Plasma Research Engineer

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Plasma Research Engineer to lead the establishment and operation of our dedicated cold plasma laboratory. You will design, build, and run experiments focused on generating and manipulating non-thermal (cold) plasma using high-voltage pulsating discharges, laser-assisted techniques, custom gas mixtures, and rotating electromagnetic fields. This hands-on role is central to exploring novel plasma-based power generation concepts and requires both deep physical understanding and strong experimental creativity.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, equip, and commission a complete cold plasma laboratory, including high-voltage power supplies, laser systems, gas handling infrastructure, vacuum/glass containment setups, diagnostic tools, and safety systems.
• Develop and optimize reliable methods for generating stable cold plasma using high-voltage pulsating signals, laser triggering/combination techniques, and tailored gas mixtures prepared in-house.
• Perform advanced experiments involving the manipulation of cold plasma (in particular spinning or structuring plasma with rotating electromagnetic fields) and measure key plasma parameters (temperature, density, electrical characteristics, optical emissions, etc.).
• Design and implement resonant circuits and analog electronic drivers to efficiently excite and control plasma discharges.
• Analyze experimental data, identify physical mechanisms, iterate on setups, and propose next-step experiments in close collaboration with the broader physics and engineering teams.
• Ensure all work adheres to rigorous laboratory safety protocols and relevant regulatory standards for high-voltage and plasma systems.
• Document procedures, results, and findings to support internal knowledge sharing and potential IP development.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience cold plasma generation (high voltage, laser, etc.).
• Hands-on work with custom gas mixture preparation, controlled gas handling, and glass/quartz discharge vessels.
• Familiarity with rotating magnetic/electromagnetic field generation and its application to plasma confinement or manipulation.
• Experience setting up or managing a plasma physics laboratory from the ground up.
• Proficiency with plasma diagnostics (Langmuir probes, optical emission spectroscopy, electrical probes, high-speed imaging, etc.).
• Data analysis skills using Python, MATLAB, or similar tools.

Ideal Candidate Profile

You are a hands-on experimentalist who loves building setups, tweaking parameters, and chasing unexpected physical phenomena. You combine solid theoretical understanding of low-temperature plasma physics with practical engineering intuition. You are comfortable working autonomously on ambitious, open-ended research while collaborating effectively with multidisciplinary teams. Curiosity, persistence, attention to detail, and a genuine passion for discovering new ways to harness plasma for energy applications drive you.