Vacuum Systems Engineer

Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) has the fastest, lowest cost path to commercial fusion energy.
CFS collaborates with MIT to leverage decades of research combined with groundbreaking new high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnet technology. HTS magnets will enable compact fusion power plants that can be constructed faster and at lower cost. Our mission is to deploy these power plants to meet global decarbonization goals as fast as possible. To that end, 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 implement this plan, we are looking to add dedicated people to the team who treat people well, improve our work by adding multifaceted perspectives and new ways of solving problems, have achieved outstanding results through a range of pursuits, and have skills and experience related to this role.
The SPARC tokamak will have both a vacuum chamber to maintain the fusion plasma as well as a cryostat vacuum to insulate the superconducting magnets. These vacuum systems will require both a variety of vacuum pumps as well as numerous all-metal vacuum seals. The SPARC vacuum system provides an extra challenge in that it must act as the primary containment of the tritium fusion fuel.
This individual will be engineering supports for the design phases, from 30% to completion, of VACP with emphasis on CPMP, LKDT and SPMP L2 systems. This individual will support of the installation and qualification activities in 2024-2025. This role will possibly lead to a supervising position for technical personnel at installation/qualification stages.

This team member will:

• Work within a multi-disciplinary team of physicists and engineers as part of collaborative sponsored research projects at the MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center (PSFC);
• Ensure that the design of vacuum systems and components for the SPARC tokamak is completed to industry standards
• Work with vendors to identify and modified vacuum components for ultra-high vacuum and tritium duties
• Conduct formal design reviews for the design of SPARC vacuum systems
• No supervisory responsibilities for the immediate, possible supervision responsibility of technicians for installation/qualification phases

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

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant engineering or science field
• 5+ years of experience in relevant industry or science field
• Designed, specified, built and operated vacuum systems for large research installation (e.g. fusion experiments, particle accelerators) or for semiconductor wafer fabrication equipment
• Experience in designing per sound systems engineering practice
• Experience in presenting and defending vacuum systems designs in formal review panels
• Experience with a variety of vacuum pumping, vacuum measurement, and leak detection technologies
• Knowledge of both analytic as well as computational analysis methods for vacuum systems (e.g MolFlow+, VacTran™)
• Familiarity with standards and codes used for the qualification of vacuum systems (ASME BPVC section VIII and B31.C)
• Familiar with the structural issues associated with designing large scale vacuum system
• A familiarity with tritium, or similar gasses, issues in vacuum systems is a strong plus

Additional experience and/or qualifications:

• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs
• Perform activities such as sitting, standing, or typing for extended periods of time
• Dedication to safety to mitigate hazards that may include heat, cold, fumes, strong magnets, confined spaces, lasers, microwaves, ionizing radiation, and vacuum/pressure systems
• Willing to travel occasionally 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.