The MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center’s High-Energy-Density Physics (HEDP) Division seeks a software programmer for scientific data acquisition and analysis to work on current data acquisition software and data analysis software with a team of five physicists, a postdoc, and a dozen graduate students in what the U.S. Department of Energy has designated as a Center of Excellence; and then improve the systems for large performance enhancements.

The main applications are computer-controlled data acquisition and analysis for a wide range of plasma physics experiments that are conducted by MIT with other universities and national laboratories in the fields of inertial-confinement fusion and high-energy-density physics, including exciting laboratory experiments that model astrophysical phenomena. Most of the data acquisition involves either imaging or spectrometry involving X-rays, charged particles, or neutrons, utilizing MIT-developed detectors of a number of types. Some have direct electronic readout, while others require post-experiment readout via inspection with an MIT-developed, automated microscope system controlled by HEDP software.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field
• At least two years of professional experience programming in the C++ language for both Microsoft Windows and Linux platforms
• Demonstrated proficiency writing code that includes DLLs, GUIs, multithreading, and communications with external hardware via firewire, serial ports, etc. (utilizing manufacturer-supplied application interface information)
• Ability to write clear documentation of code and user instructions

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in computer science or a related field
• Experience with microscope hardware and digital cameras