Senior R&D Engineer

Commonwealth Fusion Systems•Devens, MA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior R&D Engineer will join Commonwealth Fusion Systems’ NINT Magnet R&D team, which tests and retires risks for the company’s non-insulated-non-twisted (NINT) high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnets. The team executes development test campaigns for next-generation NINT magnet technology and leads root-cause and corrective-action efforts through analysis and testing to resolve issues with SPARC NINT magnets in production, integration, and commissioning. This multidisciplinary role leads the execution of tests and projects on aggressive schedules. It requires a fundamental understanding of mechanical, electrical, materials, fluids, and systems engineering, or a combination of these disciplines. The engineer is expected to challenge test requirements, risks, and objectives, and help stakeholders agree on why a test is needed and what data is essential to achieve its intended outcome. The role develops HTS magnet designs, R&D samples, subsystems, manufacturing processes, and test operations; designs, builds, and commissions test equipment; conducts analyses; supports SPARC coil production and integration; and develops instrumentation, data acquisition, and custom data-analysis tools. The engineer maintains test campaign documentation, schedules, and budgets, and presents trade studies, design reviews, test readiness reviews, and test results to engineering and physics teams. The position is full-time, with a salary range of $134,000–$205,000, plus equity and benefits. The role may involve occasional travel, required nights, weekends, or on-call work, and work in a facility with industrial hazards. Employment offers are contingent on compliance with U.S. Export Control Laws.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in an engineering or science field.
At least 7 years of experience as an R&D engineer or test engineer designing, building, and commissioning complex electromechanical systems.
Experience working on a multidisciplinary engineering project, ideally as a technical leader.
Excellent fundamental knowledge of mechanical systems, including static structures and heat transfer.
Experience selecting and using instrumentation and control components such as thermocouples, voltage and current sensors, oscilloscopes, pressure transducers, strain gauges, heaters, flow meters, fittings, and valves.
Experience developing and executing test procedures.
Proficiency with Siemens NX or equivalent CAD software.
Familiarity with electromagnetic fundamentals, including voltage, current, resistance, Ohm’s law, AC/DC, the right-hand rule, and solenoids.
Excellent troubleshooting and problem-solving skills with attention to detail.
Experience developing and presenting comprehensive trade studies comparing technical approaches.
Data reduction and analysis skills for generating anticipated results and processing test data.
Ability to communicate technical topics effectively to technical and non-technical audiences.
High self-motivation and drive to execute quickly.
Collaboration skills, including active listening and facilitating productive discussion of problems.
Willingness to challenge the status quo to find better, more efficient methods.
Ability to occasionally lift up to 50 pounds.
Ability to type, climb, stand, stoop, or sit for extended periods.
Willingness to occasionally travel or work required nights, weekends, or on-call.
Ability to work in a facility with industrial hazards, including heat, cold, noise, fumes, strong magnets, lead, high voltage, high current, pressure systems, and cryogenics.
Must comply with U.S. laws concerning the export of controlled or protected technologies or information.

Nice To Haves

Mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, or a similar degree, or an applied physics degree.
Experience with modeling or analysis software, especially ANSYS, COMSOL, and PLECS.
Experience writing Python or MATLAB data tools for processing and analyzing data.
Experience with high-voltage and high-current power equipment design and use, including power supplies, water-cooled cables, and insulation.
Experience debugging electronics hardware and test software.
Experience designing and commissioning new test facilities.
Experience designing fluid systems, including P&IDs, component selection, and ASME design codes.
Experience designing cryogenic equipment for liquid nitrogen and supercritical helium, including vacuum-jacketed equipment, cryocoolers, phase separators, and cold traps.
Experience designing and using high-vacuum equipment, including roughing pumps, turbopumps, ion gauges, and residual gas analyzers.
Experience developing or improving manufacturing processes and handing them off to production teams.

Responsibilities

Develop new HTS magnet designs and associated subsystems, including R&D test samples, manufacturing processes, and test operations.
Design, build, and commission test equipment for R&D test campaigns.
Perform structural, electrical, and/or thermal analyses to support R&D sample design and predict test results.
Develop expertise in HTS magnet testing and in designing and building HTS magnets and subsystems, including power delivery, cryogenic cooling, and structures.
Support production, integration, and commissioning of SPARC NINT coils when issues require HTS magnet build and test expertise.
Understand, challenge, and document requirements and risks for systems or components under test; align stakeholders on test rationale and required data.
Collaborate with instrumentation and controls engineers to develop instrumentation and data acquisition systems.
Maintain test campaign documentation, schedules, and budgets, including design reviews, wiring lists, P&IDs, schematics, CAD assemblies, drawings, bills of materials, data acquisition systems, and operations software.
Develop custom tools to analyze data and compile test results into presentations for review.
Prepare and deliver trade studies, design reviews, test readiness reviews, and test data reviews to engineering and physics teams.