[Hiring] Staff 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 Staff Remote Maintenance Engineer on the team, you will:

• Lead the development and strategic execution of the operations for the ARC Remote Maintenance System.
• Drive the conceptual design process of the ARC fusion power plant, providing expert technical guidance for cross-functional teams.
• Lead the design of 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 expert-level maintenance assessments of the tokamak and plant to shape the development of ARC as a remotely maintainable power plant, defining processes that impact direct work and identifying/mitigating significant long-term risks.
• Collaborate closely with tokamak engineering teams to assist in designing the ARC tokamak for remote maintainability and finding creative and novel solutions for tokamak joints.
• Perform high level multi-disciplinary trade studies of solutions that involve complex and ambiguous tradeoffs between physics, neutronics, mechanical, thermo-fluids, electrical, maintenance, materials, manufacturing, techno-economics, and other disciplines.
• Lead multiple teams and manage projects to solve tough multi-disciplinary problems by resolving conflicts and driving key decisions across teams.
• Define and own the key R&D strategy needed for the ARC remote maintenance program, and help establish/direct the plans for executing the R&D campaigns internally or with external partners.
• Research established and cutting-edge remote handling solutions to assess their application in the ARC remote maintenance system to influence strategic shifts and novel approaches to improve performance, reduce cost, and increase reliability.
• 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 principles for RHE, the Tokamak, and plant, while propagating best practices and actively taking ownership of the growth and development of junior and peer engineers.

Qualifications

• Structural, Mechanical, or Aerospace Engineering B.S.
• At least 10 years of mechanical engineering experience in the design, fabrication, testing, operations, integration, and commissioning of complex mechanical structures (e.g. fusion, fission, aerospace, marine).
• At least 10 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).
• Proven track record of driving 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.
• Deep expertise with standard actuation, guidance mechanisms, sensing, and structural mechanisms.
• Expertise in structural analysis via both hand calculations and finite element analysis (Ansys preferred).
• Familiar with CAD (NX preferred).
• Ability to effectively lead a multidisciplinary team of engineers, scientists, technical staff, executives, and others.
• Ability to clearly communicate highly complex concepts to diverse audiences and build consensus.
• 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.