Manager, Materials Mechanical Testing

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 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 nearly $3 billion in capital, making us the largest and leading private 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.

The Materials and Processing (M&P) Department at CFS supports design engineers, supply chain, and manufacturing by selecting materials, unambiguously defining materials and processing routes, validating and measuring those materials and their properties, and conducting R&D to develop new materials and processes to enable fusion power deployment. M&P at CFS is organized around three primary thrusts: engineering, test and characterization, and development programs.

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 mechanical loading in cryogenic conditions.

To support this mission, the CFS Materials Test and Characterization team in M&P is seeking a sub‑team lead for the growing group. The manager of the materials mechanical testing team will mentor, coordinate, and grow a team of 2‑5 materials test engineers in addition to serving as subject matter expert in mechanical testing of materials and structural testing of sub‑components in CFS projects.

• Mentor, coordinate, and line manage a small team of materials test engineers that conduct evaluation, testing and qualification of materials and components for structural and functional applications for CFS projects.
• Maintain and grow CFS cultural values of integrity, self‑critique, impact, and execution while supporting and growing team members.
• Serve as a subject matter expert and individual contributor in one or more of the following areas:
  • Mechanical testing of materials
  • Test design and development
  • Structural testing
  • Mechanical design for test fixture development
• Create educational resources, guidance documentation, and process flows for the team and broader department audience.
• Provide technical guidance to project team members to ensure efficient execution of design‑build‑test‑learn cycles and retirement of technical risks by translating performance requirements into material property specifications.
• Represent CFS Materials Test & Characterization in TRRs, design and manufacturing reviews.
• Report on team activities and successes.
• Ensure efficient and timely transfer of test data and new insights to engineering design teams.
• Promote a safety‑oriented work culture and comply with all CFS guidelines and policies.
• Work closely with other CFS teams including:
  • Safety team to manage chemical/mechanical/environmental hazards in existing and new tests being developed
  • Adjacent R&D teams to optimally share pooled resources including equipment and personnel
  • Supply chain team to procure new equipment and materials

• BS in Mechanical Engineering or related field + 3‑5 years experience with some technical lead responsibility.
• Experience with materials laboratory failure analysis.
• Experience conducting and understanding standard mechanical property testing.
• Experience conducting structural testing of assemblies and prototype components.
• Understanding of how materials properties impact performance.
• Design of experiments.
• Data analysis, interpretation, and visualization.
• Strong knowledge in CAD (NX, Solidworks, AutoCAD,…