Director, Materials and Processing

Commonwealth Fusion Systems•Devens, MA

9h•Onsite

About The Position

Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) is dedicated to accelerating the transition to fusion energy by designing and building commercially viable fusion power plants. We are seeking a dynamic and technically accomplished leader for the Materials and Processing (M&P) Department. The M&P Department supports design engineers, supply chain, and manufacturing by selecting materials, defining materials and processing routes, validating materials and their properties, and conducting R&D for new materials and processes. The department is organized around engineering, test and characterization, and the fusion materials development program, supporting the SPARC tokamak and the ARC fusion power plant. These projects present unique materials challenges due to neutron fluxes, high heat loads, molten salt coolant systems, complex component topologies, high magnetic fields, and mechanical loading in cryogenic conditions. The Director will be responsible for the strategic direction and tactical operation of the M&P discipline, managing a team of over 40 engineers, scientists, and technicians, overseeing significant infrastructure, and leading a fusion power plant materials development roadmap. This role involves representing the discipline in company-level decision-making, collaborating with other directors to operationalize the technology roadmap, and interfacing with cross-functional stakeholders.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in materials engineering, welding engineering, nuclear engineering, chemical engineering, or similar
At least 12 years experience in materials and process engineering
10 years in leadership roles
Managing teams across multiple core technical competencies
Experience working with design teams in collaborative materials and process selection under ambiguous requirements
Experience using project/product management tools and tracking of projects (JIRA preferred)
Experience building, justifying, and managing budgets for both projects and standard work centers
Strong communication and organizational skills
Performing engineering resource estimation and maintaining team accountability for deliverables
Experience making and justifying decisions in fast paced engineering settings
Experience in developing and maintaining a strong safety culture across all teams and work centers
Strong time management skills
Self-motivation and autonomy
Perform activities such as typing, standing, and sitting for extended periods of time
Dedication to safety to mitigate industrial hazards that may include heat, cold, noise, fumes, strong magnets, lead (Pb), high voltage, and cryogenics
Willingness to travel occasionally (periodic travel up to 15%) or do required nights/weekends/on-call

Nice To Haves

Deep technical experience in multiple disciplines of materials and processing
Taking under-defined problems and driving them to a state of completion
Operating in a flexible, service-oriented matrix engineering team

Responsibilities

Building and leading a team of 40+ engineers, scientists, and technicians across multiple working locations and shifts
Prioritizing and balancing the deployment of M&P staff across product teams and development projects
Mentoring and developing leaders in Engineering, Test and Characterization, and Fusion Materials Program verticals of the department
Managing multi-million operational budgets to simultaneously support design, manufacturing, and research and development activities
Setting strategic priorities for groups within the M&P department
Communicating technical outcomes, department KPIs, and overall strategy to executives and other technical leadership
Executing high-impact technical decision making and backstopping the decision making of vertical leads and department staff
Providing continuous de-risking services to all company projects through internal and external development and test cycles
Maintaining a team culture of curiosity, technical excellence, and consistency of delivery
Influencing the long-term strategic development of the directorate, ensuring that M&P is delivering the highest leverage capabilities to the company at the right time
Interfacing with key cross-functional stakeholders including core engineering, design, supply chain, and manufacturing to ensure timely resolution to emerging technical challenges
Influencing long-term procurement strategy with supply chain by translating product requirements to material inputs evaluated across global capacities