Accelerator Physicist (Lead)

Acceleron Fusion•Cambridge, MA

7d•$120,000 - $160,000•Onsite

About The Position

Acceleron Fusion is developing muon-catalyzed fusion as a potential source of clean, abundant energy. The company has raised over $20 million in Series A venture capital, logged more than 100 hours of muon-catalyzed fusion tests at the Paul Scherrer Institute, and collaborates with PSI, Oak Ridge, Argonne, Fermilab, and universities. The Accelerator Physicist (Lead) will play a key role in designing and optimizing muon production systems for the company’s fusion technology. This is a senior individual-contributor role with technical leadership responsibilities, including helping build and mentor a small team as the program grows. The role owns technical strategy and program planning for accelerator-driven muon production and associated beamlines, and contributes to system design, engineering decisions, technical publications, and collaboration with internal teams and external partners. This is a full-time, onsite position at the company’s facility in Cambridge, Massachusetts. International and domestic travel to partner laboratories and vendors is required a few weeks per year. The salary range is $120,000 to $160,000, with the specific offer determined by relevant factors. The position may also be eligible for additional compensation such as bonuses, equity, or other benefits.

Requirements

PhD in Physics, Electrical Engineering, or a related field, focused on accelerator physics, or equivalent experience.
Deep understanding of beam dynamics and accelerator systems.
Hands-on experience with beamlines, synchrotrons, or storage rings.
Proficiency with accelerator and electromagnetic simulation tools such as MAD-X, OPAL, elegant, GPT, CST/HFSS, or COMSOL.
Experience with CAD software such as SolidWorks or AutoCAD and scientific computing with Python or MATLAB.
Broad familiarity with adjacent accelerator engineering, including high-power RF systems, cryogenics, radiation shielding and safety, and high-voltage interlocks.
Proven ability to lead complex technical programs as a senior individual contributor, including setting architecture, coordinating multidisciplinary teams, making schedule and technical tradeoffs, and driving results.
Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to influence across functions and work with external partners.
Comfort working in a fast-moving, resourceful startup environment.
Willingness to travel, including internationally, a few weeks per year to partner laboratories and vendors.

Nice To Haves

National laboratory experience or collaborations are strongly preferred.
Muon physics or muon beamline design experience is a plus.

Responsibilities

Own the technical strategy and program plan for accelerator-driven muon production and associated beamlines, including design, schedule, risk, and interface management.
Participate in the design and optimization of accelerator systems and beamlines for muon focusing and cooling; perform and review beam dynamics simulations.
Lead or supervise contractors and vendors for preconceptual linac design and related subsystems, and establish technical specifications and acceptance criteria.
Specify and architect the RF power chain, including MW-class RF power conversion, distribution, waveguides, and couplers; coordinate with cryogenics on thermal-load budgets at cryogenic temperatures.
Drive preliminary engineering design, evaluate feasibility and tradeoffs, and lead design reviews.
Coordinate cross-functional deliverables across RF, cryogenics, targetry, controls, and safety.
Author technical papers, contribute to scientific publications, present research at scientific conferences, and represent the program with external collaborators.
Establish working standards for modeling, data management, and verification and validation in collaboration with physics and engineering teams.
Help build and mentor a small team as the program grows.