Real Time Controls Engineer

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 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 over $2 billion in capital – more than any other fusion energy company in the U.S.

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 Real Time Controls Engineer

The Real Time Controls Engineer position will develop, test, and evaluate the real-time control algorithms for the SPARC tokamak control system, pioneering control solutions for a new industry of clean fusion power.  This position will develop control algorithms and architectures to control a 100 million degree plasma using powerful superconducting magnets, megawatts of radio frequency heating, and fuel injection systems with measurements from thousands of individual sensors, balancing the goals of high fusion power with protecting the machine from damage.  They will work alongside software engineers, physicists, and instrumentation teams to address this multidisciplinary challenge involving cutting edge control theory, simulation, plasma physics, software, and hardware.  We encourage candidates who have worked on similarly difficult problems in aerospace, aviation, automotive, and robotics to apply.

• Design, simulate, implement, debug, and test control algorithms for magnets, fueling, heating and other actuators on the SPARC tokamak
• Develop control-oriented models of the SPARC tokamak in collaboration with the physics team, tokamak operators, and the engineering design team
• Work with software engineers to implement, test, and calibrate control algorithms in simulation and in the tokamak
• Develop tools to evaluate the performance of the implemented control algorithms

• A bachelor’s degree in engineering or a closely related field
• Experience developing low-latency, high-reliability, fast (1kHz ) control systems
• Experience in linear systems analysis, stability, and classical controller design
• Experience with MIMO/state space control, optimal control, and state machines
• Experience developing control-oriented models for complex systems
• Comfortable working in a cutting-edge engineering space
• Strong communication and teamwork skills
• Experience with C/C
• Experience with Python

• Experience in developing control using high-dimensional sensor data or computer vision (e.g. 3D or 2D reconstructions from images, point clouds, or fluid dynamics)
• Experience with Kalman filters and/or model predictive control 
• Experience in motion planning and trajectory optimization

• Perform extended activities such as typing, standing, sitting, etc.
• Willingness to travel or work required nights/weekends/on-call regularly
• Work in a facility that contains industrial hazards including heat, cold, noise, fumes, strong magnets, lead (Pb), high voltage, high current, pressure systems, and cryogenics

#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.

Salary : $80,000 - $180,000