Commonwealth Fusion Systems

Develops high-temperature superconducting fusion magnets

Staff Computational Materials Scientist

Design EngineeringConfirmed live in the last 24 hours

Full-timeDevens, MA, USA$152k - $230k /yr

About the Job

Requirements

A background in Materials Science and Engineering, Applied Physics, Applied Mathematics, Physical Chemistry, Computer Science, or a related field.
At least 10 years of experience in experimental or computational materials science.
Experience using computational materials science and integrated computational materials engineering tools to answer scientific or engineering questions across length scales.
Experience implementing and/or authoring code to calculate and analyze material properties and microstructures.
Experience developing predictive models for material properties and microstructure evolution in extreme environments.
Experience validating models with experimental data or physical-mechanism bounds.
Understanding of process-structure-properties-performance principles and fundamental mechanisms responsible for property changes in extreme environments.
Understanding of underlying models for materials simulation methods across length scales, including atomistic modeling, molecular dynamics, density functional theory, Monte Carlo methods, phase-field methods, crystal plasticity, dislocation dynamics, computational thermodynamics, and finite element methods.
Knowledge of scientific computing, numerical algorithms, finite element methods, finite difference methods, finite volume methods, boundary element methods, eigenvalue, linear, and partial differential equation solvers, convex optimization, computational geometry, and advanced statistical methods.
Experience with high-performance computing, including distributed processing, message parsing interfaces, and GPU acceleration.
Understanding of sensitivity to uncertainty in the inputs and outputs of calculations or models.
Ability to work effectively cross-functionally.
Organizational skills, including prioritizing multiple concurrent projects.
Ability to break down complex problems into smaller deliverables that add value.
Ability to perform activities such as typing and sitting for extended periods.
Commitment to safety when working around industrial hazards, including heat, cold, noise, fumes, strong magnets, lead, high voltage, and cryogenics.
Willingness to travel or work occasional required nights, weekends, or on-call shifts; travel is less than 10%.

Responsibilities

Use and build computational toolsets, workflows, and methods to generate predicted material properties in extreme environments, including temperature, radiation, and magnetic fields, with uncertainty bounds informed by physical mechanisms.
Identify chemical and microstructural features that strongly affect material performance in extreme environments, and quantify those relationships for engineering optimization.
Inform experimental design for materials in extreme environments, including simultaneous corrosion, stress, and irradiation, as well as magnetic fields, electric fields, and high temperatures.
Collaborate with design and analysis engineers to develop material design-curve methodology capable of determining statistically significant minimum properties for tokamak applications, including low- and high-cycle fatigue, dielectric breakdown, and radiation effects.
Identify knowledge and experimental-capability gaps that can be addressed through simulation or model building.
Assist in benchmarking and creating metrics for material-property variability and sources of variability in manufacturing, fabrication, assembly, and processes.
Collaborate with other Materials and Processing engineers to create workflows for appropriate capture, storage, visualization, and analysis of materials-domain data.
Support the writing of material standard specifications.
Stay current with evolving technology and modeling techniques.

Desired Qualifications

Experience displaying complex quantitative data in a simple, intuitive format and presenting findings clearly and concisely.
Experience making and justifying decisions in fast-paced engineering settings.
Written and verbal communication with technical teams.
Ability to take under-defined problems and drive them to completion.
Experience operating in a flexible, service-oriented engineering domain team.

Salary Range: 152000 to 230000 (Currency: USD) (Pay period: per-year-salary)

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, suppliers, and many others to build the energy industry of the future.

We’re in the best position to make it happen. Since 2018, we’ve raised $4 billion of capital, making us the largest and leading 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.

