Senior SRF Cryomodule Mechanical Engineer | Austin

Subcritical Systems Inc; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Job summary

Subcritical Systems, Inc in Austin, Texas leads the mechanical design of SRF cryomodules, aligning superconducting cavities at 2 K with precision and integrating thermal shields, vacuum systems, and supports. You will work with SRF, cryogenic, RF, vacuum, and manufacturing engineers to move from concept through cold testing and operation.

You’ll feed engineering judgment and test data into ATLAS, evaluating AI-assisted outputs before they reach fabrication, maintaining a proactive safety culture

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related; master's preferred.
• 4+ years in mechanical engineering on cryogenic, vacuum, or precision accelerator hardware, or 10+ years in broader engineering with relevant exposure.
• Knowledge of low-temperature heat transfer, thermal contraction, and cryogenic material properties.
• Ability to perform and interpret thermal, structural, and modal analyses (e.g., ANSYS, COMSOL).
• Hands-on precision assembly, alignment, and metrology (laser tracker, CMM).
• Ability to produce clear specifications, design reports, and procedures.

Responsibilities

• Own the cryomodule's mechanical design – vacuum vessel, thermal shields, cold-mass supports, and interconnects – from concept through detailed drawings.
• Perform and review thermal analyses to set static and dynamic heat-load budgets at 2 K, 4 K, and 40–80 K, and design shields, MLI, thermal intercepts, and supports to meet them.
• Participate in the 3D FEA characterizing device performance: modal frequencies, physical couplings, and vacuum systems.
• Define alignment requirements and methods for the cavity string, and verify component positions through assembly, cooldown, and transport.
• Develop cleanroom and cold-mass assembly procedures, tooling, and fixtures.
• Support cryomodule transport, cold testing, and operation while feeding measured heat loads, alignment, and performance data back into future designs.
• Translate validated models and test data into ATLAS, review its design outputs before they proceed to fabrication or testing, and promote a proactive safety culture.

Skills

Cryogenic design

Vacuum systems

Precision alignment

Metrology

Thermal analysis

Finite element analysis

Education

Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering

Master's degree preferred

Tools

ANSYS

COMSOL

CST / HFSS

LASER tracker / CMM

Job description

Subcritical Systems, Inc in Austin, Texas leads the mechanical design of SRF cryomodules, aligning superconducting cavities at 2 K with precision and integrating thermal shields, vacuum systems, and supports. You will work with SRF, cryogenic, RF, vacuum, and manufacturing engineers to move from concept through cold testing and operation.

You’ll feed engineering judgment and test data into ATLAS, evaluating AI-assisted outputs before they reach fabrication, maintaining a proactive safety culture