R&D Engineer – Magnets

Fusion Energy Base; Harvard (MA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation with equity

13 company-wide holidays

Flexible vacation days

Health, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) with employer matching

Professional growth opportunities

Job summary

Commonwealth Fusion Systems is hiring an R&D Engineer – Magnets to develop high-temperature superconducting magnet designs and oversee R&D test campaigns. You will design, build, and commission test equipment and perform structural, electrical, and thermal analyses to predict outcomes.

Collaboration with I&C engineers and tight integration with production teams are essential. The role requires a Bachelor's in engineering or related field with 2+ years in R&D/test engineering, CAD proficiency

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or a science field is required; mechanical/electrical engineering or applied physics preferred.
• At least 2 years’ experience as an R&D engineer or test engineer designing, building, and commissioning complex electromechanical systems.
• Experience selecting and utilizing instrumentation and control components such as thermocouples, sensors, oscilloscope, transducers, strain gauges, heaters, flow meters, fittings, and valves.

Responsibilities

• Develop new HTS magnet designs and subsystems, including design and fabrication of R&D test samples, manufacturing processes, and test operations.
• Design, build, and commission test equipment for R&D campaigns.
• Perform structural, electrical, and thermal analyses to support magnet design and predict test results.
• Collaborate with I&C engineers to develop instrumentation and data-acquisition systems.

Skills

CAD design

Instrumentation & control

Data analysis

Troubleshooting

Communication

Collaborative teamwork

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or related field

Tools

Siemens NX

ANSYS

COMSOL

PLECS

Python

Job description

R&D Engineer – Magnets

Full-time / Hybrid

About Commonwealth Fusion Systems

Commonwealth Fusion Systems is a private fusion company building commercially viable fusion power plants. The company raises significant capital and seeks engineers who can solve tough problems and thrive on an aggressive schedule.

Responsibilities

• Develop new HTS magnet designs and their associated subsystems, including design and fabrication of R&D test samples, manufacturing processes, and test operations.
• Design, build, and commission test equipment required to accomplish R&D test campaign objectives.
• Perform structural, electrical, and/or thermal analyses in support of R&D sample design and to predict test results.
• Build expertise in testing HTS magnets and in designing and building R&D HTS magnets with associated subsystems (power delivery, cryogenic cooling, and structures).
• Support the production, integration, and commissioning of SPARC NINT coils as issues requiring HTS magnet build and test expertise arise.
• Understand, challenge, and maintain well‑documented requirements and risks for the system or component under test, aligning stakeholders on the necessity of planned tests and essential data.
• Collaborate with I&C engineers to develop necessary instrumentation and data‑acquisition systems.
• Maintain documentation, schedules, and budgets for test campaigns, including design reviews, wiring lists, P&IDs, schematics, CAD assemblies, drawings, BOMs, data‑acquisition systems, and operations software.
• Develop custom tools to analyze generated data.
• Compile test results in presentations for review.
• Prepare and deliver presentations containing trade studies, design reviews, test readiness reviews, and test data reviews to teams of engineers and physicists.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a science field is required; mechanical engineering, electrical engineering or a related field, or an applied physics degree is preferred.
• At least 2years’ experience as an R&D engineer or test engineer designing, building, and commissioning complex electromechanical systems.
• Experience selecting and utilizing instrumentation and control components such as thermocouples, voltage and current sensors, oscilloscopes, pressure transducers, strain gauges, heaters, flow meters, fittings, and valves.
• Experience developing and executing test procedures.
• Proficiency with CAD design in Siemens NX or equivalent CAD software.
• Familiarity with electromagnetic fundamentals – voltage, current, resistance, Ohm’s law, AC/DC, right‑hand rule, solenoids, etc.
• Excellent troubleshooting and problem‑solving skills with great attention to detail.
• Experience developing and presenting comprehensive trade studies comparing the pros and cons of various technical approaches.
• Data reduction and analysis skills for generating anticipated results and processing generated data.
• Effective communication of technical topics to both technical and non‑technical audiences.
• High self‑motivation and a drive to execute quickly.
• Collaboration skills, including active listening and facilitating production discourse on problems.
• Willingness to challenge the status quo in search of better, more efficient methods.

Must‑Have Requirements

• Ability to occasionally lift up to 50lbs.
• Perform activities such as typing, climbing, standing, stooping, or sitting for extended periods.
• Willingness to occasionally travel or work required nights, weekends, and on‑call shifts.
• Comfortable working in a facility that contains industrial hazards including heat, cold, noise, fumes, strong magnets, lead (Pb), high voltage, high current, pressure systems, and cryogenics.

Bonus Points

• Experience with modeling/analysis software, especially ANSYS, COMSOL, and PLECS.
• Experience writing Python or MATLAB data tools for processing and analyzing data.
• Experience with high voltage and high current power equipment design and use – power supplies, water‑cooled cables, insulation.
• Experience debugging electronics hardware and test software.
• Experience with designing and commissioning new test facilities.
• Experience designing fluid systems – P&IDs, component selection, ASME design codes.
• Experience with cryogenic equipment design for use with liquid nitrogen and supercritical helium – vacuum jacketed equipment, cryocoolers, phase separators, cold traps.
• Experience with high vacuum equipment design and use – roughing pumps, turbopumps, ion gauges, residual gas analyzers.
• Experience developing or improving manufacturing processes and handing off processes to production teams.

Salary and Benefits

Salary range: $70,000–$120,000peryear (full‑time). The actual salary depends on level, location, qualifications, and experience. The range displayed on this posting reflects new‑hire salaries for the position across all U.S. locations.

• 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

Equal Employment Opportunity

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.