Join the power movement as a Staff Computational Materials Scientist

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 Department is seeking a Computational Materials Scientist with expertise in process-structure-properties relationships, physics informed modeling, and materials in extreme environments. The ideal candidate would have a background in both computational materials simulation methods, and materials science and/or physical chemistry. The responsibilities will include physics-based modeling, synthetic data generation, and first-principles modeling and simulation to support development of CFS materials. They will collaborate with other engineers and subject matter experts to identify highest sensitivity parameters and prioritize experimental work for greatest impact to decreasing uncertainty

What you'll do:

Use and build computational toolsets, workflows, and methods to generate predicted material properties in extreme environments including temperature, radiation, and magnetic field with uncertainty bounds informed by physical mechanisms
Identify chemical and microstructural features that strongly impact material performance in extreme environments, and quantify the relationships for use in optimization for engineering application
Inform design of experiments for materials in extreme environments, including simultaneous corrosion, stress, and irradiation. As well as magnetic field, electric field, and high temperature
In collaboration with design and analysis engineers, develop material design curves methodology capable of determining statistically significant minimum properties for tokamak applications such as low and high cycle fatigue, dielectric breakdown, radiation effects
Identify gaps in knowledge and experimental capability which can be filled via simulation or model building
Assist in benchmarking and creating metrics for material property variability and sources of variability in manufacturing,fabrication, assembly, and processes
Collaborate with other M&P Engineers to create workflows to enable the appropriate capture, storage, data visualization and analysis of data generated within the materials domain
Support writing materials standard specifications
Stay current with the evolving technology and modeling techniques

What we’re looking for:

Materials Science and Engineering, Applied Physics, Applied Mathematics, Physical Chemistry, Computer Science or related field
Minimum of 10+ years experience in experimental or computational materials science
Experience using computational materials science tools and integrated computational materials engineering (ICME) tools to answer specific scientific or engineering questions across length scales
Implementation and/or authorship of codes for calculation and analyses of material properties and microstructures
Predictive models for material properties and microstructure evolution in extreme environments
Validation of models with experimental data or physical mechanism bounds
Understanding process-structure-properties-performance principles and fundamental mechanisms responsible for property changes in extreme environments
Understanding of the underlying models that enable materials simulation methods across length scales including; Atomistic, molecular dynamics, density functional theory, Monte Carlo, phase field, crystal plasticity, dislocation dynamics, and computational thermodynamics, finite element
Scientific computing, numerical algorithms, FEM, FD, FVM, BEM, eigen/linear/PDE solvers, convex optimization, computational geometry, advanced statistical methods
High-performance computing: distributed processing, message parsing interface, gpu acceleration
Understanding of the sensitivity to uncertainty in the inputs and outputs of those calculations or models
Demonstrated ability to work effectively cross-functionally
Excellent organizational skills including prioritization of multiple concurrent projects
Ability to break down complex problems into smaller deliverables that add value

Bonus points for:

Experience displaying complex quantitative data in a simple, intuitive format and presenting findings clearly and concisely
Experience making and justifying decisions in fast paced engineering settings
Written and verbal communication with technical teams
Taking under-defined problems and driving them to a state of completion
Operating in a flexible, service-oriented engineering domain team

Must-have Requirements:

Perform activities such as typing and 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, and cryogenics
Willingness to travel or work required nights/weekends/on-call occasionally. Travel less than 10%

Does your experience not meet all of our posted requirements? Studies have shown that some people are less likely to apply to positions unless they meet every listed requirement. We are committed to building a diverse, inclusive, flexible, and collaborative environment, so if you want to help us transition the world to clean and affordable electricity, and don’t meet all posted requirements for a particular role, we’d still love to hear from you. We can sometimes be flexible enough to shift responsibilities for the right person, or otherwise identify open or upcoming roles that may better fit your professional background.

#LI-Hybrid

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.

This role requires compliance with U.S. laws concerning the export of controlled or protected technologies or information (collectively, “Export Control Laws"). Any offer of employment will be contingent on the need for compliance with such Export Control Laws.

About the Company

Commonwealth Fusion Systems

Develops high-temperature superconducting fusion magnets

Commonwealth Fusion Systems builds fusion energy systems that aim to provide clean, affordable power. It designs tokamaks using high-temperature superconducting magnets to make smaller, less expensive machines. Its flagship SPARC is intended to produce net energy, with ARC envisioned as the first commercial fusion power plant. The company collaborates with MIT and focuses on a data-driven, mission-focused path to scalable fusion energy for large energy users.

Company size: 1,001-5,000
Company stage: Grant
Total funding: $4B
Headquarters: Harvard, MA
Founded: 2018

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