Group Leader Material Sciences and Liquid Metal Chemistry

We are looking for a group leader materials sciences and liquid metal chemistry to supervise a team investigating characterization and processing of materials interacting with the liquid metal blanket. Eventually, the results should allow Renaissance fusion to apply the liquid metal technology within the stellarator.

Your main responsibilities will be:

*Material sciences

• Supervise and contribute to the selection of materials and techniques to be used in in-house experiments and fusion power plants, which are compatible with liquid metals and alloys flowing at high temperatures.
• Lead and actively contribute in the design and operation of experiments to conduct static and dynamic liquid lithium corrosion tests on structural materials.
• Supervise the characterization of corrosion products and changes in the microstructure of samples.

*Liquid metal chemistry

• Lead physico-chemical measurements to determine phase transitions and precipitation of metal hydrides enriched in specific hydrogen or metal isotopes.
• Oversee the implementation of appropriate diagnostic and characterization techniques to determine the efficiency of tritium separation processes.
• Design and manage tritium separation experiments and oversee their implementation.

*Team management

• Be the ambassador of Renaissance Fusion's vision within his/her team, and promote its culture, values (speed, simplicity, fantastic realism, constructive interference and unified force) and policies.
• Encourage collaboration at all levels of the organization.
• Ensure that his/her team is motivated to achieve its objectives: set targets and follow them up with encouragement, support, feedback and responsibility.
• Ensure that employees are in the best position to achieve their objectives: listen to them, look after their well-being, make sure they have the appropriate tools and skills; fill the gap if necessary (recruitment, training, reorganization…).
• Take an active role in talent development: identify potential, determine areas and opportunities for development, encourage reflection on professional projects, propose training courses.
• Comply with and enforce the highest Health, Environment and Safety standards within her/his team. Ensure that the laboratory is a safe, clean, well-organized, pleasant workplace by controlling many hazards (magnetic fields, high electric currents, very high and low temperatures, gases and high-pressure liquids, etc.).

*Scientific outcome

• Lead and coordinate scientific record keeping on paper, in shared, experimental laboratory notebooks. Guarantee that they are up-to-date, detailed, well-organized and understandable to internal users and external patent officers, grant reviewers, peer-reviewers of journal manuscripts.
• Coordinate the writing, review and approval of patents and scientific papers.
• Prepare scientific reports (presentations, posters, etc.) and represent RF to scientific conferences and workshops.
• Remain on the lookout for any scientific developments in his/her field of expertise.

*Support for other teams

• Work in coordination with the other groups or divisions, with the assistance of their head, ensuring the appropriate level of information exchange between the groups.

You are the ideal profile if:

*Education and professional experience

• PhD or Master’s degree + equivalent experience in materials science, chemical engineering, metallurgy, nuclear engineering or related field.
• 8+ years’ experience in liquid metal chemistry.
• 8+ year’s hands-on experience in surface characterisation: microscopy (optical, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy…), spectroscopy (X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy, X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy…).
• 3+ years of experience as a technical leader/coordinator and/or project management is a plus.
• Knowledge about tritium and the corresponding nuclear environment is definitely an asset.

*Language requirements

• Fluent in English (C1/C2).
• Knowledge (B1 or higher) of French is a plus.

*Technical competencies

• Extensive experience with health and safety requirements for the handling of flammable, hot, and toxic solids, liquids, and gases, with specialized knowledge in the safe handling of alkali metals and tritium.
• Proficiency in isotopic separation techniques, with familiarity in detritiation techniques being a plus.
• Strong background in corrosion modeling and thermodynamic modeling.
• Familiarity with materials and processes used in the nuclear sector, including both fission and fusion.
• Expertise in physical metallurgy, crystallography, surface chemistry, kinetics, mass transfers, and reduction-oxidation reactions.
• Deep understanding of thermodynamics and thermochemistry.
• Experience in the elaboration of materials, heat treatment, cold traps, solidification, phase separation, and phase change phenomena.

At Renaissance Fusion, we value diversity and are an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants equally for employment. We do not discriminate on the basis of origin; gender; morals, sexual orientation; sexual identity; age; marital status; pregnancy; genetic characteristics; actual or assumed membership or non-membership of an ethnic group, nation or race; political opinions; trade union or mutualist activities; religious beliefs; physical appearance; family name; place of residence; state of health; disability.