RF Electronics Engineer
Commonwealth Fusion Systems · Devens, MA ·
- Work mode
- Onsite
- Employment
- Contract
- Category
- Hardware
- Experience
- 5+ years
- Salary
- USD 110,000 – 185,000 / year
Hands-on RF Electronics Engineer who designs, simulates, prototypes, and brings up custom control boards, precision power supplies, and sensing circuits for the >25MW, 120MHz high-power RF heating system of the SPARC tokamak. Core technologies: power electronics, PCB design (Altium), SPICE simulation, and high-power RF systems integration.
SPARC sustains fusion reactions by feeding >25MW of 120MHz RF power into the tokamak to heat the plasma to 100 million Kelvin. We need an RF Test Engineer to play a pivotal role in validating and testing the electronics and control systems that power the most ambitious RF plant in the world.
At this level, you are a hands-on executor and technical problem solver. You will be directly responsible for taking newly architected RF and power electronics from the benchtop to full-scale operation. Your day-to-day will span board-level bring-up, operating high-power RF transmitters, and integrating hardware with software controls to ensure SPARC achieves net energy.
For more information on the SPARC RF plant, see the SPARC journal papers here:
- Overview of the SPARC tokamak
- Physics basis for the ICRF system of the SPARC tokamak
What you'll do:
- 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, including software, RF, mechanical, and manufacturing engineers, to ensure your custom electronic designs integrate seamlessly into the broader system architecture
- Write comprehensive technical specifications for external vendors and internal matrix support 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 your designs transition flawlessly into the integrated RF system
What we’re looking for:
- Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a 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 geared toward 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
Bonus points for:
- Experience working with high voltage systems and in high voltage environments
- Background in requirements engineering, specifically decomposing high-level system requirements into actionable hardware specifications
- Direct experience working with RF systems, with a strong bonus for candidates who have worked on high-power RF heating systems
- Experience with thermal management techniques for densely packed, high-power printed circuit board assemblies
- Experience translating complex engineering needs into clear manufacturing specifications for contract manufacturers and cross-functional teams
- A strong systems-level understanding of modern high-performance embedded digital controllers and high-speed communications
Must-have Requirements:
- Ability to lift up to 50lbs
- Perform activities such as stooping, climbing, standing, typing or sitting for extended periods of time
- Willingness to travel or work required nights/weekends/on-call occasionally
- 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