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.
The R&D Technical Program Manager will be responsible for overseeing one or more technical projects within the CFS R&D division. There are a wide range of projects within R&D, spanning all of the subsystems that make up fusion devices and superconducting magnet systems. Projects will be targeted towards SPARC, ARC, and application magnets.
This team member will:
- Manage a medium to large sized development, manufacturing, R&D, or Analysis program to maintain program objectives and hold overall schedules
- Own the test planning effort for the program to include test facility modification identification
- Work with CFS collaborators to ensure objectives and timelines are communicated and agreed upon. Ensure proper analysis is accomplished to predict testing results in a timely manner to inform the test and manufacturing programs.
- Coordinate cross department communication to maintain the master schedule for the program and to manage risk and mitigate it properly when the opportunity arises
- Ask the right questions of the technical team to ensure we are driving toward a test / test article that will maximize learning in a timely manner for future design efforts.
- Coordinate with the test facility to plan for data reduction and feedback on any testing results in a timely manner.
- Work with the Open Innovation department at CFS to leverage external government/industry/academia support for your program
- Coordinate within the R&D team for resources to support your program
- Act as a mentor to the R&D engineering team and impart best practices
- Work with procurement to ensure accurate/lean system level purchases that meet your programs timelines and keep the general cost / schedule / learning cycle moving
- Grow and lead a team of engineers through the management of and accomplishment of your project’s objectives
- Manage R&D engineering consultants associated with your program
- Manage relationships with external collaborators including but not limited to external testing facilities, MIT, other US government or international laboratories and facilities as might be required
The ideal candidate will have most, if not all, of these requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline (required)
- Graduate degree in an engineering discipline (preferred)
- At least 10 years of experience managing teams (required)
- At least 10 years of experience managing the development of technical projects (required)
- Experience using project/product management tools and tracking of projects or products (required)
- Experience in system-level design (required)
- Experience applying for and capturing government proposals, and the subsequent management of the effort with the government PM (preferred)
- Great communication and organizational skills (required)
- Resource estimation and projection (required)
- Strong time management skills (required)
- Self - motivation and autonomy (required)
- Experience with utilizing University, National Laboratory, and outsourced testing and research organizations (preferred)
Additional preferred experience and/or qualifications:
- Experience managing teams
- Experience using project/product management tools and tracking of projects or products
- A demonstrated history of participation in or leading the delivery of bespoke magnets, preferably superconducting
- May be working in a building where magnetic fields and cryogenics are present, and this individual should be willing to adhere to safety protocols for clear marked areas with fields or cryogenics
- #LI-Hybrid
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.
