Director - Control, Instrumentation, and Diagnostics; CID Systems

About Thea Energy:

Thea Energy is leveraging recent breakthroughs in stellarator physics and engineering to create a faster and simpler approach to commercializing fusion energy. The company is reinventing the stellarator using computer-controlled arrays of planar coils thereby replacing the intricate, complex modular magnets required in all other stellarator architectures. Thea Energy is on a mission to create a limitless source of zero emission energy for a sustainable future.

Thea Energy is seeking a Director - Control, Instrumentation and Diagnostics (CID) Systems to lead CID system design and execution for the company’s upcoming Eos integrated stellarator. This leader will manage and grow three tightly coupled engineering groups:

• Control Systems (Eos control system architecture and integration, including fast data acquisition, PLC automation, Safety and Interlock Systems)
• Instrumentation Systems (instrumentation backbone across the facility, including sensors, signal architecture, wiring, grounding, shielding, tagging, and commissioning practices)
• Diagnostics Systems (plasma diagnostics control and acquisition, including real time DAQ, timing and synchronization, and low latency data pipelines for plasma control)

This role will own the end-to-end delivery of CID systems from architecture and requirements through detailed design, prototyping, vendor engagement, test, installation support, and commissioning readiness. The Director will serve as a key cross-functional partner to systems engineering, controls and software, mechanical engineering, safety, and program management, ensuring electrical designs are buildable, testable, safe, and integrated.

As part of a rapidly growing team, you’ll be part of the organizational build-up of a leading fusion energy company. This role will have a high degree of autonomy and must be able to move quickly. The Thea Energy team is comprised of self-motivated, creative, and fun individuals with an excitement for solving complex problems.

• Lead and mentor a multi-disciplinary organization spanning control systems, instrumentation, diagnostics acquisition, embedded software, and real time integration, including hiring, performance management, career development, and team structure.
• Establish engineering operating rhythm: planning, prioritization, technical reviews, staffing plans, and decision-making processes.
• Set technical direction and ensure consistent engineering quality across requirements, architecture, implementation, verification, and documentation.
• Own the Eos CID architecture, including functional, physical, communications, timing, and data flow boundaries across fast DAQ, supervisory control, PLC automation, safety interlocks, and diagnostics acquisition.
• Lead technology selection for real time control, SCADA, networking, timing, and data management, and ensure consistency across integration protocols and data interfaces.
• Own the technical interface to external vendors and collaborators providing controls hardware, diagnostics hardware, and instrumentation deliverables, including technical specifications, design reviews, and acceptance participation.
• Oversee development and integration of the Eos control system across major subsystems, ensuring deterministic behavior, fault handling, and operational sequencing.
• Own Safety and Interlock System philosophy, including safety class logic where required, participation in hazard analyses, and alignment to functional safety practices and standards.
• Own instrumentation architecture across the facility: sensor selection, signal types, isolation strategy, signal conditioning, grounding, shielding, and segregation practices for noisy, high power environments.
• Oversee diagnostic acquisition architecture end to end, from front end sensors and conditioning through digitizers, FPGA processing, data streaming, and archiving in support of plasma operations and feedback control.
• Partner with systems engineering to translate device requirements into CID requirements, interface definitions, and verification plans.
• Run evidence based technical gates and design reviews, with clear entry and exit criteria and configuration control.
• Own delivery artifacts such as requirements, interface control documents, design packages, test plans, and acceptance evidence to support procurement, installation, and commissioning.
• Maintain a strong safety culture including machine protection thinking, hazard analysis inputs, and design choices that support safe installation and operations.
• Provide hands on leadership in lab and field environments, coordinating with technicians and test teams for build, wiring, installation support, and debug.

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Electrical Engineering, Controls, Computer Science, Physics, or equivalent.
• 10 or more years of relevant experience spanning two or more of the following: integrated control systems, industrial automation, fast data acquisition,…