Who We Are
Proxima Fusion is Europe’s fastest-growing fusion company and the continent’s best-funded fusion player—the first spin-out from the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (IPP). With over €650M in backing and a expanding team across Munich, Zurich, and Oxford, we are dedicated to developing the hardware and infrastructure required to deliver the world’s first commercial stellarator fusion power plant.
Our concept pushes the boundaries of the most mature fusion technology currently available, the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator, through two next-generation machines: Alpha and Stellaris. Our multidisciplinary approach combines stellarator optimization, advanced computation, machine learning, and high-temperature superconducting magnets to realize designs that were previously unattainable. Achieving a functional fusion power plant demands excellence and ownership across various disciplines, from physics and engineering to software, manufacturing, law, and business functions.
Team and Role
Architect a breakthrough energy technology—play a defining role in designing and integrating the systems that will power the world’s first commercial stellarator fusion plant. Your work will influence decisions that shape the future of clean energy.
- Solve some of the most complex engineering challenges in fusion, spanning magnet design, HTS technology, manufacturing, structural integration, and controls.
- Join a highly ambitious, multidisciplinary team that combines cutting-edge simulation with hands-on engineering, turning bold ideas into reality on the pathway to commercial fusion.
Why Join Proxima Fusion
- Impact: Your simulations will directly influence the magnets that enable commercial fusion energy.
- Ownership: As part of a small, highly technical team, you will define modeling standards and influence core design decisions.
- Frontier Engineering: Work at the intersection of high-field electromagnetics, cryogenics, and advanced numerical methods.
- Collaboration: Join a team that combines deep superconducting expertise with advanced computational capabilities to tackle one of the hardest engineering challenges of our time.
Your Impact
At Proxima Fusion, we are engineering the first generation of fusion power plants to provide the world with clean, carbon-free energy. The core of our reactor comprises superconducting coils. These magnets operate at cryogenic temperatures, generate intense magnetic fields, and must maintain stability under complex electromagnetic and thermal conditions.
We are seeking a Numerical Modeling Engineer to develop high-fidelity simulation tools that predict and mitigate the behavior of our superconducting magnets. Your responsibilities will encompass electromagnetic, thermal, and transient multiphysics modeling—including quench dynamics—and will directly inform design considerations for conductors, coils, and protection systems.
This position is focused on creating robust numerical frameworks—integrating commercial multiphysics tools with custom-developed models—to facilitate fast, dependable, and physics-driven engineering decisions.
What You Will Do
Your work will merge physics modeling, numerical implementation, and close collaboration with magnet designers and experimental teams. You will contribute across three primary domains:
- Electromagnetic & Thermal Multiphysics Modeling:
- Develop predictive models of superconducting magnet behavior across steady-state and transient regimes.
- Electromagnetic Simulation: Model high-field magnet systems, including current distribution, inductance, AC losses, and nonlinear material behavior.
- Thermal Modeling: Simulate heat generation, conduction, and cryogenic cooling performance under operational and fault conditions.
- Multiphysics Coupling: Develop coupled EM-thermal models to capture transient events such as current redistribution and localized heating.
- Quench Modeling: Implement and validate numerical frameworks to simulate quench initiation, propagation, and protection strategies.
- Model Validation: Align simulations with experimental data from conductor and coil tests to continuously enhance predictive capacity.
- In-House Tool Development & Numerical Infrastructure:
- Develop fast, scalable modeling tools for system-level studies and design iterations.
- Build robust pipelines for design sweeps, optimization, and uncertainty quantification.
- Contribute to internal Python- or C++-based frameworks for magnet modeling and data post-processing.
- Establish numerical best practices, validation procedures, and cross-comparison protocols between tools.
- Ensure models can scale from conductor-level physics to full magnet assemblies.
- Design Integration & Engineering Decision Support:
- Your models will directly inform hardware design.
- Provide quantitative guidance on conductor layout, stabilization strategies, and protection schemes.
- Identify failure modes and quantify margins under realistic operating scenarios.
- Collaborate closely with magnet engineers, quench protection specialists, and test engineers.
- Translate complex physics into easily understandable engineering recommendations.
Who You Are
We are looking for a meticulous numerical thinker who enjoys bridging fundamental physics with practical engineering.
- Background: Degree (MSc or PhD) in Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics, Computational Engineering, or a related field.
- Core Expertise:
- Strong foundation in electromagnetics and physics-based numerical modeling (e.g., FEM, nonlinear coupled systems), with the capability to implement and extend models programmatically.
- Experience with multiphysics and transient simulations, such as electromagnetic-thermal coupling and fast transients.
- Proficiency in at least one scientific programming language (Python, MATLAB, C++, or similar), with a passion for developing internal modeling tools and workflows.
- Valued Experience (not all required):
- Electromagnetic numerical modeling.
- Experience with COMSOL or other commercial FEM tools.
- Modeling of high-current or high-field devices.
- Thermal modeling and heat transfer in complex systems.
- Experience building internal engineering tools rather than relying purely on GUI-based workflows.
- Mindset:
- You question assumptions and critically validate results.
- You are comfortable building models from first principles.
- You thrive in a startup environment where tools, processes, and standards are still evolving.
- Prior experience with superconductors or HTS magnets is a plus, but strong electromagnetic and numerical expertise remains the primary requirement.
Interview Process
- Recruiter Interview (30-60 min)
- Technical Screening (30 min)
- Technical Panel (3x60 min)
*This role sits at L3 of our framework; please inquire during the recruitment process for further information.
How to Apply
At Proxima Fusion, we are committed to our mission of making limitless clean energy a reality. To achieve this, we seek a high-performing and diverse team that brings varying perspectives, challenges assumptions, and works collaboratively with purpose. We value diversity of thought and experience, knowing it leads to better ideas, stronger execution, and a more resilient team. We welcome applicants from all walks of life and look forward to what you can bring to the table.
Apply online using the form below.
Only applications matching the job profile will be considered.