[Hiring] Senior Mechanical Engineer @Commonwealth Fusion Systems

Role Description

CFS is designing ARC as the world’s first commercial fusion power plant with the goal of bringing reliable and clean fusion energy to the grid. Due to device activation and commercial uptime needs, ARC will need periodic, fast, and reliable maintenance to be performed fully remotely. This will require novel solutions and integration in the fields of robotics, remote handling equipment (RHE), plant layout, manufacturing, and tokamak design. ARC’s Remote Maintenance System will thus be a critical aspect of realizing CFS’s mission to deliver the urgent transition to fusion energy.

The Remote Maintenance team is responsible for designing ARC’s Remote Maintenance System. As a Senior Remote Maintenance Engineer on the team, you will:

• Develop concept of operations for the ARC Remote Maintenance System
• Participate in the pre-conceptual design process of the ARC fusion power plant
• Design ARC’s radiation hardened remote handling equipment (RHE) by incorporating a mix of existing robotic technologies, custom hardware, and remotely operated heavy lift equipment
• Perform maintenance assessments of the tokamak and plant to shape the development of ARC as a remotely maintainable power plant
• Collaborate closely with tokamak engineering teams to assist in designing the ARC tokamak for remote maintainability and finding creative and novel solutions to tokamak joints
• Perform high level multi-disciplinary trade studies of solutions that involve complex trade offs between physics, neutronics, design, maintenance, materials, manufacturing, techno-economics, and other disciplines
• Collaborate with multiple teams and manage projects across different disciplines to help solve tough multi-disciplinary problems
• Identify key R&D needed for the ARC remote maintenance program, and help establish the plans to execute the R&D campaigns internally or with external partners
• Research existing established and cutting edge remote handling solutions to assess their application in the ARC remote maintenance system
• Work with external RHE/robotics organizations and general industry to manage contracted work, collaborate on cutting edge R&D, and transfer knowledge and expertise into CFS
• Establish CFS’s remote maintenance design guidelines for RHE, the Tokamak, and plant

Qualifications

• Structural, Mechanical, or Aerospace Engineering B.S
• At least 7 years of mechanical engineering experience in the design, fabrication, testing, operations, integration, and commissioning of complex mechanical structures (e.g. fusion, fission, aerospace)
• At least 7 years of technical experience in the design of remote handling equipment (RHE) using robotics or remotely operated precision mechanical structures (e.g. remote welding/cutting, manipulation, alignment, rescue, inspections)
• Experience in leading R&D campaigns of novel technology to increase TRL and unlock new design solutions in remote maintenance fields such as remote welding/cutting, inspections, bolting, manipulation, alignment, sensing, mechatronics, rad hard, and cleanliness
• Experience with standard actuation, guidance mechanisms, sensing, and structural mechanisms
• Proficient in structural analysis via both hand calcs and finite element analysis (Ansys preferred)
• Familiar with CAD (NX preferred)
• Ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary team of engineers, scientists, technical staff, executives, and others
• Ability to clearly express and critique ideas
• Safety conscious

Requirements

• Perform activities such as typing 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 or work required nights/weekends/on-call occasionally. Travel expected up to 15%

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