Supplier Development Engineer - Diagnostics and Sensors

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 Senior Supplier Development Engineer role is to partner with different business units, such as design engineering, quality and procurement, to best understand which suppliers are struggling to achieve rate, hit certain quality requirements and provide consistent product.
The SPARC diagnostic team will be developing nearly 40 types of measurements that will be used in real-time control of tokamak plasmas and to inform the design of ARC.  Our measurement systems include magnetics, interferometry, neutral pressure, x-ray to visible spectroscopy, camera imaging, bolometry, neutrons, Thomson scattering, electron cyclotron emission, reflectometry, Langmuir probes and structural temperature and strain sensing.  While nearly all have completed conceptual design, CFS is looking to grow the SPARC team in order be confident that final designs can accomplish SPARC’s mission goals.  For this, we need your help with developing numerical modeling and a software set of tools, that act as predictive digital twins of diagnostics sub-systems and sensors (i.e., synthetic diagnostics sets).  These software components combine bench top testing of sensors with plasma simulations from the SPARC physics team to characterize the measurement signals that a real diagnostic would produce.  Near-term it will help the diagnostic team iterate on design.  During SPARC operations, contributions will be used in software tools for pre-shot planning, real-time plasma control and inter-shot analysis, and in design scoping and optimization for ARC diagnostics.

This team member will:

• Physically be on-site at vendors for long periods of time 
• Be a Change Agent - identifying gaps in processes, articulating what needs to be done to close those gaps and holding vendors accountable with concrete timelines
• Ability to inspect parts using different measurement tools and interpret inspection reports
• Design, develop required process controls and quality plans
• Facilitate the creation and execution of PFMEA processes and applicable elements of APQP
• Assist in the prototype testing and benchtop calibration of diagnostics to inform and validate models
• Work with the SPARC tokamak operations and plasma control teams to improve upon diagnostic models in workflows for pre-shot planning, real-time plasma control and post-shot interpretation
• Support ISO 9001:2015 implementation
• Support creation of manufacturing instructions to document quality critical characteristics
• Develop in-process inspection and test procedures
• Process capability studies and Measurement Systems Analysis
• Coach and collaborate with a cross-functional team of manufacturing, design, and operations engineers to establish a high-quality manufacturing line
• Drive cost reduction projects including planning, coordinating with stakeholders, estimating completion, and project updates
• Author contract documents with Legal. Manage contracts ensuring performance of the supplier to contract obligations. Understand interrelationships between contracts and terms while applying creativity and sound business reasoning to interpret application of contract to business needs.
• Establish preferred suppliers by category. Create and implement related management programs to develop, continuously improve, manage the performance of, and monitor KPIs of the supply base.
• Lead and mentor team members.
• Skillfully balance the price, delivery, quality, service, and value tradeoffs and rationalize the supply base 
• Adhere to all supply chain policies, procedures, guidelines and instructions including those regarding the procurement of materials, intellectual property, and export compliance. 
• Negotiate internally and externally at high levels or with persons of influence frequently.

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

• Bachelor’s Degree in a Science or Engineering
• 7+ years experience in Supply Chain or Manufacturing
• Certifications preferred:  Six Sigma Certification (Yellow, Green or Black)
• Hands-on experience with sensors similar to those that may be used in plasma diagnostics (cameras, temperature, strain, radiation, spectrometers, lasers, microwaves)
• Perform advanced technical activities such as Supplier Assessments & Audits, including Quality Management System (e.g., ISO 9001, AS 9100, IATF 16949)
• Perform advanced technical activities such as Product (e.g., Machining) and Special Process (e.g., Plating, Heat treat, Welding)
• Utilize specialized quality tools such PPAP (PFMEA, Control Plan, MSA) capacity analysis and Lean Six Sigma initiatives
• Specific knowledge regarding small machine shop manufacturing
• Magnet manufacturing
• Ability to design, establish and implement supplier quality improvement processes and procedures.
• Implementation and management of ERP or other procurement tools
• Ability to teach and educate others with little background on the subject
• Creative negotiating skills
• Experience with MS Office
• Exceptional communications skills
• Strong collaboration and relationship building skills
• Ability to prioritize and execute tasks
• Works with Integrity
• Strong Customer Service skills
• Remarkable problem-solving skills
• Works well under pressure
• Possesses excellent judgment

Additional preferred experience and/or qualifications:

• Masters Degree is a plus
• Experience with Python, MATLAB, C++
• Experience managing multiple levels of staff
• Experience in a start-up or high growth environment
• Experience in manufacturing environment
• Experience in Automotive or Aerospace
• Travel (including international) expected to be between 25-50%

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.