Head of Origination

Fusion Energy Base; Harvard (MA); Remote; USD 170,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Health insurance

Dental/vision insurance

401(k) with company match

Growth opportunities

Holidays

Job summary

Commonwealth Fusion Systems is seeking a Head of Origination for its Power Business. You will lead energy customer development, secure long-term offtake agreements, and guide commercial deals for ARC fusion plants from approach to execution.

You will collaborate across development, finance, legal, and engineering to balance customer needs with project economics, supporting bankable asset creation and scalable deployment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, engineering technologies, business, finance, economics, math, physics or related field OR 10+ years in energy, with 5+ years in origination/structured sales.

Responsibilities

• Lead origination, structuring, negotiation, and execution of long-term PPAs, tolling and capacity contracts for ARC fusion power plants.
• Develop and maintain strategic relationships with utilities, cooperatives, hyperscalers, industrial off-takers, and government agencies.
• Formulate and implement wholesale and retail origination strategy to secure contracted revenue streams.
• Provide commercial leadership during procurement processes, solicitations, bilateral negotiations, and RFPs.
• Collaborate with project development, finance, legal, external affairs, and engineering to align customer needs with deployment strategy.
• Build and lead a high-performing origination team and foster a culture of excellence and ownership.

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering or related field

Job description

Head of Origination

Devens, MA Business – PowerBu / Full-time / Remote

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 Head of Origination.

Commercial fusion energy is the holy grail for providing limitless, clean, firm energy that is safe, secure and ultimately affordable. And while this power is not yet available today, CFS is working every day to try to pull that fusion future forward, focusing first on our SPARC demonstration plant outside Boston and then our ARC fusion power plants, the first of which is expected to be online in the early 2030s. The Director of Origination will take a leading role in identifying, engaging with, and executing customer and partnership strategies and deals for those future ARC power plants. You will lead the commercialization, market entry, and structured contracting, playing an active role in transforming how this new form of clean, resilient power gets contracted and deployed.

In this role, you will define and execute our commercial origination strategy. Reporting to the Head of Power Business, you will lead energy customer development and secure long-term offtake agreements—building and translating our pipeline into committed contracts, capital, and bankable assets. You will be on the front line of engaging with these customers and partners working creatively and partnering closely with project development, finance, legal, and engineering, to craft, negotiate, and secure these commercial agreements. You will serve as a key leader of the commercial team, driving the deployment of clean, safe, and abundant fusion energy.

What you’ll do:

• Lead the origination, structuring, negotiation, and execution of long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs), tolling arrangements, environmental product contracts, and capacity contracts for ARC fusion power plants
• Develop and maintain strategic relationships with key anchor customers, including regulated and municipal utilities, electric cooperatives, hyperscalers, industrial off-takers, and government agencies
• Formulate and implement the overall wholesale and retail origination strategy to secure contracted revenue streams that support project financing and long-term business objectives
• Provide commercial leadership during utility procurement processes, competitive solicitations, bilateral negotiations, and RFP responses
• Collaborate cross-functionally with internal stakeholders—including project development, finance, legal, external affairs, and engineering—to ensure alignment between customer needs, project economics, and deployment strategy
• Build, mentor, and manage a high-performing team of origination professionals, fostering a culture of excellence ,creativity, extreme ownership, and continuous improvement
• Design and implement innovative contract structures that allow us to effectively engage with early adopters while mitigating the contractual risks in deployment of these novel fusion power plants
• Identify high-value power markets, RTOs, and favorable regulatory frameworks in which we can execute attractive deals and partnerships
• Monitor energy market trends, resource plans, and regulatory developments across North American RTOs/ISOs to identify new contracting opportunities and inform market entry plans
• Develop and own the commercial framework for project opportunities, analyzing market data, assessing risks, and presenting strategic recommendations to executive leadership
• Represent CFS at industry events, customer meetings, and strategic forums as a subject matter expert and ambassador for fusion energy
• Oversee post-execution lifecycle management, ensuring rigorous compliance with contractual obligations while nurturing long-term strategic partnerships to maintain operational excellence and corporate good standing
• Ability to facilitate or source creative solutions and approaches to equitably share risk between parties
• Prioritize multiple projects and/or issues with conflicting deadlines and/or business unit drivers
• Demonstrate a reliable and persistent work ethic, seeing tasks through to completion. Stays determined in the face of uncertainty and failure
• Adaptability to a start-up environment, capability to take initiative, develop own tasks and timelines, and solve broad, ambiguous problems
• Comfort and capability making judgment calls that are fundamental to the success of entire projects or major initiatives
• Proven writing and communication ability, and consistent quality of work appropriate for preparing material for abroad external audience
• Can respectfully challenge senior leadership with a well-reasoned and data-supported argument

What we’re looking for:

Bachelor’s Degree preferably in Engineering, Engineering Technologies, Business, Finance, Economics, Math, Physics or a related field OR > 10+ years of progressive energy industry experience, with at least 5 years specifically leading power origination, structured energy sales, or power marketing

Proven track record of originating and closing large-scale, long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs), tolling agreements, environmental product contracts, or capacity contracts

Deep technical understanding of North American wholesale power markets, RTO/ISO market rules, transmission dynamics, and commercial risk allocation

Established network of executive contacts across utilities, corporate/hyperscaler procurement teams, and wholesale counterparties

Strong financial acumen with direct experience working alongside project finance teams to ensure contract bankability and acceptable risk-adjusted returns

Superior negotiation, presentation, and communication skills, with a track record of presenting to C-suite executives and investment committees

Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to thrive in a high-growth environment and turn broad, ambiguous opportunities into executed deals

Bonus points for:

• Master’s degree, MBA, or advanced technical degree preferred
• Understanding of Global wholesale power markets
• Experience with clean baseload power, first-of-a-kind (FOAK) technologies, energy storage, or infrastructure
• Demonstrated experience managing basis risk (nodal vs. zonal pricing splits), shape risk, and congestion/line-loss settlement mechanisms
• Knowledge of advanced decarbonization procurement standards, such as hourly 24/7 Carbon-Free Energy (CFE) matching and tax credit transferability (e.g., IRA PTC and ITC mechanics)
• Familiarity with complex utility retail tariffs, standby charges, and wheeling arrangements
• Familiarity with federal energy procurement pathways, tax equity structures, or M&A-driven origination
• Ability to travel up to 40% for customer meetings, site visits, and industry conferences

Must-have requirements:

• Perform activities such as typing, standing, and sitting, for extended periods of time
• Willingness to occasionally travel or work required nights/weekends/on-call - this position will require up to 25% travel (day-trip & overnight)
• Work in a facility that contains industrial hazards including heat, cold, noise, fumes, strong magnets, lead (Pb), high voltage, high current, pressure systems, and cryogenics

$170,000 - $250,000 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

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.