Plasma Facing Component Team Lead

Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) has the fastest, lowest cost path to commercial fusion energy.
CFS is collaborating with MIT to leverage decades of research combined with new groundbreaking high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnet technology. HTS magnets will enable compact fusion power plants that can be constructed faster and at lower cost. The mission is to deploy fusion power plants to meet global decarbonization goals as fast as possible. CFS has assembled a team of leaders in tough tech, fusion science, and manufacturing with a track record of rapid execution. Supported by the world’s leading investors, CFS is uniquely positioned to deliver limitless, clean, fusion power to combat climate change. To execute this plan, we are looking to add talented people to the team who are mission-driven and treat people well, improve our team by adding diverse perspectives and new ways of solving problems, have demonstrated exceptional results through a range of different pursuits, and have skill sets and experience that relate to this role.
In this role, your focus will be on leading the ongoing design and analysis, coordinating the approaching manufacturing and later the pre-assembly of the SPARC plasma facing components (PFC). These components will armor the device and be exposed to high-field, high power density SPARC plasmas.  The PFC Team Lead acts as part of an integrated Tokamak Systems design team that includes superconducting and copper magnets, vacuum vessel, port plugs, cryostat and in-vessel hardware.  

This team member will:

• Lead SPARC’s tungsten-based plasma facing components through final design
• Solve emerging interface conflicts between PFCs and other in-vessel components, as well as finalized integration with diagnostics used to monitor temperature and structural health
• Work with procurement to establish a manufacturing and vendor oversight plan for PFC system consistent of 10,000’s of parts.
• Establish detailed plans for on-site quality control, inventory management and pre-assembly to ensure PFCs are delivered with the high reliability
• Develop and manage a budget and schedule to ensure the PFC system activities are completed on time and on budget
• Identify and coordinate R&D activities needed to de-risk early SPARC operations prior to first plasma
• Work alongside the tokamak operations and physics teams to complete the integrated commissioning plan and maintenance plan for the PFCs
• Delegate work to a team to design, analyze, draw, document, procure, assembly and install the plasma facing components
• Provide input to the ARC design team regarding PFC material and design concepts
• Direct reports include PFC structural engineers and the PFC materials engineers
• The PFC Team Lead is also responsible for providing direction to CAD staff working on the PFC system as well as supervising external collaborations contributing to the PFC design

The ideal candidate will have most, if not all, of these requirements:

• A Bachelors level education in engineering or manufacturing
• Development of work planning and control needed to transition a concept from design to production, fabrication, and assembly 
• Having led or participated in the delivery of complex one-off products consisting of many 100s of components
• Leadership of an integrated engineering team of at least 3 people
• Experience with standard finite element analysis (ANSYS preferred) and CAD (NX-preferred) tools
• An ability to clearly express and critique ideas
• Attention to detail with an ability to pivot between topics multiple times per day
• Ability to understand and manage interface issues that bridge complex engineering and physics topics

Additional experience and/or qualifications:

• A demonstrated history of participation in or leading PFC design and manufacturing activities on a magnetically confined fusion device
• Experience with the design, installation and commissioning of tungsten plasma facing components in tokamak
• Worked under a formal program for quality assurance and quality control
• Experience with metrology and GD&T
• Experience delivering components compatible with ultra-high vacuum
• Ability to occasionally lift 50 lbs
• Perform activities such as typing, standing, sitting for extended periods of time
• Dedication to safety to mitigate hazards that may include strong magnets
• Willingness to occasionally travel or work required nights/weekends/on-call

CFS team members thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and have demonstrated exceptional results through a range of different pursuits. We all tightly align with our company values of integrity, execution, impact and self-critique. As we grow, we are looking to add talented people who are mission driven and bring diverse perspectives and new ways of solving problems.
At CFS, we deeply value diversity and are an equal opportunity employer by choice. We consider all qualified applicants equally for employment. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, protected veteran status, religion, physical or mental disability, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, or any other basis protected by law, ordinance, or regulation.