Senior Cold Plasma Research Engineer

About ISFS SA ISFS SA is a privately funded scientific research organisation based in Martigny, Valais, Switzerland. We are developing an ambitious research programme at the intersection of quantum mechanics, general relativity, vacuum structure, plasma physics, power electronics, and applied biotechnology. Our work is grounded in a fundamental physics framework developed over many years by the ISFS scientific team, in which spacetime geometry, quantum vacuum dynamics, gravitation, matter, and field structure are treated as deeply connected aspects of physical reality. This is not a conventional academic appointment. The position sits inside a small, focused, international research group working outside many of the institutional constraints of mainstream physics, with direct access to senior scientific leadership and a mandate to design, test, and refine experiments connected to foundational questions in physics and energy. We are looking for an experimental plasma physicist or research engineer who is at home in the laboratory: someone who can design apparatus, build and modify hardware, work safely with high-voltage systems, interpret complex plasma behaviour, and iterate when the experiment refuses to behave as expected. The right candidate will combine strong physical intuition with disciplined experimental practice. The Role We are seeking an experienced Plasma Research Engineer to establish and operate a dedicated cold plasma laboratory at ISFS. The work will focus on the generation, stabilisation, diagnosis, and manipulation of non-thermal plasma using high-voltage pulsed discharges, resonant excitation circuits, laser-assisted triggering or coupling methods, controlled gas mixtures, and rotating electromagnetic field configurations. This is a hands-on research role. You will be expected not only to understand plasma physics theoretically, but to design and build working systems, troubleshoot them under real laboratory conditions, and extract meaningful physical insight from experimental data. The position will interface closely with physicists, electrical engineers, mechanical designers, and scientific leadership. Responsibilities ·Lead the design, equipping, commissioning, and day-to-day operation of a cold plasma laboratory, including high-voltage power supplies, pulsed power systems, gas handling infrastructure, vacuum and glass/quartz containment setups, laser systems where relevant, diagnostic instrumentation, shielding, interlocks, and safety procedures. ·Develop and optimise methods for generating stable non-thermal plasma using high-voltage pulsed signals, dielectric barrier discharge, RF or resonant excitation approaches, laser-assisted techniques, and tailored gas mixtures. ·Characterise plasma behaviour across relevant operating regimes, including discharge stability, electron density, temperature proxies, optical emission, electrical impedance, field response, and energy coupling efficiency. ·Design and implement resonant circuits, impedance-matching strategies, analogue drivers, and control electronics for efficient plasma excitation and manipulation, including oscillatory, pulsed, and high-voltage systems where parasitic effects, grounding, noise, and safety constraints are experimentally significant. ·Investigate methods for structuring, rotating, or otherwise manipulating plasma using magnetic or electromagnetic field configurations, and evaluate whether these approaches produce reproducible and physically meaningful effects. ·Analyse experimental data, identify dominant physical mechanisms, document anomalies carefully, and propose next-stage experiments in collaboration with the wider physics and engineering team. ·Establish rigorous laboratory protocols for high-voltage operation, laser use, gas handling, vacuum systems, reactive materials, and plasma diagnostics. Safety discipline is essential. ·Document experimental procedures, schematics, calibration methods, results, failures, and interpretations in a form that supports internal knowledge transfer, reproducibility, and potential intellectual property development. Essential Requirements ·Master's degree or Ph.D. in plasma physics, applied physics, electrical engineering, pulsed power engineering, or a closely related field. ·At least 7 years of hands-on experimental experience with non-thermal plasma generation, characterisation, or applied plasma systems. ·Direct experience with one or more relevant plasma generation methods, such as dielectric barrier discharge, RF plasma, microwave plasma, corona discharge, glow discharge, pulsed discharge, laser-assisted plasma, or related techniques. ·Strong practical understanding of high-voltage systems, pulsed power, analogue electronics, grounding, shielding, signal integrity, and laboratory safety. ·Experience designing, building, modifying, and troubleshooting experimental physics apparatus without relying solely on commercial turnkey systems. ·Working knowledge of resonant circuits, impedance matching, waveform generation, and power coupling in plasma discharge environments. ·Familiarity with plasma diagnostics such as optical emission spectroscopy, electrical probes, Langmuir probes, high-speed imaging, current-voltage measurements, pressure/gas monitoring, or equivalent techniques. ·Ability to analyse experimental data using Python, MATLAB, LabVIEW, or comparable tools. ·Excellent laboratory discipline: clear documentation, repeatable procedures, careful calibration, and respect for uncertainty. ·Ability to work autonomously in an open-ended research environment while communicating clearly with a multidisciplinary team. Desirable Experience ·Experience setting up a plasma physics or high-voltage laboratory from the ground up. ·Experience with custom gas mixtures, controlled gas-flow systems, glass or quartz discharge vessels, vacuum-compatible assemblies, and reactive or ionised gas environments. ·Experience with rotating magnetic fields, electromagnetic confinement, plasma rotation, vortex-like plasma structures, or related field-manipulation techniques. ·Experience integrating laser systems with plasma experiments, including triggering, coupling, diagnostics, or plasma-assisted optical phenomena. ·Experience with high-speed data acquisition, oscilloscopes, spectrum analysers, fast current probes, photodetectors, intensified cameras, or optical diagnostics. ·Familiarity with finite-element modelling, electromagnetic simulation, plasma simulation, or circuit-plasma interaction modelling. ·Experience contributing to patents, technical reports, peer-reviewed publications, or rigorous internal research documentation. ·French or willingness to learn French is helpful for life in Valais, but not required for the scientific work. What We Offer ·A rare opportunity to build and lead a plasma laboratory connected to a broader theoretical and experimental research programme in fundamental physics, vacuum dynamics, matter-energy interactions, and applied energy systems. ·Direct collaboration with a small team of physicists, engineers, and scientific leadership, with unusually close contact between theoretical ideas and experimental implementation. ·A privately funded research environment with significant intellectual freedom, no grant-cycle dependency, and the expectation that unconventional hypotheses will be treated seriously - but tested rigorously. ·The chance to work on experimental questions that sit outside standard academic programmes, while maintaining high standards of safety, measurement, documentation, and physical interpretation. ·A research setting in Martigny, Valais, Switzerland, close to the Swiss and French alpine research and engineering ecosystem. ·Swiss employment benefits, including BVG/LPP pension enrolment and support with Swiss work-permit processes where applicable. ·Competitive salary, depending on qualifications, seniority, and demonstrated experimental capability. Location The role is based on-site in Martigny, Valais, Switzerland. Because the position is laboratory-based, regular physical presence is required. Some flexibility may be possible for analysis, documentation, and theoretical work, but this is not a remote position. How to Apply Please send your CV and a focused cover letter to careers@spacefed.com. In your cover letter, please describe one or two experimental plasma systems you have personally designed, built, operated, or significantly improved. We are especially interested in what you built yourself, what failed, how you diagnosed the problem, and what physical insight came from the experiment. #J-18808-Ljbffr