Chief Systems Engineering Leader for Fusion Hardware

Realta Fusion Inc; Madison (WI); On-site; USD 180,000 - 270,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity stock options

Health, dental, vision insurance

401(k)

Flexible PTO

Job summary

Realta Fusion Inc. is seeking a Head of Systems Engineering to own system architecture and requirements across experimental to commercial fusion devices.

You will drive cross-disciplinary integration, lead a growing systems engineering team, and partner with physics and operations to ensure safety, performance, and reliability. The role requires extensive leadership and a track record in complex hardware programs, MBSE, and rigorous V&V activities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor-level degree in a relevant engineering field with advanced degree preferred.
• 15+ years of systems engineering experience on complex hardware programs.
• 5+ years leading systems engineering teams or serving as chief engineer on major programs.
• Track record of integrating multidisciplinary systems from requirements through commissioning.

Responsibilities

• Define and maintain system architecture for fusion devices across experimental, pilot, and commercial lines.
• Establish and manage technical requirements from physics performance to safety and regulatory constraints.
• Lead system decomposition and allocation of requirements to subsystems and components.
• Develop and maintain interface control documents across mechanical, electrical, plasma, and control systems.
• Drive design trades balancing performance, cost, schedule, manufacturability, and risk.
• Lead system integration activities ensuring subsystems meet top-level requirements.
• Define verification and validation strategy including analysis, testing, inspection, and demonstration.
• Oversee commissioning and acceptance testing of fusion devices and major subsystems.
• Manage technical reviews (PDR, CDR, TRR) ensuring design maturity and readiness.
• Drive resolution of integration issues and interface conflicts across engineering disciplines.
• Build, lead, and mentor systems engineering team (initially 2-3, scaling to 8-12).
• Establish systems engineering processes, tools, and best practices for fusion development.
• Recruit systems engineers with experience in complex hardware integration.
• Develop systems engineering capability across the broader engineering organization.
• Partner with plasma physics to translate physics requirements into engineering specifications.
• Coordinate with operations on maintainability, operability, and lifetime performance requirements.
• Support manufacturing and assembly planning to ensure buildability and integration sequence.
• Provide systems engineering support to experimental campaigns and pilot plant development programs.
• Lead technical risk assessment and mitigation strategies for system-level risks.
• Represent systems engineering perspective in executive decision-making on priorities and resources.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Cross-functional collaboration

Systems thinking

Excellent communication

Education

BS in Systems Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related technical discipline

Advanced degree preferred

Tools

DOORS

Cameo

Modeling & Simulation

MBSE

Job description

Realta Fusion Inc. is seeking a Head of Systems Engineering to own system architecture and requirements across experimental to commercial fusion devices.

You will drive cross-disciplinary integration, lead a growing systems engineering team, and partner with physics and operations to ensure safety, performance, and reliability. The role requires extensive leadership and a track record in complex hardware programs, MBSE, and rigorous V&V activities.