Experimental Physicist in England

Magdrive is developing the next generation of spacecraft propulsion. Our cutting‑edge thruster technology promises to deliver unmatched thrust and efficiency, enabling accessibility to new orbits and entirely new industries such as satellite servicing, orbital assembly, and interplanetary transport. We are also starting to develop recycling & refuelling approaches for future spacecraft propulsion.

About the Role

Magdrive is open to candidates at both the developing (recent PhD graduate or equivalent experience) and senior level (~5 years’ experience on top of PhD, or equivalent). As an Experimental Physicist at Magdrive, you will investigate how the electrical driver and pulsed power architecture influence plasma formation, energy coupling, and thrust generation in Magdrive thruster systems.

Drawing on expertise in plasma physics, you will design and execute experiments in the new Magdrive facility to explore how to improve thruster performance and lifetime. Working closely with the rest of the physics team and cross department with the electrical and mechanical teams, you will develop diagnostics and conduct experiments to link electrical parameters directly to thrust and efficiency. You will also collaborate with colleagues running FEM and circuit‑level simulations to iterate driver and thruster designs. This is a hands‑on role, planning and delivering experiments that advance the performance, robustness, and scalability of Magdrive’s propulsion technology.

We offer a supportive and flexible work environment, with the ability to adjust work hours, hybrid working, competitive salary, comprehensive health insurance, generous parental leave policies and regular company socials. Magdrive is based at the Harwell Innovation Campus in Oxfordshire, UK, with occasional remote working possible.

What you’ll be doing:

• Working with other members of the Experimental Physics team to design and deliver experiments to explore how to improve Magdrive thruster performance and lifetime.
• Planning and executing experimental campaigns to characterise thruster performance and plasma dynamics.
• Collaborating with other teams to interpret system‑level requirements and translate them into targeted experimental studies of electrical and propulsion performance.
• Developing and applying advanced electrical and plasma diagnostics to link driver parameters to thrust, efficiency and lifetime.
• Utilising computational analysis tools to analyse experimental data and compare results with circuit‑level and FEM models.
• Interpreting, documenting, and clearly communicating experimental results and recommendations to the wider team and company.
• Maintaining a tidy, well‑organised laboratory environment and ensuring safe working practices are followed.
• Support and mentor externally sponsored PhD, MSc and undergraduate students, providing industrial context, technical guidance, and research direction.
• For the more experienced candidate we would expect you to mentor more junior members of the team.
• Represent Magdrive at technical conferences, workshops, and reviews, presenting experimental and numerical results.
• Build our network to collaborate with universities, research groups and other companies.

What we are looking for:

• PhD in Plasma Physics or equivalent experience.
• Hands on experience operating pulsed power and high voltage experiments.
• Proven ability to plan, execute, and analyse complex experimental campaigns, and to translate experimental results into clear technical conclusions.
• Experience working safely with high energy electrical systems, with a strong understanding of pulsed power specific hazards and controls.
• Experience designing, commissioning, developing or modifying pulsed power drivers.
• Demonstrated research expertise in high voltage, high current pulsed power systems, including switching, and energy delivery into plasma loads in vacuum environments.
• Practical knowledge of electrical diagnostics relevant to pulsed systems.
• Experience of working on spacecraft or propulsion systems.
• Experience using Python for experimental data analysis and/or hardware control.
• Experience with electromagnetic or circuit‑level simulation tools (e.g. FEM using COMSOL, or circuit tools such as LTspice or CASTLE).

What we offer:

• 25 days annual leave + bank holidays + birthday leave + long-service awards.
• Private medical insurance.
• Flexible working hours.
• Remote working where possible.
• Financial support for home office setup.

Unit 4, Bep0 Building, Thomson Avenue, Harwell Campus, United Kingdom, OX11 0GD.