Senior Integration Engineer - Nuclear Process

U.S. Fusion Energy; Illinois; On-site; USD 150,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary range $150,000-$180,000

Health benefits

Employee equity stock options

20 days PTO

Job summary

Thea Energy in New Jersey seeks a Senior Integration Engineer to define and integrate the process architecture for a first-of-a-kind fusion energy system. You will connect major plant systems, set interfaces, and translate the concept into a buildable system, drawing on nuclear and chemical engineering fundamentals.

Ideal candidates have 8+ years in regulated process systems, with experience in PFDs/P&IDs, system interfaces, and tritium/fuel-cycle knowledge.

Qualifications

• 8+ years in nuclear, fusion or regulated process systems.
• Experience developing PFDs, P&IDs, and process architectures.
• Ability to define system interfaces across disciplines.
• Familiarity with tritium processing or fusion fuel cycles is preferred.
• Knowledge of vacuum, gas handling or high-purity systems is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain PFDs and process architectures for nuclear and plant systems.
• Define system boundaries, interfaces, and operating conditions.
• Translate plant functions into system and subsystem requirements.
• Integrate fuel-cycle/tritium processing, vacuum, cooling and utilities.
• Participate in design reviews, FMEA/HAZOP and safety analyses.
• Support commissioning, integration, and operational readiness activities.

Skills

System integration

PFDs/P&IDs

Mass & energy balances

Cross-disciplinary collaboration

Nuclear safety

Tritium processing

Education

Bachelor's or advanced degree in Nuclear/Chemical/Mechanical Engineering or related

Job description

Senior Integration Engineer - Nuclear Process

Kearny, NJ

Technology – Engineering /

Full-time /

On-site

About Thea Energy

Thea Energy is leveraging recent breakthroughs in stellarator physics and engineering to create a faster and simpler approach to commercializing fusion energy. The company is reinventing the stellarator using computer-controlled arrays of planar coils thereby replacing the intricate, complex modular magnets required in all other stellarator architectures. Thea Energy is on a mission to create a limitless source of zero emission energy for a sustainable future.

Position Overview

We are looking for a Senior Integration Engineer - Nuclear Process to help define and integrate the process architecture of a first-of-a-kind fusion energy system. This role sits at the intersection of nuclear engineering, process engineering, and systems integration. You will develop process flows and system architecture connecting major plant systems, define system boundaries and interfaces, and work with engineering teams to translate the plant concept into an integrated, buildable system. The ideal candidate has strong process engineering fundamentals combined with nuclear systems experience, preferably in tritium processing and fusion fuel‑cycle systems.

We are looking for a systems thinker who naturally asks how the process works as a complete system and what every neighboring system needs from it. You are comfortable working from incomplete information, identifying gaps, and bringing engineers from different disciplines together to resolve them.

Key Responsibility Areas

Develop and maintain process flow diagrams (PFDs) and process architectures for nuclear and supporting plant systems.

• Develop system-level mass and energy balances and define major process streams and operating conditions.
• Establish system boundaries and identify, document, and manage interfaces between systems.
• Translate plant-level functions into system and subsystem requirements.
• Define process requirements for normal, startup, shutdown, maintenance, and abnormal operating modes.
• Integrate process systems including fuel-cycle/tritium processing, vacuum, cooling, heat transport, utilities, and other supporting systems.
• Work with mechanical, electrical, controls, nuclear, safety, and other engineering disciplines to resolve cross-functional technical issues.
• Support development of P&IDs, equipment specifications, process requirements, and interface control documentation.
• Identify process integration risks, dependencies, and opportunities for simplification.
• Participate in design reviews, FMEA/HAZOP activities, safety analyses, and technical risk assessments.
• Support control philosophies and operating strategies with controls and software engineers.
• Support system integration, commissioning, and operational readiness activities.
• Maintain configuration and technical consistency of process architecture as the design evolves.

Ideal Experience & Skillsets

• Bachelor's or advanced degree in Nuclear Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related discipline.
• 8+ years of relevant experience in nuclear, fusion, chemical/process, or other highly regulated process systems.
• Demonstrated experience developing PFDs, P&IDs, process architectures, and mass/energy balances.
• Experience defining system interfaces and working across multiple engineering disciplines.
• Experience with tritium processing, nuclear fuel‑cycle systems, isotope processing, or fusion fuel‑cycle systems strongly preferred.
• Experience with vacuum, gas handling, cryogenic, or high‑purity process systems is a plus.
• Familiarity with nuclear safety, configuration management, and formal engineering processes.
• Ability to work effectively in a dynamic, first‑of‑kind development environment.

Company Benefits

• Salary range $150,000-$180,000
• Comprehensive health benefits (e.g. medical/dental/vision)
• Employee equity stock options
• 20 days PTO

It’s not necessary to meet all of the skillsets outlined above. Please feel free to send us a note and tell us why you would still be a great fit for this role or Thea Energy.

Diversity And Inclusion

Thea Energy is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating a company of diverse backgrounds. By creating a diverse environment, we will bring new ideas and approaches to solving some of the world’s hardest (and most important) problems. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, family or marital status, age, disability, veteran’s status, or other characteristic protected by applicable laws and regulations.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.