Divertor and Boundary Operations Lead

Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) has the fastest, lowest cost path to commercial fusion energy. 

CFS is collaborating with MIT to leverage decades of research combined with new groundbreaking high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnet technology. HTS magnets will enable compact fusion power plants that can be constructed faster and at lower cost. 

The mission is to deploy fusion power plants to meet global decarbonization goals as fast as possible. CFS has assembled a team of leaders in tough tech, fusion science, and manufacturing with a track record of rapid execution. Supported by the world’s leading investors, CFS is uniquely positioned to deliver limitless, clean, fusion power to combat climate change. 

If you are interested in joining our team, check out cfs.energy/careers for more information.

Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) has the fastest, lowest cost path to commercial fusion energy.

CFS collaborates with MIT to leverage decades of research combined with groundbreaking new high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnet technology. HTS magnets will enable compact fusion power plants that can be constructed faster and at lower cost. Our mission is to deploy these power plants to meet global decarbonization goals as fast as possible. To that end, CFS has assembled a team of leaders in tough tech, fusion science, and manufacturing with a track record of rapid execution. Supported by the world’s leading investors, CFS is uniquely positioned to deliver limitless, clean, fusion power to combat climate change. To implement this plan, we are looking to add dedicated people to the team who treat people well, improve our work by adding multifaceted perspectives and new ways of solving problems, have achieved outstanding results through a range of pursuits, and have skills and experience related to this role.

Generating net energy plasmas in the SPARC tokamak will involve a skilled team of physicists and engineers designing, building, and operating the tokamak and its many systems. Candidates will work as part of a combined physics and engineering team to support the final design of SPARC, as well as perform the calculations and develop the tools needed for plasma operations, with an emphasis on early campaigns.

The Divertor and Boundary Operations Lead will coordinate internal and external research, experimental planning, and modeling activities in the area of boundary physics to help maximize the operational reliability of SPARC and use it to demonstrate ARC relevant divertor regimes. While SPARC is being designed to allow for strike point sweeping to manage heat exhaust, it will be capable of studying fully detached plasmas in multiple divertor geometries, including the novel X-Point Target configuration. The candidate will use a combination of modeling/simulation and empirical knowledge to help inform early operational commissioning and experimental planning for SPARC. This would include evaluating the design of diagnostics systems from the perspective of their use in real-time detachment control algorithms and studying ARC-relevant boundary physics; working with the Tokamak Operations team to develop potential integrated scenarios; and coordinating these activities with a broader set of SPARC boundary physics collaborators.

The candidate will be a key member of the team that operates SPARC, assisting with the development of the software and procedures for monitoring the integrity of plasma facing components, participating in the execution of early campaigns, and leading Advanced Divertor Mission experiments.

CFS team members thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and have demonstrated exceptional results through a range of different pursuits. We all tightly align with our company values of integrity, execution, impact and self-critique. As we grow, we are looking to add talented people who are mission driven and bring diverse perspectives and new ways of solving problems.

At CFS, we deeply value diversity and are an equal opportunity employer by choice. We consider all qualified applicants equally for employment. We do not discriminate on the basis 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, ordinance, or regulation.