Controls Engineer

Commonwealth-Fusion-Systems-5; Harvard (MA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 145,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

13 Company-wide Holidays

Flexible vacation days

10 sick days

Parental leave policy

Health, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) with employer matching

Professional growth opportunities

Team-building activities

Job summary

Commonwealth Fusion Systems seeks a Controls Engineer to own the complete lifecycle of electromechanical equipment, from mounting through commissioning. You will troubleshoot floor equipment, lead design reviews, and contribute to system architectures with standards compliance. Strong IEC 61131‑3 and safety knowledge are essential.

Requires a B.S. in engineering and 4+ years of controls experience; onsite, salary range $90,000–$145,000 plus equity and benefits.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering required.
• 4+ years’ experience as controls engineer on electro‑mechanical systems.
• Proficiency with Structured Text and Ladder; IEC 61131‑3.
• Knowledge of safety systems and NFPA79/NEC/UL508A standards.
• Strong troubleshooting, problem solving, and reliability.

Responsibilities

• Own full lifecycle for equipment components from mounting to commissioning.
• Troubleshoot production equipment, restore uptime, and perform root‑cause analysis.
• Lead design reviews with cross‑functional teams and mentors.
• Contribute to system architectures and electrical schematics per standards.
• Write and debug PLC structured text with maintainable code.

Skills

Structured Text

Ladder

IEC 61131-3

Troubleshooting

Problem-solving

Vendor collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering

Tools

Beckhoff

Siemens controls

Ignition SCADA

AutoCAD Electrical

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, suppliers, and many others to build the energy industry of the future.

We’re in the best position to make it happen. Since 2018, we’ve raised $4 billion of capital, making us the largest and leading 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 Controls Engineer

As a Controls Engineer, you are proficient in most or all core functions of your discipline, executing mid-to-long term assignments that are loosely defined. You operate with general guidance from management, increasingly taking independent ownership of developing execution approaches for equipment and process concepts.

You will generate work plans and define milestones for your own tasks, identifying and mitigating lower-risk items. You will provide technical leadership on short-term problems within your group's scope and lead formal design reviews with cross-functional teams.

What you'll do:

• Independently own the complete lifecycle — physical mounting, pneumatic/electrical integration, and PLC I/O mapping through commissioning — for smaller equipment components and upgrades, handing off to Manufacturing Engineering
• Support production equipment on the floor — troubleshoot faults, restore uptime, and follow through with root‑cause analysis and preventative fixes
• Provide technical leadership on short‑term problems within your group's scope; lead formal design reviews with cross‑functional teams (equipment/MEs)
• Contribute to system architectures and electrical schematics, applying and standardizing elements compliant with NFPA79/NEC/UL508A standards
• Write and debug PLC structured text with an emphasis on code that is organized, documented, maintainable, and reusable
• Contribute to department policies, tool development, and the characterization of automated processes using data‑driven approaches like Cpk and Gage R&R
• Respectfully raise concerns and share data‑driven perspectives in group settings to support the best path forward
• Identify and mitigate lower‑risk items (e.g., lead times, part tolerances) by coordinating with standard vendors; escalates larger risks to management

What we’re looking for:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering field is required
• 4+ years’ experience as controls engineer on electro‑mechanical systems
• Proficiency in Structured Text and Ladder; working knowledge of other IEC 61131‑3 languages
• Ability to apply sound reasoning and judgment on tasks and near‑term project decisions, with review and support from senior engineers
• Working knowledge of control‑related safety systems (ANSI/RIA15.06/OSHA compliant) and enclosure design compliant with NFPA79/NEC/UL508A standards
• A reliable and persistent work ethic, seeing tasks through to completion and staying determined in the face of uncertainty and failure
• Familiarity with manufacturing equipment and hands‑on fabrication or assembly skills (e.g., rotating machinery, cable winding, soldering, pipe bending, or similar)
• Collaboration experience with job shops and external vendors
• High self‑motivation and drive to execute quickly with strong troubleshooting and problem‑solving skills
• A value for design for manufacturability, serviceability, and simplicity over complexity

Bonus points for:

• Experience in Beckhoff and Siemens controls platforms
• Experience in Ignition SCADA systems
• Experience integrating equipment data into SCADA/data systems (e.g., IO-Link, MQTT)
• Machine Vision experience
• Greenfield or brownfield startup commissioning experience
• Expertise with CAD drafting, specifically AutoCAD Electrical

Must-have requirements:

• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs occasionally
• Perform activities such as typing, standing, stooping, and sitting, for extended periods of time
• Dedication to safety to mitigate hazards that may include heat, cold, noise, fumes, strong magnets, lead, high voltage, and cryogenics
• Willingness to occasionally travel or work required nights/weekends/on‑call

$90,000 - $145,000 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-Onsite

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.