Staff Fuel Cycle & Blanket Test Engineer

About Commonwealth Fusion Systems:  Commonwealth Fusion Systems is on a mission to deliver the urgent transition to fusion energy. Combining decades of research, top talent, and new technologies, we’re designing and building commercially viable fusion power plants. And we're working with policymakers, suppliers, and many others to build the energy industry of the future. We’re in the best position to make it happen. Since 2018, we’ve raised $4 billion of capital, making us the largest and leading fusion company in the world. Now we’re looking for more thinkers, doers, builders, and makers to join us. People who’ll bring new perspectives, solve tough problems, and thrive as part of a team. If that’s you and this role fits, we want to hear from you.
Join the power movement as a Staff Fuel Cycle & Blanket Test Engineer

The Staff Fuel Cycle & Blanket Test Engineer will be a technical leader in the operation, testing, and maintenance of laboratory systems for fusion fuel cycle and molten salt technology development.

The staff fuel cycle and blanket test engineer will support the Tritium and Blanket program closely on executing its research program with integrated tests, building new capabilities, and leading the integration of highly complex capital plant projects that mature the technology readiness of tritium handling and blanket systems towards our first power plant. The Staff engineer may take on roles such as developing the concept of operations, test scopes, building lab functions, software and alarms, and data acquisition and report generation. Experience working in a high-stakes research or production environment with a collaborative, curious, safety-culture mindset is important to the success of the individual and team. This role will directly contribute to and lead major system test campaigns. As tests will go from start-up and commissioning to routine campaigns, the individual will need to use a continuous improvement mindset to progress work pragmatically and build on learnings.

The role requires someone who can work in a fast-paced and highly integrated test environment, leading the planning, coordination, execution, and report-out of testing. This role will work within the CFS fuel cycle and blanket technology group. Collaboration with leaders across the organization and blanket and tritium subject matter experts is expected in order to develop and refine tests.

What you'll do:

Developing commissioning and test plans for tritium and/or blanket program portfolio test stands

Designing and building infrastructure, both physical and documentation, to enable scaling research and production workflows

Supporting day-to-day needs in test spaces such as safety, cleanliness, procurement, and general upkeep

Providing peer review of procedures, reports, plans, and foundational documents

May be asked to lead and design expanding lab facilities within a team

Building expertise within a growing team, helping scale operations by contributing to training programs, workflows, and best practices

Operation & general upkeep of gas handling & molten salt facility systems & laboratory equipment.

Contribute to integrated system commissioning & build expertise in hazardous material facility operations at a technical level

Contribute to, revise, & author operations procedures

Document facility learnings & contribute to a culture of continuous improvement

What we’re looking for:

• MS in Engineering (chemical, materials, micro-nano engineering, mechanical engineering with a focus on heat/mass transport), physics, chemistry, or a related field, with 10 years of experience
• Experience building and executing testing in an R&D setting
• Experience working collaboratively in a laboratory setting with techs and senior scientists
• Experience with rigorous data management including programming to generate reports
• Experience writing clear lab reports and similar documentation
• Generation of formal presentations & ability to succinctly summarize findings for a range of audiences
• Attention to detail, safety, and organization to execute tests with good controls
• Experience with data analysis using programming tools such as Python
• Ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary team of engineers, scientists, technical staff and others
• Ability to clearly express and critique ideas
• Excellent communication and organizational skills
• Independent problem solving ability, & able to approach new problems with creativity

Bonus points for:

• 10+ years work experience in a production or laboratory setting
• Experience working with high purity, rare, or tritium gases
• Experience working with molten salts or corrosive fluids
• Glovebox operations & PPE use for hazardous material handling.
• Experience with analytical equipment and building high vacuum systems
• Confluence, JIRA tools
• Experience with process plant systems and ability to read documentation

Must-have requirements:

• Ability to occasionally lift up to 50 lbs
• Perform activities such as typing, standing or sitting for extended periods of time
• Willing to occasionally travel to suppliers and support commissioning/test activities
• Dedication to safety to mitigate industrial hazards that may include heat, cold, noise, fumes, strong magnets, lead (Pb), high voltage, high current, pressure systems, and cryogenics

#LI-Onsite
At CFS, we excel in fast-paced environments, driven by our values of integrity, execution, impact, and self-critique. As we grow, we’re eager to bring on mission-driven folks who offer diverse perspectives and fresh ways to tackle challenges. We value diversity deeply and are proud to be an equal opportunity employer by choice. We consider all qualified applicants equally, regardless 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. This role requires compliance with U.S. laws concerning the export of controlled or protected technologies or information (collectively, “Export Control Laws"). Any offer of employment will be contingent on the need for compliance with such Export Control Laws.