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Commonwealth Fusion Systems is designing ARC, the world's first commercial fusion power plant. The Remote Maintenance System is critical to ARC's success, enabling periodic, fast, and reliable maintenance to be performed fully remotely through novel solutions in robotics, remote handling equipment (RHE), plant layout, manufacturing, and tokamak design.
As a Staff Mechanical Engineer on the Remote Maintenance team, you will develop ARC's maintenance scheme by designing remote handling equipment and collaborating with tokamak and plant engineering teams to ensure the power plant is maintainable. You will play a key role in ARC's pre-conceptual design phase, navigating complex multi-disciplinary problems involving physics, neutronics, thermo-fluids, structures, maintenance, manufacturing, assembly, and techno-economics.
Key responsibilities include:
- Lead the development and strategic execution of the ARC Remote Maintenance System operations
- Drive the conceptual design process, providing expert technical guidance to cross-functional teams
- Lead the design of radiation-hardened remote handling equipment, incorporating existing robotic technologies, custom hardware, and remotely operated heavy lift equipment
- Perform expert-level maintenance assessments of the tokamak and plant to shape ARC's remote maintainability
- Collaborate with tokamak engineering teams to design for remote maintainability and develop novel solutions for tokamak joints
- Perform high-level multi-disciplinary trade studies involving physics, mechanical, thermo-fluids, electrical, maintenance, materials, manufacturing, and techno-economics
- Lead multiple teams and manage projects to solve tough multi-disciplinary problems
- Define and own the R&D strategy for the ARC remote maintenance program
- Research established and cutting-edge remote handling solutions to influence strategic improvements
- Work with external RHE/robotics organizations to manage contracted work and collaborate on R&D
- Establish CFS's remote maintenance design principles and mentor junior and peer engineers
Requirements:
- B.S. in Structural, Mechanical, or Aerospace Engineering
- At least 10 years of mechanical engineering experience in design, fabrication, testing, operations, integration, and commissioning of complex mechanical structures (e.g., fusion, fission, aerospace, marine)
- At least 10 years of technical experience in the design of remote handling equipment using robotics or remotely operated precision mechanical structures (e.g., remote welding/cutting, manipulation, alignment, rescue, inspections)
- Proven track record of driving R&D campaigns of novel technology to increase TRL and unlock new design solutions in remote maintenance fields
- Deep expertise with standard actuation, guidance mechanisms, sensing, and structural mechanisms
- Expertise in structural analysis via hand calculations and finite element analysis (ANSYS preferred)
- Familiarity with CAD (NX preferred)
- Ability to effectively lead multidisciplinary teams of engineers, scientists, technical staff, and executives
- Ability to clearly communicate complex concepts to diverse audiences and build consensus
- Safety consciousness
- Ability to perform activities such as typing and sitting for extended periods
- Dedication to safety regarding industrial hazards (heat, cold, noise, fumes, strong magnets, lead, high voltage, cryogenics)
- Willingness to travel or work required nights/weekends/on-call occasionally (up to 15% travel expected)
Bonus qualifications include M.S. in Structural, Mechanical, or Aerospace Engineering; experience operating with near-complete independence on conceptual design of complex systems; experience with radiation-hardened equipment; mechatronics or applied robotics experience; rescue or decommissioning RHE experience; site layout design of remotely operated facilities; activated waste handling experience; remote cleanliness methods for UHV environments; industrial maintenance facility layout experience; familiarity with sensing, high power, controls, and fluid systems; ultra-high vacuum process familiarity; fault tree analysis experience; knowledge of fabrication methods; knowledge of engineering materials; CAD proficiency; self-driven and autonomous work style; data-driven decision making; end-to-end process experience; and ability to thrive in fast-paced, dynamic environments.
