Principal Software Architect, Fusion Plant Core Systems

Focused Energy LLC; Austin, Northern (TX, KY); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

401k with match up to 4%

Unlimited PTO

Medical, Dental, Vision plans

Equipment: Windows/Apple laptops

Job summary

Focused Energy LLC in Austin, Texas, is seeking a Principal Software Engineer to define and own the Core Software architecture for our fusion power plant. You will lead the design of controls, hardware interfaces, calibration systems, data infrastructure, and human-machine interfaces within the Software Department.

You will design and implement critical parts of the Core Software stack, establish calibration workflows, and set engineering standards the department will follow.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience designing and implementing control software for complex physical or industrial systems.
• Extensive experience with hardware and software interfaces, including device integration and system-level troubleshooting.
• Experience designing and implementing automated calibration facilities or automated calibration workflows.
• Strong experience with data handling, data pipelines, metadata, and reliable data storage.
• Experience designing and implementing HMI for operators or technical users.
• Strong software design and implementation skills in C++, Python, or similar languages.
• Ability to define architecture for complex, mission-critical systems under changing requirements and strict physical constraints.
• Strong communication skills — you can explain technical decisions, risks, and trade-offs to software, hardware, science, and operations stakeholders.
• Strong leadership skills — you can guide decisions, mentor engineers, build alignment, and take ownership without relying on formal authority.
• Experience applying thorough testing, observability, reliability, fault tolerance, security, and documentation practices.

Responsibilities

• Define and maintain the end-to-end Core Software architecture for the fusion power plant, including device interfaces, calibration, data handling, data storage, and HMI.
• Design and implement critical parts of the Core Software system using languages such as C++ and Python.
• Define clear interfaces between software, control hardware, diagnostics, plant equipment, data systems, and operator tools.
• Design reliable automated calibration facilities and workflows that produce traceable and repeatable results.
• Set practical standards for architecture, coding, testing, observability, documentation, release, reliability, security, and fault tolerance.
• Lead technical decisions across teams, mentor engineers, resolve difficult trade-offs, and grow into a lead within the Software Department.

Skills

Control software design

Hardware interfaces

Automated calibration

Data handling

HMI design

C++/Python

Architecture definition

Communication

Leadership

Testing/observability

Tools

C++

Python

Job description

Focused Energy LLC in Austin, Texas, is seeking a Principal Software Engineer to define and own the Core Software architecture for our fusion power plant. You will lead the design of controls, hardware interfaces, calibration systems, data infrastructure, and human-machine interfaces within the Software Department.

You will design and implement critical parts of the Core Software stack, establish calibration workflows, and set engineering standards the department will follow.