Staff Materials Engineer - Metallurgical Engineering

Cfsenergy; Harvard (MA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Commonwealth Fusion Systems is seeking a Senior Materials Engineer specializing in metals and alloys to enable fusion power deployment. You will translate performance needs into verifiable material properties, collaborate across design and manufacturing, and lead development when standard materials fall short.

The role emphasizes scaling metal design from R&D to production, working in a multidisciplinary team, and contributing to cryogenic and high-temperature environments relevant to fusion

Qualifications

• Master’s degree with post-graduate experience in metallurgy, materials science, or a related discipline.
• Depending on experience, a bachelor’s degree will also be considered for this role.

Responsibilities

• Translate performance requirements into verifiable material-property specs for manufacturing.
• Identify materials and processes enabling high-volume manufacturing under demanding conditions.
• Select and interpret international materials standards and write materials specifications.
• Lead materials development projects when off-the-shelf materials do not suffice.
• Collaborate with design, supply chain, and manufacturing to approve materials and methods.
• Provide SME support for root-cause analyses involving materials.
• Review and report materials data in version-controlled databases.

Skills

Metallurgy

Materials science

Metals and alloys

Cryogenic materials

Education

Master's degree in metallurgy or materials science

Bachelor's degree considered for related experience

Job description

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 Staff Materials Engineer - Metallurgical Engineering

The Materials Department at CFS supports design engineers, supply chain, and manufacturing by selecting materials, unambiguously defining materials and their properties, validating and measuring those materials and their properties, and conducting R&D to develop new materials and processes to enable fusion power deployment. The work is undertaken in support of delivering SPARC, the net energy tokamak under construction in Devens, MA, and ultimately in designing the ARC fusion power plant. These devices pose unique materials challenges including neutron fluxes produced by deuterium-tritium fusion, high heat loads, molten salt coolant systems, complex component topologies, high magnetic fields, and high cryogenic mechanical loads. To support this mission, the CFS Materials Department is seeking a Senior Materials Engineer with expertise in metals and alloys in both R&D and production environments.

• Translate component and system performance requirements and failure modes into verifiable critical material property requirements under manufacturing-relevant conditions, and define appropriate test methods to measure and validate those properties
• Identify materials and processes that enable the high-volume manufacturing of structures and systems under demanding operating conditions, with a focus on manufacturability, scalability, and cost consciousness
• Select and interpret applicable international materials standards and specifications, and author materials specifications for fusion-specific applications
• Serve as a technical lead for materials development projects when commercially available materials do not meet application requirements
• Collaborate with design, supply chain, and manufacturing engineers to select, approve, and qualify materials and processing methods
• Provide on-demand subject matter expertise for production root cause analyses and corrective action plans involving raw or as-fabricated materials
• Review, interpret, and report materials property data in version-controlled databases for engineering use

• Master’s degree with post-graduate experience in metallurgy, materials science, or a related discipline. Depending on experience and qualification, a bachelor’s degree will also be considered
• Minimum of 10+ years experience
• Experience with large-scale metal production processes, such as casting, forging, rolling, and drawing, and/or large-scale joining processes, such as soldering
• Experience collaborating and communicating effectively with technical teams at vendors and suppliers
• Familiarity with scaling metal and alloy design and development from R&D to full-scale products.
• Strong understanding of process–structure–properties–performance relationships in materials.
• Knowledge of materials behavior in cryogenic and high-temperature applications, and the effects of nuclear and plasma environments is a plus
• Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to approach new and under-defined problems with creativity.
• Experience with agile project management and effective task execution
• Ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary team of engineers, scientists, technical staff, and other stakeholders
• Ability to operate effectively within a flexible, service-oriented engineering organization
• Demonstrated success in delivering new alloys or materials processes from design and development through at-scale implementation
• Experience authoring materials standards and specifications
• Experience communicating materials design and development approaches, results, and performance metrics to both technical and executive leadership
• Demonstrated ability to make and justify materials and engineering decisions in fast-paced development and production environments
• Demonstrated ability to take under-defined problems and drive them to completion
• Perform activities such as typing and sitting for extended periods of time
• Dedication to safety to mitigate industrial hazards that may include heat, cold, noise, fumes, strong magnets, lead (Pb), high voltage, and cryogenics
• Willingness to travel or work required nights/weekends/on-call occasionally. Travel less than 10%

#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.