Molten Salt Engineer
About The Position
Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) is seeking an entry-level Molten Salt Engineer to support experimental testing operations within the Blanket System team. This role is critical for maintaining precise control over salt chemistry, which influences corrosion, hydrogen speciation, and material behavior under irradiation. Initially, the engineer will focus on executing standard operating procedures, conducting routine materials testing, and upholding quality controls. As experience grows, responsibilities will expand to include experimental design, test cell construction, and leading projects in materials corrosion and blanket health monitoring. The ideal candidate will have a background in chemistry, chemical engineering, or a related discipline and will contribute to a team culture that emphasizes teamwork, safety, and pragmatic risk management.
Requirements
- BS in Chemistry, Chemical, Materials or Nuclear Engineering or a related field
- 5+ years of experience in an R&D environment (PhD program counts)
- Experience with R&D work in a chemical laboratory
- Experience in experimental design and analysis with the explicit goal of driving to higher component and system TRLs
- Experience working with safety systems for hazardous chemicals
- Ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary team of engineers, scientists, technical staff and others
- Ability to clearly express and critique ideas
- Great communication and organizational skills
- Strong problem solving skills, ability to approach new problems with creativity
- Ability to occasionally lift up to 50 lbs
- Perform activities such as sitting, typing, standing, stooping, or climbing 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 or work required nights/weekends/on-call occasionally
Nice To Haves
- PhD in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, or related field
- Experience with electrochemistry or electrochemical engineering
- Experience with radiochemistry
- Experience with molten salt systems, particularly fluoride salt systems
- Experience with high temperature and/or corrosive systems
- Experience with gas handling systems and gas analysis
- Experience modeling chemical systems (e.g. reaction, transport, thermodynamic, radiochemical)
- Experience in setting up new laboratory facilities or new analysis equipment (e.g. GCs)
- Experience with modeling tools, such as Calphad, FactSage, Comsol, or similar
Responsibilities
- Assist in the creation of new in-house experimental setups, including determination of requirements, fabrication, testing, and operation
- Perform salt characterization testing and work to improve the repeatability and robustness of these processes
- Perform calibration exercises for various tests, including electrochemical ones
- Analyze and synthesize heterogeneous sets of data to thoroughly characterize salt quality
- Contribute to creation of chemical system requirements and material requirements
- Support experiments and in-loop testing for salt-compatible components (e.g. pumps, valves, heat exchangers)
- Work with external vendors to procure new equipment and materials
- Work closely with other CFS teams including: safety team to manage chemical hazards (including beryllium) in existing and new experimental test articles, and the ARC Design Team
Benefits
- Competitive compensation with equity
- 13 Company-wide Holidays
- Flexible vacation days
- 10 sick days
- Generous parental leave policy
- Health, dental, and vision insurance
- 401(k) with employer matching
- Professional growth opportunities
- Team-building activities
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
