Mechanical Tooling Engineer

Type One Energy Group; Knoxville (TN); Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Insurance plans

Retirement options

Voluntary benefits

Job summary

Type One Energy Group in Knoxville is seeking a Mechanical Tooling Engineer to design and develop tooling systems critical to fusion energy programs. This hands-on role involves working on complex mechanical systems, ensuring high precision and safety in extreme conditions.

The ideal candidate holds a Bachelor’s or Master’s in Mechanical Engineering with over 5 years of experience. The role offers a competitive salary, hybrid work options, and a comprehensive benefits package.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in mechanical design, manufacturing process development, or tooling engineering.
• Proven expertise in welding tooling or weld process development.
• Strong understanding of mechanical design principles and manufacturing processes.

Responsibilities

• Support the design and integration of mechanical tooling for assembly.
• Design and qualify automated systems for operation in hazardous environments.
• Collaborate with suppliers to support fabrication and assembly of mechanical systems.

Skills

Mechanical design

Tooling engineering

3D CAD tools proficiency

Welding tooling expertise

Process development

Automation knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

Siemens NX

Job description

Join us in our mission to commercialize fusion energy

About Type One Energy

Type One Energy Group is mission-driven to provide sustainable, affordable fusion power to the world. Established in 2019 and venture-backed in 2023, the company is led by a team of globally recognized fusion scientists with a strong track record of building state-of-the-art stellarator fusion machines, together with veteran business leaders experienced in scaling companies and commercializing energy technologies.

If you are searching for the best new ideas and share our vision, join us as a Mechanical Tooling Engineer. This is what you need to know:

Location: Knoxville, TN

Salary: Highly Competitive Plus Benefits

Contract: Permanent, full time

Reporting to: VP Stellarator Maintenance & Inspection Services

Your role in the mission

Tooling Engineers will play a pivotal role in the design, development, and implementation of complex mechanical systems and tooling solutions critical to our fusion energy programs. This role focuses on design and development of jigs, fixtures, rigging devices, machining/welding equipment and related tooling related to fabrication, assembly and eventually maintenance on components. Ultimately our work supports assembly, maintenance, repair and overhaul of high-precision manufactured and assembled fusion components.

The ideal candidate is a hands‑on engineer with demonstrated experience developing tooling. Experience with automation or remotely operated systems is a plus. The successful candidate will contribute to both early‑stage design and detailed manufacturing support, bringing practical, scalable solutions to complex engineering challenges in extreme environments.

This position requires a unique combination of technical fluency and project discipline. The ideal candidate will have deep familiarity with engineering development processes—particularly those involving mechanical systems potentially with electrical integration, software and hardware controls.

Ultimately, this role is pivotal to enabling our technical and programmatic success — ensuring that complex engineering efforts are delivered predictably, transparently, and in alignment with the company’s broader fusion energy development roadmap.

Responsibilities

• Support the design and integration of mechanical tooling, fixtures, and tooling systems used for assembly, component handling, maintenance and inspection.
• Design and qualify remote or automated systems for operation in constrained, hazardous, or high-radiological environments.
• Review, guide, and validate designs created by peers and external suppliers to ensure technical excellence and manufacturability.
• Support FMEA, DFMA, and risk assessments for critical hardware and assemblies.
• Collaborate with suppliers and internal teams to support fabrication, assembly, and qualification of mechanical systems.
• Develop and execute test plans to validate tool performance, quality execution, and automation repeatability.
• Author detailed engineering drawings, procedures, and specifications in compliance with quality and safety standards.
• Contribute to process development documentation, design reviews, and configuration control processes.

What you’ll need

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related discipline.
• 5+ years of experience in mechanical design, manufacturing process development, or tooling engineering.
• Proven expertise in one or more of the following areas:
• Welding tooling or weld process development (e.g., TIG, EB, laser, or friction stir welding).
• Tooling and system design for remote or automated operations (e.g., robotic arms, manipulators, or teleoperated systems).
• Integration of sensors, controls, or actuation systems into complex mechanical designs.
• Proficiency with 3D CAD tools (SolidWorks, Siemens NX, or similar) and PLM/PDM systems.
• Strong understanding of mechanical design principles, precision tolerancing, and manufacturing processes.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience designing equipment or processes for high‑radiological or nuclear environments, or for other extreme service conditions.
• Familiarity with automation, robotics, or mechatronic systems used in precision manufacturing.
• Knowledge of welding qualification standards (e.g., ASME, AWS, ISO) and experience working in a regulated engineering environment.
• Demonstrated success leading complex engineering projects from concept to production.

We offer

In addition to a basic salary and yearly bonus, you will also get…

• A hybrid work policy
• Stock options
• Insurance plans
• Retirement options
• And many more great voluntary benefits

Type One Energy applies proven advanced manufacturing methods, modern computational physics and high‑field superconducting magnets to develop its optimized stellarator fusion energy system. Our FusionDirect development program pursues the lowest‑risk, shortest‑schedule path to a fusion power plant over the coming decade, using a partner‑intensive and capital‑efficient strategy.

Type One Energy is committed to community engagement in the development and deployment of its clean energy technology. For more information, visit www.typeoneenergy.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Type One Energy is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity, searching for the best new ideas and remaining open to unique perspectives. Therefore, all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment independent of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status, age, or any other characteristics protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply.