Senior CFD Engineer - Plasma Specialist London, United Kingdom

PhysicsX is a deep-tech company with roots in numerical physics and Formula One, dedicated to accelerating hardware innovation at the speed of software.

We are building an AI-driven simulation software stack for engineering and manufacturing across advanced industries. By enabling high-fidelity, multi-physics simulation through AI inference across the entire engineering lifecycle, PhysicsX unlocks new levels of optimization and automation in design, manufacturing, and operations - empowering engineers to push the boundaries of possibility. Our customers include leading innovators in Aerospace & Defense, Materials, Energy, Semiconductors, and Automotive.

Who We're Looking For

As a Senior CFD Engineer - Plasma Specialist, you are a problem solver passionate about creating practical solutions that help customers make better engineering decisions. You bring deep expertise in plasma physics and excel at working directly with customers, often on-site to build high-fidelity computational models integrated into AI tools that are both useful and used.

We are seeking a skilled Senior CFD Engineer with expertise in plasma physics applied to semiconductor manufacturing, including plasma etching, deposition, and surface processing. We are particularly interested in candidates with a strong background in computational plasma modeling, covering areas such as plasma chemistry, sheath dynamics, ion energy distribution, and plasma-surface interactions. Awareness of machine learning in physics-based simulation workflows is a plus.

You are independent, adaptable, and experienced, able to engage rapidly with semiconductor customer teams and tackle highly niche engineering challenges without needing to learn the industry from scratch. Strong communication skills are critical, as you'll work closely with clients to define challenges, present results clearly, and co develop solutions.

If you have Plasma experience in other industries, we'd still love to hear from you!

This Role

In this role, you will work closely with our Data Scientists, Machine Learning Engineers, and customers to understand and define the plasma-related engineering challenges we are solving.

You will play a crucial role in delivering high-fidelity simulations by:

• Building and owning computational plasma models for semiconductor manufacturing processes, including plasma etching, CVD/ALD deposition, and ion-driven surface interactions.
• Working directly with semiconductor customers - often on site - to scope engineering challenges, design modelling strategies, and present results in a way that drives real process decisions.
• Selecting and applying the right simulation tools and fidelity level for each problem (e.g. COMSOL, HPEM, VizGlow, CFD ACE+), and validating outputs against experimental or industrial process data.
• Collaborating closely with PhysicsX Data Scientists and ML Engineers to integrate your simulation work into AI powered workflows.
• Operating independently on open ended, highly specialised problems-scoping, executing, and delivering with minimal oversight.
• 3-5 years of industry experience (post PhD), ideally within or directly supporting the semiconductor manufacturing industry.
• Proficiency in Python (or similar) for workflow automation, data handling, and integration with simulation tools.
• Combining project leadership with a strong commitment to mentoring junior colleagues, contributing to a culture of collaboration, growth, and shared success.
• Traveling globally (North America, Europe, Asia, Oceania) for an average of 3 4 weeks per quarter to work side by side with customers in building solutions on site.

As the role evolves, there are opportunities for growth as an individual contributor or technical lead, especially if you want to own increasingly complex semiconductor plasma projects and help guide the direction of future solutions. We operate on a hybrid model, with around three days per week based in our Shoreditch office.

Help shape an AI native engineering company at a formative stage, tackling problems that genuinely matter for industry and society. This is work with real world impact - and something you can be proud to stand behind.

Learn alongside exceptional people

Work with a high caliber, collaborative team of engineers, scientists, and operators who care deeply about doing great work, and about helping each other get better. We come from diverse backgrounds, but we share a commitment to operating at the highest level and addressing some of the most complex challenges out there. If you're ambitious, thoughtful, and driven by impact, you'll feel at home.

Influence over hierarchy

We operate with a flat structure: good ideas win - wherever they come from. Questioning assumptions and challenging the status quo isn't just welcomed, it's expected.

Building meaningful technology is a marathon, not a sprint. We believe in balancing focused, ambitious work with a life beyond it. Our hybrid model blends time together in our Shoreditch office with work from home days, giving you the flexibility to work sustainably while staying connected in person.

Benefits

• Equity options - share meaningfully in the company you're helping to build.
• Employer pension contribution - 10% employer pension contribution to invest in future matters.
• Free office lunches - keep you energised and focused.
• Enhanced parental leave - 3 months full pay paternity and 6 months full pay maternity leave.
• YellowNest nursery scheme - help working parents manage childcare costs.
• Annual leave - 25 days of annual leave plus public holidays.
• Private medical insurance - 100% employee cover for complete peace of mind.
• Wellhub Subscription - access to thousands of gyms, classes and wellness apps for physical and mental wellbeing.
• Eye tests - because good work depends on good health.
• Personal development - dedicated support for learning, development, and leveling up.
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) - confidential wellbeing support, available whenever you need it.
• Bike2Work scheme and Season ticket loan - make getting to work easier and greener.
• Octopus EV salary sacrifice - for a simpler, more sustainable way to drive electric.

We value diversity and are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of sex, race, religion, ethnicity, nationality, disability, age, sexual orientation or gender identity. We strongly encourage individuals from groups traditionally underrepresented in tech to apply. To help make a change, we sponsor bright women from disadvantaged backgrounds through their university degrees in science and mathematics.

We collect diversity and inclusion data solely for the purpose of monitoring the effectiveness of our equal opportunities policies and ensuring compliance with UK employment and equality legislation. This information is confidential, used only in aggregate form, and will not influence the outcome of your application.

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