Senior Target Fabrication Engineer - Metrology

Pacific Fusion•San Leandro, CA

1d•$175,900 - $263,800

About The Position

Pacific Fusion was founded in 2023 with the mission to power the world with abundant, affordable, clean energy. We are rapidly designing and building a pulser-driven inertial fusion system to achieve net facility gain (more fusion energy output than stored energy input). In parallel, we are developing the key components required to build affordable fusion systems. Our plans are ambitious. We have raised over $900M so far from incredible investors, resourcing us to deliver on these plans. We are bringing together the best scientists, engineers, and operators from the fusion community, hard tech industry, and other sectors. We are united by a shared sense of urgency to provide clean power for the world, particularly managing climate change while meeting growing global energy demand. You can read more about us in this letter from our founders. Why This Role Matters Pacific Fusion is looking for a Senior Metrology & Inspection Engineer to join our growing target fabrication team. In this role, you will be responsible for dimensional integrity and quality of precision components and assemblies ultimately used in our pulsed power fusion system. You will be responsible for finding creative solutions to inspect a wide variety of complex target designs, ensuring that every component meets micron-level tolerances required for successful fusion experiments. Your expertise in developing and implementing advanced metrology processes is critical to establishing data-driven feedback loops necessary in precision manufacturing on the path to commercial fusion energy.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related field; a Master’s Degree or PhD is a plus.
Expert-level knowledge of metrology and precision manufacturing techniques, including a strong understanding of GD&T and technical drawings.
Proven ability to plan the integration of inspection systems into larger engineering and manufacturing workflows.
Strong analytical skills to work through all stages of development, using data-driven process engineering to improve fabrication yields.
Effective communication skills and the ability to collaborate closely with scientists, engineers, and technicians to resolve quality issues.
Proficiency in CAD modeling for designing measurement setups and precision handling fixtures.

Nice To Haves

Extensive experience with modern metrology tools including non-contact optical systems, contact probes, radiography, and tomography.
Experience inspecting high-precision, small components at the millimeter scale with micron or sub-micron tolerances.
Background in developing automated inspection systems for high-volume production environments.
Foundational knowledge of material science including how fabrication and assembly processes impact measurement accuracy.
Project management experience handling complex manufacturing processes from prototype through production operations.

Responsibilities

Develop and establish in-process inspection procedures to verify component quality throughout various stages of fabrication.
Work across different technical groups to understand production and quality requirements for fusion targets and their sub-assemblies.
Design and fabricate specialized inspection fixtures to support high-precision measurement operations and part handling of components as well as integrated engineering systems.
Perform detailed measurement analysis of precision components fabricated through techniques such as diamond turning, electroplating, and thin-film coating.
Establish new metrology capabilities and data management workflows that scale from initial prototyping to a high-throughput production environment.
Select and qualify metrology equipment based on specific target requirements, evaluating cost, schedule, and precision needs to drive the best path forward.