Experimental Software Engineer

Join our team to develop the software systems driving cutting-edge fusion energy research.

This Experimental Software Engineer will provide technical expertise in a fast-paced scientific research and development program. You will lead and contribute to software systems that enable data acquisition, processing, controls integration, and scientific computing for the currently operating Wisconsin HTS Magnetic Mirror (WHAM) at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. You will also play a key role in designing and implementing the data acquisition and controls software stack for Realta Fusion’s next devices, Anvil and Hammir.

This role includes close collaboration with experimentalists, computational scientists, and engineers, as well as partnerships with national laboratories and universities. You will help drive high-quality, reliable software for scientific discovery, publish results in peer-reviewed venues when appropriate, and share outcomes at conferences.

Responsibilities

1. Architect, develop, and maintain software systems for data acquisition, processing, storage, and retrieval for experimental data generated on WHAM.

2. Enable easy, reliable access to experimental data for Realta Fusion and UW Madison researchers through well-designed APIs, tools, and workflows.

3. Design and implement software for synthetic diagnostics within computational tools to accelerate comparison of simulation results with experimental diagnostics.

4. Optimize performance of scientific software and pipelines, providing algorithmic improvements, code acceleration, and scalable processing approaches.

5. Review, audit, and improve existing DAQ/controls software to increase data collection reliability, robustness, and integrity.

6. Interface with cloud resources for large-scale scientific computation and data storage (e.g., AWS, Azure), including deployment, monitoring, and cost-aware scaling.

7. Develop standards and automated methods for data quality validation, flagging anomalies and codifying trustworthiness into procedures and tooling.

8. Partner with experimental and computational scientists, engineering, and business leadership to deliver technical milestones and product-level objectives.

9. Conduct literature reviews and prepare technical reports/materials to support R&D direction and decision-making.

10. Identify, write, or assist in developing grant opportunities and proposals to secure funding in a startup environment.

11. Serve as a technical subject matter expert and liaison with key internal and external stakeholders, representing the interests of specialized software and scientific computing areas.

12. Contribute to company safety standards and ensure compliant implementation within R&D software systems and workflows.

13. Foster a positive and inclusive work environment aligned with Realta’s mission and values, promoting innovation, collaboration, and engagement.

Required Qualifications

1. Education: Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Data Science/Engineering, Physics, or a related field plus a minimum of 6 years of professional software engineering experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

2. Strong software engineering experience in Python and modern software practices, including testing, CI/CD, version control, and code review. Familiarity with scientific Python ecosystems (e.g., numpy, scipy, pandas, matplotlib).
   

3. Experience building data/controls/DAQ-adjacent systems and integrating with relevant technologies such as SQL databases, time-series/experimental databases (e.g., MDSPlus), APIs, UI frameworks (e.g., React), LabVIEW/PLCs, or similar control systems.

4. Demonstrated ability to design scalable, maintainable software architectures for scientific or high-reliability environments.

5. Familiarity with plasma diagnostics and experimental workflows (e.g., bolometers, interferometers, magnetic probes, spectrometers, neutron diagnostics, x-ray detectors, imaging systems) and the software needs around them.

6. Familiarity with scientific simulation tools or HPC workflows (e.g., MHD, PIC, Fokker-Planck, RF heating codes such as NIRMOD, JOREK, WarpX, VPIC, Genray, AORSA, CQL3D), and how to integrate simulation outputs with experimental analysis.

7. Collaboration: Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills (written and verbal) to work effectively across disciplines and with external partners.

8. Evidence of technical leadership and innovation, such as leading major software projects, mentoring engineers, or contributing to patents/publications or open-source scientific software.

Compensation & Benefits

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 401(k)
• 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

We value diversity as a critical factor in innovation and believe a diverse team is necessary to solve the toughest problems. We aim to create an inclusive environment that unleashes the full creativity of our team members from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. We provide equal employment opportunities to all individuals based on merit and without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable laws.