Production Manager

Commonwealth Fusion Systems

190

Devens, MA, United States

Posted on: 2025-07-14

Category: renewables

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Employment type:

Full time

Experience required:

Intermediate

Salary

Salary not provided

About the company:

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.

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 working with policymakers and suppliers to build the energy industry of the future.

We’re in the best position to make it happen. Since 2018, we’ve raised over $2 billion in capital – more than any other fusion energy company in the U.S.

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 Production Manager

The goal of the SPARC Diagnostics System is to make measurements to control the plasma in real-time and inform the day-to-day learning needed to inform the design of ARC. It is comprised of more than 50 independent sub-systems, based on principles and designs inherited from decades of fusion research. There are 10’s of thousands of individual parts, a mix of commercial-off-the-shelf and custom, with 100’s of unique sub-assembly builds that range in volumes from a few 1000 similar, serialized parts to one-of-a-kind assemblies. Delivery of the SPARC Diagnostics has been broken into three phases, ‘Buy’, ‘Make’ and ‘Use’. ‘Buy’ starts with ideation, then conceptual to final design, prototyping, vendor interaction, release to procurement and ends with parts in CFS Inventory. ‘Make’ takes parts from Inventory to be assembled into their final configuration, documented and calibrated as needed, and placed within their final resting place in the Tokamak Hall or Diagnostic Labs. ‘Use’ takes systems near end-to-end completion and conducts system commissioning, integration into real-time and plant-level control systems and executes day-to-day and on-going operational support for the instrumentation.

The Manager, Diagnostic Production is expected to provide team leadership as well as carry out responsibilities of an individual contributor on an as needed basis to lead the ‘Make’ phase for a large fraction of sub-assemblies. The role will evolve over the course of the final delivery of the SPARC project as different types of fusion diagnostics move into Production. This role is a unique opportunity to combine a creative, high-mix, low-volume manufacturing mindset with CFS’s existing fusion instrumentation expertise to help move fusion energy out of the laboratory and into an industrial setting. This Manager is envisioned to have the Primary Responsibilities listed below. Candidates will work as part of an integrated diagnostic team that includes MIT-PSFC partners and fusion community collaborators from around the world. Experience working on tokamak or fusion plasma diagnostics is not required and CFS strongly encourages applications from non-tokamak or non-fusion backgrounds that can help deliver SPARC’s diagnostic capabilities.

#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.

What you'll do:

Own process development to track manufacturing readiness across 100’s of unique sub-assembly builds. Provide reporting to the Diagnostics Leadership Team and SPARC Project Leadership

Individually and through leading a team of matrix’d support, complete the work required for each diagnostic sub-assembly to initiate production. Readiness is paced uniquely for different sub-systems by a mix of parts in Inventory, closing chits from design reviews, demonstration of custom tools and software, completion of process plans, finalization of BOMs, demonstration of processes through first article builds and availability of subject matter experts for quality assurance

Ensure that components leaving the ‘Make’ phase are of sufficient quality to meet the goals of SPARC. Identify, solve and/or escalate NCRs that would impact instrument performance

Balance ‘continuous improvement’ needed for higher volume production with quality and speed for one-of-a-kind builds

Provide input to Diagnostics Team on the accuracy and completeness of the delivery schedule

Proactively identify where planned Production schedules have a mis-match of expectation between Diagnostic ‘Buy’ Team and ‘Use’ Team

Work with Supply Chain Operations to ensure Inventory is moved in a timely manner to Production sites

Work with Technicians to ensure space is available and appropriate for Production of each sub-assembly

Provide feedback to the ‘Buy’ Team, ideally during final design close-out, to influence improvement to designs that can save time in Production without major impact to cost

Work with teams to ensure matrix’d support is sufficient and appropriate to complete Production goals. Note this may include non-CFS staff, especially for SMEs

Assist the Diagnostic Team Lead in managing budget and schedule risk, and communicate safety concerns Diagnostic Team

What we're looking for:

At least a bachelor’s degree in a relevant engineering field (manufacturing, mechanical or aerospace)

4+ years' experience as a manufacturing engineering manager in new manufacturing production launch / new facility startups

Experience taking products from R&D into production

Excellent time management and organizational skills and experience establishing guidelines in these areas for others

Experience with ERP/MES software for manufacturing processes and inventory control

Proficiency in work instruction writing, material planning, process mapping, and capacity modeling

Flexible thinking, including the ability to pivot and try new approaches when faced with challenges

An eagerness and innate curiosity to learn more about SPARC

Ability to direct staff accomplishing complex tasks where a full understanding is not possible

Be able to maintain productivity while also experiencing high-levels of context switching

Must-have requirements:

Ability to occasionally lift up to 50 lbs

Perform activities such as climbing, typing, standing, or 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, cryogenics, ionizing radiation and vacuum/pressure

Willingness to occasionally travel or work required nights/weekends/on-call

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