Instrumentation Development Embedded Engineer

WHO WE ARE Proxima Fusion is Europe’s fastest-growing fusion company and the continent’s best-funded fusion player, as well as the first spin-out from the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (IPP). Backed by over €650M and powered by a growing team across Munich, Zurich, and Oxford, we are developing the hardware and infrastructure needed to deliver the world’s first commercial stellarator fusion power plant. Our concept advances the most mature fusion technology out there, the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator, through two next-generation machines: Alpha and Stellaris. Our work combines stellarator optimization, advanced computation, machine learning, and high-temperature superconducting magnets to unlock higher-performance designs that were previously out of reach. Turning these designs into a functioning fusion power plant requires excellence and ownership across every discipline, from physics and engineering to software, manufacturing, law, and business functions. WHY JOIN PROXIMA FUSION • You will get to work on some of the most complex tech challenges to bring abundant, safe, clean energy to the world. • You'll get to join and learn from an exceptional selection of accomplished and driven individuals. • Do your life’s best work and enjoy the journey. • Get to show that big things are possible in Europe when you assemble the best talent. YOUR IMPACT As the Instrumentation Development Embedded Engineer, you will own the development of high-speed control and protection systems for the Alpha fusion demonstrator, focusing on FPGA-based solutions for plasma heating hardware protection. You will work across the full development lifecycle, from writing and verifying HDL code to developing software-in-the-loop and hardware-in-the-loop testing, integrating embedded software and electronics, and establishing robust development and deployment pipelines. You will also help establish Proxima’s FPGA development capability beyond plasma heating, defining reusable architectures, development workflows, testing methodologies, and HDL best practices that can be adopted across other systems. WHAT YOU WILL DO • Design, implement, and maintain HDL-based control and protection systems, starting with plasma heating system protection. • Establish end-to-end FPGA development workflows, CI/CD pipelines, and SIL/HIL test environments integrated with plant design frameworks. • Develop embedded software, firmware, and low-level drivers to interface FPGAs with sensors, actuators, and other control systems. • Collaborate across RF, controls, electronics, and systems teams to define system interfaces, ICDs, and verification plans. WHO YOU ARE • Degree in Electronics, Embedded Systems, or equivalent practical experience. • Strong proficiency in HDL (VHDL, Verilog, SystemVerilog) and software scripting (Python, C/C++). • Proven experience integrating FPGAs with hardware peripherals, board-level electronics, and communication interfaces. • Familiarity with modern software development practices (Git, CI, code review, automated testing). • Systems-thinking approach with strong debugging skills spanning HDL, embedded firmware, and physical hardware. Nice to have: • High-speed digital interfaces (multi-gigabit serial links, LVDS, SerDes, RF/instrumentation links) and PCB-level signal integrity. • FPGA+processor platforms and MPSoCs (e.g., AMD/Xilinx Zynq UltraScale+). • Precision timing and synchronization (IEEE 1588 PTP, White Rabbit) • Network protocols (Ethernet). • Real-time signal processing, fast protection systems, and high-speed data acquisition in fusion or industrial environments. • HDL design methodologies and techniques for reliable radiation-hardened systems. • Schematic comprehension and custom PCB development. INTERVIEW PROCES