simulation for control development on multiple devices

+ Design and analysis of control scenarios for physics experiments

+ Design and analysis of control algorithms

+ Testing and validation of real-time code for plasma control

+ Develop integrated modeling simulations with simplified and robust models for the development of tokamak simulators and performance optimization strategies

+ Support experiments on KSTAR, EAST, NSTX-U, MAST-U and DIII-D

+ Design and execution of tokamak experiments for study and development of optimized plasma scenarios, plasma response models, and control approaches

+ Performance of studies to analyze aspects of plasma control and operations, machine protection statistics, data-driven algorithms, and extrapolations to future devices including ITER and FPP

+ Publication in recognized scientific journals, presentation of work at national and international level, pursuit of research projects, and collaborative work with and support to the wider DIII-D team in the above topic areas.

+ Perform other duties as assigned or required.

+ Willing to travel up to approximately 20% time for international experiments

We recognize and appreciate the value and contributions of individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences and welcome all qualified individuals to apply.

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**Job Qualifications:**

+ Typically requires a Bachelors degree, Masters degree or PhD in scientific or related technical field and progressively complex scientific experience as follows; four or more years experience with a Bachelors degree and two or more years experience with a Masters degree. Equivalent scientific experience may be substituted in lieu of education.

+ Experience in plasma physics, tokamak operations and experiments, electromagnetics, control theory, digital communications, signal processing, machine learning, or similar related research.

Must have:

+ A thorough understanding of relevant scientific concepts, principles, and theory, particularly with regard to general tokamak plasma behavior;

+ Experience demonstrating a broad application of those concepts; and,

+ Experience working with tokamaks including control approaches to achieve physics goals;

+ Rigorous understanding and demonstrated experience in tokamak MHD equilibrium and stability physics.

Must possess the ability to:

+ Understand new concepts quickly;

+ Apply them accurately throughout an evolving environment;

+ Organize, schedule, and coordinate work phases; and,

+ Determine the appropriate approach at the task level or, with assistance, at the project level to provide solutions to a range of complex problems.

+ Must have strong communication, computer, documentation, presentation, and interpersonal skills, ability to work independently and as part of a team; able to perform complex tasks in one scientific area; and, lead a team of less experienced professional employees on semi-routine tasks.

+ Must have facility in moving rapidly from one task area to another, and ability to work extended hours and travel as required.

+ Numerical methods and scientific programming knowledge, including experience with one or more signal processing and system analysis environments such as Matlab, MathCAD, IDL, etc....

+ Programming knowledge for implementation of control algorithms in one or more programming environments such as Simulink, C, C++, etc...

+ Experience and facility with C programming and the UNIX operating system environment.

+ Ability to communicate effectively with the scientific and engineering communities of DIII-D and collaborators, including written and oral technical presentations.

Desirable qualifications:

+ Experience with operations and execution of experiments on multiple magnetic confinement devices

+ Experience with existing plasma analysis, simulation, and modeling codes such as TSC, Corsica, TRANSP, RAPTOR, EFIT, COTSIM, etc.

+ Experience with machine learning and artificial intelligence algorithms and tools

+ Experience with real-time control systems, data acquisition, digitizers, signal conditioning, and data interpretation

+ History of publication of original work(s) in professional scientific journals or formal technical equivalents

+ Willingness to adjust working hours in accordance with the schedules and needs of the Magnetic Fusion Energy Division.

**Travel Percentage Required** 0 - 25 **Relocation Assistance Provided** Provided **US Citizenship Required?** No **Clearance Required?** No **Clearance Level** null **Workstyle** Onsite

Keywords: General Atomics and Affiliated Companies, San Diego , Scientist, Scenario and Control, Other , San Diego, California