Plasma Diagnostics Summer 2027 Intern

What You Will Be Doing:

As a Plasma Diagnostics Intern you will work collaboratively to conceive, design, test, and deploy optical diagnostic components and systems that help us understand the performance of our fusion machines. Non-invasive optical probes are essential to our understanding of physical parameters in the core of our plasma and allow us to fine tune the operation of the machine to achieve fusion. We deploy a suite of optical probes that measure a wide range of plasma parameters such as density, temperature, plasma shape, and many more.

You Will:

• Prototype and bench test optical diagnostics, for example polarimetry or components of optical interferometers
• Understand basic operations and bench test potential upgrades to performance (e.g., on polarimetry or interferometry)

Required Skills:

• Ability to work full time, onsite in Everett, WA for a minimum of 12 consecutive weeks during summer 2027
• Currently pursuing a PhD in Physics, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field, with relevant experience in plasmas
• Must be able to complete their PhD program and commence full-time employment no later than May 2028
• GPA of 3.0 or above
• Basic understanding of benchtop optical test and measurement
• Basic proficiency with optical fiber alignment
• General optical lab experience/ basic knowledge of laser and laser safety
• Proficiency with analysis software such as MATLAB or Python
• Optical modeling software skills such as Zemax a plus, but not necessary