Senior RF Systems Architect – High-Power Fusion Plant

Commonwealth Fusion Systems LLC; Harvard (MA); Sur place; USD 150 000 - 225 000; Plein temps

Avantages offerts par ce poste

Equity

Holidays

Flexible vacation

Sick days

Parental leave

Health insurance

401(k)

Professional growth

Team events

Résumé du poste

Commonwealth Fusion Systems seeks a Principal RF Systems Engineer to architect and hands-on develop the SPARC RF plant. You’ll steer the high-level technical direction while actively integrating high-power electronics, solid‑state amplification, and complex transmission networks to enable net energy from fusion.

You will lead end-to-end design, mentor engineers, and optimize power delivery and instrumentation in a demanding, mission-driven environment with cutting-edge fusion research.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Physics, or related field.
• 15+ years of hands-on experience in high-power RF systems or similar.
• Experience with EMI/EMC mitigation in extreme high-power, high-noise environments.

Responsabilités

• Shape end-to-end RF plant architecture for tokamaks and integrate RF sources, matching networks, and plasma load.
• Guide electronics integration with solid-state amplifiers and power supplies.
• Design and integrate RF signal detection, measurement circuits, and embedded controllers with central data systems.
• Lead high-power transmission component design, including large-diameter coax and impedance matching.
• Mentor junior engineers and provide hands-on troubleshooting and commissioning on the floor.

Connaissances

RF power handling

High-power RF

Embedded systems

System integration

Formation

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering/Physics

Master’s or Ph.D. preferred

Outils

Altium

CST/HFSS

Description du poste

About Commonwealth Fusion Systems:

Commonwealth Fusion Systems is on a mission to deliver the urgent transition to fusion energy.

Combining decades of research, top talent, and new technologies, we’re designing and building commercially viable fusion power plants. And we're working with policymakers, suppliers, and many others to build the energy industry of the future.

We’re in the best position to make it happen. Since 2018, we’ve raised $4 billion of capital, making us the largest and leading fusion company in the world.

Now we’re looking for more thinkers, doers, builders, and makers to join us. People who’ll bring new perspectives, solve tough problems, and thrive as part of a team.

If that’s you and this role fits, we want to hear from you.

Join the power movement as a Principal RF Systems Engineer

SPARC sustains fusion reactions by feeding >25MW of 120MHz RF power into the tokamak to heat the plasma to 100 million Kelvin. We need a Principal RF Systems Engineer to play a pivotal role in building the most powerful RF plant in the world.

At this level, you are a highly influential architect of the system. You will help drive the high-level technical direction while remaining deeply hands-on, taking a central role in the integration of high-power electronics, solid-state amplification, and complex transmission networks to ensure SPARC achieves net energy.

For more information on the SPARC RF plant, see the SPARC journal papers here:

• Overview of the SPARC tokamak
• Physics basis for the ICRF system of the SPARC tokamak

What you'll do:

• Shape System Architecture: Play a critical role in the end-to-end design and integration strategy for RF plants for tokamaks, collaborating with other senior engineers to ensure seamless interaction between RF sources, matching networks, and the dynamic plasma load
• Guide Solid-State & Electronics Integration: Act as a key driver in the architecture and design of the electronics ecosystems required to integrate massive, distributed RF systems, with a heavy emphasis on solid-state amplifier technology and associated power supplies
• Spearhead Instrumentation & Control (I&C): Take the initiative in designing and integrating advanced RF signal detection, measurement circuits, and embedded digital controllers that interface seamlessly with SPARC’s central data collection systems
• Tame High-Power Delivery: Serve as a central figure in the hands-on design, integration, and optimization of critical high-power transmission components, specifically large-diameter coax lines and dynamic impedance matching networks
• Hands-on Technical Mentorship: Act as a senior technical authority on the floor. You will be actively involved in commissioning equipment, troubleshooting the most complex system-level hardware discrepancies, and organically mentoring junior engineers to elevate the entire RF team's capabilities

What we’re looking for:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Physics, or a related field (Master’s or Ph.D. strongly preferred for this level)
• Experience: 15+ years of hands-on experience in high-power RF systems, radar, particle accelerators, or heavy industrial power electronics
• RF Fundamentals Expertise: Proven intuition for high-power RF environments, specifically hands-on experience measuring forward and reflected RF power, diagnosing RF arcs, and designing the timing and electronics to mitigate them
• Electronics & Design: Exceptional skills in RF circuit and electronics design (Altium or similar) specifically geared toward instrumentation, sensing, control, and system integration. Experience in EMI/EMC mitigation to ensure sensitive timing and RF detection circuits operate reliably within extreme high-power, high-noise environments
• Advanced Simulation: High proficiency in RF/Microwave simulation software (CST, HFSS, etc.) to validate architectural decisions before physical integration
• Cross-Disciplinary Fluency: A strong systems-level understanding of modern high-performance embedded digital controllers, high speed communications, and fundamentals of mechanical/thermal design to interface effectively with cross-functional teams

Must-have Requirements:

• Perform activities such as stooping, climbing, typing, standing, or sitting for extended periods of time
• Willingness to travel or work required nights/weekends/on-call occasionally
• Work in a facility that contains industrial hazards including heat, cold, noise, fumes, strong magnets, lead (Pb), high voltage, high current, pressure systems, and cryogenics

$172,000 - $260,000 a year

Salary range for this full-time position + equity + benefits.The actual salary will depend on level, location, qualifications, and experience. The range displayed on each job posting reflects new hire salaries for the position across all US locations.

Benefits include:

• 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

#LI-Onsite

At CFS, we excel in fast-paced environments, driven by our values of integrity, execution, impact, and self-critique. As we grow, we’re eager to bring on mission-driven folks who offer diverse perspectives and fresh ways to tackle challenges.

We value diversity deeply and are proud to be an equal opportunity employer by choice. 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.