Experimental Physicist | Harwell, Oxfordshire | Competitive Salary + Equity
This is a role for a rare kind of physicist: one who is energised, not unsettled, by exploring unanswered questions.
IONECH is a seed-stage energy hardware start-up based at Harwell, Oxfordshire. We're developing the Air Voltaic (AV) Cell — an energy-harvesting device that uses controlled interactions between electrons and oxygen in air to capture subtle natural differences in the environment, converting available exergy into electrical power. At scale, it sits at the base of the energy stack: a platform power source that reduces grid dependence across virtually every electrical use case.
The science is novel, the engineering is hard, and the technology pushes at the boundaries of current understanding. Not every question has an answer yet and that's the point. We're looking for an Experimental Physicist who can make confident progress in that environment: someone who knows when to move, when to ask, and how to extract signal from incomplete information as the full picture gradually emerges.
The work
You'll design, build, and iterate on physical prototypes in our Harwell lab, working directly alongside chemists and engineers on a problem that sits at the intersection of plasma physics, field emission, and energy conversion. This is a ground-floor experimental role. Your hands-on work will directly shape the direction of the technology.
You'll need to be comfortable designing and running experiments without a complete theoretical picture in hand, drawing on your own judgement while actively tapping into the range of specialisms around you; physicists, chemists, and engineers who each hold a piece of the puzzle. The team is collaborative by design; knowing when to seek input is a strength here, not a gap.
- Design and fabricate experimental energy cell components and prototypes
- Develop and refine field emitter design, geometries, morphologies, and materials, iterating to optimise reactive oxygen species (ROS) yield
- Characterise field emission behaviour using Fowler-Nordheim analysis
- Manage low-energy plasma conditions (pressure, gas composition, ionisation density) to reliably generate ROS
- Work closely with chemists and physicists to investigate the ROS generation-consumption cycle, identifying catalytic surfaces and environments that maximise exothermic yield
- Build and maintain a diagnostic suite including vacuum/pressure systems, high-voltage emission measurement, mass spectrometry or optical emission spectroscopy, calorimetry, and thermal imaging
- Maintain rigorous experimental records, analyse results quantitatively, and contribute to internal technical reports, IP documentation, grant applications, and investor materials
- Identify knowledge gaps and opportunities for innovation and optimisation
- Ensure compliance with safety, environmental, and regulatory standards, and contribute to a safe, well-organised lab environment
What we're looking for
You'll need:
- A PhD in experimental physics, plasma physics, applied physics, or a closely related field (candidates with a Master's degree plus substantial relevant industry experience will be considered)
- Demonstrated hands-on experience building and operating vacuum or low-pressure plasma systems
- Strong working knowledge of field emission theory and cold cathode device physics
- Experience with high-voltage electronics design and safe operating practice
- Proficiency in experimental data acquisition and analysis (Python, MATLAB, or equivalent), including quantitative uncertainty estimation
- The ability to design and fabricate experimental apparatus independently
You'll stand out if you have:
- Familiarity with reactive oxygen species chemistry, electrochemical cells, or plasma-assisted catalysis
- Experience with thermoelectric or other solid-state energy conversion devices
- A background in nano-structured emitter fabrication
- Knowledge of optical emission spectroscopy or mass spectrometry for plasma diagnostics
- Prior start-up or small-team research experience
- Contributions to patents or commercialisation of laboratory technology
What we offer
- Competitive salary benchmarked to your experience and background
- Equity — you share in what we're building
- Private medical healthcare
- Company pension
- Flexible, trust-based working culture
- A well-equipped lab at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus — on the doorstep of one of Europe's leading concentrations of physics and energy research, and close to the communities of RAL, UKAEA, and the broader Harwell deep tech ecosystem
- A small team where your work is visible and consequential from day one
How to apply
Send your CV and a covering letter (one page maximum) explaining why this problem interests you and which parts of your experience are most relevant to the essential criteria.
We read every application. We don't use screening software.