Lead Vacuum Systems Engineer - Thermal & R&D

Commonwealth Fusion Systems; Milpitas (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 225,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Health insurance

401(k) with employer matching

Generous leave

Job summary

Commonwealth Fusion Systems seeks a Principal Mechanical Engineer to lead end-to-end design, integration, and implementation of advanced thermal vacuum equipment for R&D and manufacturing hardware. You will mentor teams and drive architecture while maintaining discipline for high-performance hardware.

You will collaborate with scientists, vacuum specialists, and electrical engineers to ensure manufacturability and on-time delivery across global vendors.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field, or equivalent industrial experience.
• 15+ years of experience in design and implementation of complex R&D systems or semiconductor manufacturing equipment.
• Thermal & structural expertise in high-temperature design and complex thermal management within vacuum environments.
• Vacuum system proficiency including outgassing, seal integrity, and pump-down optimization.
• Proficiency in 3D modeling (SolidWorks and/or NX) and FE A/thermal simulation tools (COMSOL, ANSYS).
• Hands-on capability bridging design and shop floor with machining, prototyping, and troubleshooting.
• Vendor management experience selecting and qualifying global vendors for specialized components or subsystems.
• Leadership ability to lead in direct and matrixed organizational structures.

Responsibilities

• Lead system design: drive design, integration, and validation of advanced R&D processing equipment.
• Define requirements: establish system-level requirements and innovative design concepts that link mechanical precision to product quality.
• Standardize best practices: implement engineering workflows using semiconductor standards as guide.
• Lead design reviews: conduct reviews for mechanical systems focusing on manufacturability (DFx).
• Collaborate & interface: maintain interfaces with scientists, vacuum specialists, and electrical engineers.
• Project accountability: report milestones to stakeholders and ensure on-time, in-spec delivery.
• Mentor talent: coach engineering staff on delivery, discipline, and development.
• Get things done: drive projects from concept through assembly, testing, and implementation.

Skills

System design

DFx

Vacuum systems

Vendor management

Leadership

Education

Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

NX

COMSOL

ANSYS

Job description

Commonwealth Fusion Systems seeks a Principal Mechanical Engineer to lead end-to-end design, integration, and implementation of advanced thermal vacuum equipment for R&D and manufacturing hardware. You will mentor teams and drive architecture while maintaining discipline for high-performance hardware.

You will collaborate with scientists, vacuum specialists, and electrical engineers to ensure manufacturability and on-time delivery across global vendors.