Director - HTS Magnet Engineering

About Thea Energy:

Thea Energy is leveraging recent breakthroughs in stellarator physics and engineering to create a faster and simpler approach to commercializing fusion energy. The company is reinventing the stellarator using computer-controlled arrays of planar coils thereby replacing the intricate, complex modular magnets required in all other stellarator architectures. Thea Energy is on a mission to create a limitless source of zero emission energy for a sustainable future.  

Position Overview:

Thea Energy is seeking a Director - HTS Magnet Engineering to provide strategic and technical leadership over the design, build, and test of high temperature superconducting (“HTS”) magnets — the foundational component of Thea Energy’s planar coil stellarator. This role owns the magnet engineering roadmap end-to-end, manages engineering managers and cross-functional workstreams, and partners with executive leadership to align magnet development with company-wide program milestones. The Director will build organizational capability as the team scales rapidly, own key vendor and supply chain relationships, and represent magnet engineering in front of investors, partners, and technical stakeholders.

Key Responsibility Areas:

Own the strategy, roadmap, and execution of the HTS magnet engineering program in alignment with company-wide fusion system milestones for Eos and Helios planar coil stellarator systems

Ensure the magnet product roadmap drives synergy in our technology decisions between Eos and our powerplant Helios

Lead, develop, and scale a multi-level organization of engineering managers, engineers, and analysts

Decompose and develop magnet specifications and technical requirements based on overall system design and performance goals of Eos

Provide senior technical oversight of Multiphysics analyses, design tooling, and data infrastructure supporting magnet development for the Eos magnet systems

Drive design-for-manufacturing strategy and oversee transition from first builds to scalable production

Own key vendor and supplier relationships for magnet hardware, negotiating quotes and ensuring delivery against qualification requirements

Direct tooling, manufacturing, and test infrastructure investments needed to support the magnet program

Define and oversee execution of the magnet testing strategy, including qualification and reliability testing

Own program-level tracking and reporting of progress, risk, budget, and milestones to executive leadership

Represent magnet engineering to internal stakeholders, investors, external partners, and the broader fusion community

Partner with adjacent engineering, physics, and operations teams to ensure magnet development is integrated with overall stellarator design

Ideal Experience & Skillsets:

10+ years of engineering experience with magnets, cryogenics, vacuum systems, or transformer design, including significant experience leading engineering organizations

Track record of managing and developing engineering managers and multi-disciplinary technical teams

Deep technical fluency in CAD (Solidworks, CATIA, NX) and Multiphysics simulation (Ansys, COMSOL), sufficient to review and challenge team analyses

Experience owning vendor and supply chain relationships for complex, custom hardware, including machining, welding, and fabrication

Strong strategic thinking with the ability to translate system-level performance goals into an executable engineering roadmap

Demonstrated ability to build and scale engineering organizations in a fast-paced, rapidly changing environment

Comfortable setting aggressive deadlines and driving accountability across multiple teams and workstreams

Exceptional communication skills, with experience presenting to executives, investors, or external partners

Innate desire to learn, innovate, and critique ideas — including one’s own and the organization’s

At least a bachelor’s degree in physics, computer science, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, materials engineering, or a related field; advanced degree strongly preferred

Experience with magnetic confinement fusion, aerospace, medical devices, or other highly technical, regulated industries is preferred

Company Benefits:

Salary range $215,000-$250,000

Comprehensive health benefits (e.g. medical/dental/vision)

Employee equity stock options

20 days PTO

Requirements:

Ability to occasionally lift up to 50 lbs.

Ability to perform activities such as typing, standing, or sitting for extended periods of time.

Willingness to occasionally travel or work required nights/weekends/on-call.

Ability to work in a facility that contains industrial hazards including heat, cold, noise, fumes, strong magnets, high voltage, high current, pressure systems, and cryogenics.

It’s not necessary to meet all of the skillsets outlined above. Please feel free to send us a note and tell us why you would still be a great fit for this role or Thea Energy.  

Diversity and Inclusion:

Thea Energy is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating a company of diverse backgrounds. By creating a diverse environment, we will bring new ideas and approaches to solving some of the world’s hardest (and most important) problems. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, family or marital status, age, disability, veteran’s status, or other characteristic protected by applicable laws and regulations.