Control Software Engineer

Commonwealth-Fusion-Systems-5; Harvard (MA); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Health, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) with employer matching

Flexible vacation days

Generous parental leave

Job summary

Commonwealth Fusion Systems is seeking a Control Software Engineer to design, implement, and verify software for advanced R&D equipment and complex machinery.

You will develop control software for PLCs and real-time Linux, build operator interfaces, and enhance tooling to accelerate development across platforms, with equity and benefits included in a hybrid work environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or related field.
• 5+ years in industrial or embedded control systems.
• 5+ years producing production-quality control software.
• Experience with CI/CD, Git, unit and integration testing.
• Proficiency in Python.
• Proficiency in at least one real-time language (C++, SCL/ST, Rust).

Responsibilities

• Develop control software across PLCs and real-time Linux.
• Develop operator interfaces and workflows.
• Improve tooling to increase developer velocity and enable new capabilities.
• Collaborate with engineers to integrate software into testbeds and production tools.

Skills

Python

C++

Rust

SCL/ST

CI/CD

Unit testing

Git

Embedded systems

Real-time systems

Linux

Education

Bachelor's degree in a relevant engineering field

Tools

Beckhoff TwinCAT

EtherCAT

Profinet

Modbus

Linux

Job description

About Commonwealth Fusion Systems:

Commonwealth Fusion Systems is on a mission to deliver the urgent transition to fusion energy.

Combining decades of research, top talent, and new technologies, we’re designing and building commercially viable fusion power plants. And we're working with policymakers and suppliers to build the energy industry of the future.

We’re in the best position to make it happen. Since 2018, we’ve raised nearly $3 billion in capital, making us the largest and leading private fusion company in the world.

Now we’re looking for more thinkers, doers, builders, and makers to join us. People who’ll bring new perspectives, solve tough problems, and thrive as part of a team.

If that’s you and this role fits, we want to hear from you.

Join the power movement as a Control Software Engineer

As a Control Software Engineer, you will be responsible for the design, implementation, and verification of software and controls for advanced R&D equipment and complex machinery.

As a member of the Software Engineering team you will be a hands‑on technical contributor, a champion of writing excellent quality, production‑ready code for mission‑critical real‑time systems. You will collect functional requirements from customers and produce software solutions to meet these requirements.

You will work with a variety of engineers to integrate your software into software testbeds, hardware testbeds, and the production tools. You will also contribute to the broader software ecosystem to improve tooling and processes used across the company.

What you'll do:

• Develop control software across multiple platforms, including PLCs and real‑time Linux
• Develop operator interfaces and workflows
• Improve software tooling to increase developer velocity and enable new capabilities

What we’re looking for:

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant engineering field (computer science, computer engineering, electrical engineering, industrial engineering, etc.)
• 5+ years of experience with industrial control systems and/or embedded control systems
• 5+ years of experience in producing production quality control software
• Experience with modern software development lifecycle practices (CI/CD, git version control, unit testing, integration testing, etc)
• Proficiency with python
• Proficiency with at least one real‑time control language (c++, SCL/ST, rust, etc)

Bonus points for:

• Experience with industrial protocols (e.g. EtherCat, Profinet, Modbus, etc)
• Experience developing Human‑Machine Interfaces (HMIs) for industrial or scientific equipment
• Familiarity with industrial control platforms (e.g. Beckhoff TwinCat)
• Familiarity with Linux
• Familiarity with general networking (IP/UDP)

Must‑have Requirements:

• Perform activities such as typing, standing, sitting, etc. 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, high current, pressure systems, and cryogenics
• Willingness to occasionally travel or work required nights/weekends/on‑call

$110,000 - $160,000 a year

Salary range for this full‑time position + equity + benefits

The actual salary will depend on level, location, qualifications, and experience. The range displayed on each job posting reflects new hire salaries for the position across all US locations. Benefits include:

• 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

#LI-Hybrid

At CFS, we excel in fast‑paced environments, driven by our values of integrity, execution, impact, and self‑critique. As we grow, we’re eager to bring on mission‑driven folks who offer diverse perspectives and fresh ways to tackle challenges.

We value diversity deeply and are proud to be an equal opportunity employer by choice. We consider all qualified applicants equally, regardless of race, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, protected veteran status, religion, physical or mental disability, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, or any other basis protected by law.

This role requires compliance with U.S. laws concerning the export of controlled or protected technologies or information (collectively, "Export Control Laws"). Any offer of employment will be contingent on the need for compliance with such Export Control Laws.