Test Engineering Manager — HTS & Cryogenics Lead

U.S. Fusion Energy; Illinois; On-site; USD 145,000 - 185,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary: $145,000-$185,000

Health benefits

Equity stock options

20 days PTO

Job summary

Thea Energy seeks a Test Engineering Manager to lead verification and validation of superconducting magnets and other critical hardware. You will drive the test validation strategy and align test, manufacturing, mechanical, and physics teams to ensure robust hardware.

The role requires autonomy, mentoring, and cross-functional leadership to de-risk next-generation stellarator designs while maintaining safety and industry standards.

Qualifications

• 7–10+ years of hardware-centric test engineering in high-stakes environments such as fusion, aerospace, or superconducting magnets.
• BS or MS in Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics, or a related field.
• Proven track record of leading people and building out teams for verification and validation of integrated systems.

Responsibilities

• Develop and own test validation strategy, including milestones to qualify HTS magnets, cryogenic systems, and high vacuum components.
• Lead, mentor, and grow a team of engineers and technicians, emphasizing data integrity and first-principles problem solving.
• Oversee design and build of large, custom cryogenic and high-power test stands; coordinate test needs across projects.
• Analyze datasets to troubleshoot system-level failures; work with magnet, electrical, and controls teams.
• Manage vendors and external design/build/validation efforts to meet aggressive timelines.
• Establish commissioning, maintenance, calibration procedures and safety protocols for high-voltage, high-field, cryogenic environments.

Skills

Test engineering

Leadership

LabVIEW

Python

Cryogenic testing

Autonomy

Data analysis

Education

BS/MS in Electrical Engineering or related field

Tools

Cryogenic test equipment

Electromagnetic test equipment

Job description

Thea Energy seeks a Test Engineering Manager to lead verification and validation of superconducting magnets and other critical hardware. You will drive the test validation strategy and align test, manufacturing, mechanical, and physics teams to ensure robust hardware.

The role requires autonomy, mentoring, and cross-functional leadership to de-risk next-generation stellarator designs while maintaining safety and industry standards.