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Commonwealth Fusion Systems is seeking an RF Electronics Engineer to play a pivotal role in validating and testing the electronics and control systems for SPARC, their fusion power plant project. SPARC sustains fusion reactions by feeding >25MW of 120MHz RF power into the tokamak to heat plasma to 100 million Kelvin.
In this hands-on role, you will be directly responsible for taking newly architected RF and power electronics from benchtop to full-scale operation. Your day-to-day work will span board-level bring-up, operating high-power RF transmitters, and integrating hardware with software controls to ensure SPARC achieves net energy.
Key responsibilities include:
- Architect and design custom control boards, precision power supplies, and sensing circuits required to drive distributed, high-power solid-state RF amplifiers
- Partner closely with cross-functional teams (software, RF, mechanical, manufacturing) to ensure custom electronic designs integrate seamlessly into the broader system architecture
- Write comprehensive technical specifications for external vendors and internal teams to ensure manufactured components meet stringent requirements
- Perform advanced simulation and modeling of electronic circuits and power systems to validate performance
- Physically assemble and bring up initial prototypes on the bench, ensuring designs transition flawlessly into the integrated RF system
You will work in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment at Commonwealth Fusion Systems, the world's largest and leading fusion company (raised $4B since 2018). The role requires compliance with U.S. export control laws.
REQUIREMENTS:
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or related field
- 5+ years of hands-on experience designing power electronics, control boards, or RF support circuitry
- Hands-on experience using circuit simulation software (e.g., SPICE) to model and validate circuit designs
- Exceptional PCB design skills utilizing Altium or similar software, specifically for instrumentation, sensing, power supplies, and control systems
- High proficiency in modeling tools to validate electronics architecture and mitigate EMI/EMC issues in high-power, high-noise environments
- Ability to lift up to 50 lbs
- Ability to perform activities such as stooping, climbing, standing, typing, or sitting for extended periods
- Willingness to travel or work required nights/weekends/on-call occasionally
- Ability to work in a facility with industrial hazards (heat, cold, noise, fumes, strong magnets, lead, high voltage, high current, pressure systems, cryogenics)
BONUS QUALIFICATIONS:
- Experience with high voltage systems and environments
- Background in requirements engineering, decomposing high-level system requirements into actionable hardware specifications
- Direct experience with RF systems, especially high-power RF heating systems
- Experience with thermal management for densely packed, high-power PCB assemblies
- Experience translating complex engineering needs into clear manufacturing specifications
- Strong systems-level understanding of modern high-performance embedded digital controllers and high-speed communications
