Founding HTS Magnet Engineer

Company Description

Zephyr Fusion (YC F25) is pioneering the development of compact megawatt-class fusion reactors designed specifically for space. By leveraging high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnets and decreasing space launch costs, Zephyr Fusion harnesses the unique advantages of the space environment to create novel solutions for high-power applications. Zephyr Fusion aims to enable the industrialization of the space economy by building spacecraft power systems with orders of magnitude higher power densities vs. conventional satellite power systems.

Role Description

We are seeking a driven and innovative expert in High Temperature Superconducting (HTS) magnetic systems to own the full lifecycle of high performance hardware, from architecture through to test, integration, and launch. This role is a unique opportunity to lay the foundations of the HTS and magnetics engineering team here at Zephyr Fusion with a focus on designing and implementing advanced HTS systems that will fly in space. The role involves designing, characterizing, modeling, and testing such systems. You will play a pivotal role in bringing Zephyr Fusion's groundbreaking space technologies to life and collaborating with a multidisciplinary team to meet innovative engineering goals.

This is a full-time, on-site role located in Vista, CA

Due to ITAR and export control restrictions candidates must be US persons.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development of Zephyr’s high-temperature superconducting magnet program, spanning conductor evaluation, coil architecture, electromagnetic design, thermal integration, mechanical robustness, and quench behavior.
• Build and maintain advanced multi-physics modeling capabilities for superconducting systems, including coupled electromagnetic, thermal, and structural analysis across relevant operating regimes.
• Lead the design, fabrication, instrumentation, and testing of HTS prototypes and integrated magnet hardware, from early proof-of-concept systems through flight-oriented architectures.
• Collaborate closely with plasma physics, thermal, mechanical, power systems, and mission engineering teams to translate spacecraft-level requirements into practical magnet designs.
• Identify technical risks, guide design trade studies, and drive iterative development cycles that rapidly connect simulation, experiment, and hardware implementation.
• Help establish Zephyr’s long-term superconducting systems strategy, including manufacturing approaches, vendor relationships, test infrastructure, and scaling pathways toward operational systems.
• Contribute to the development of superconducting technologies intended for deployment in extreme environments, including vacuum, launch-constrained, and autonomous operating conditions.

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in superconducting systems, including HTS REBCO based systems, magnet engineering, applied electromagnetics, cryogenic engineering, or related disciplines.
• Proficiency with finite-element and multi-physics simulation environments such as COMSOL, ANSYS, or equivalent tools for nonlinear electromagnetic and thermal modeling.
• Demonstrated ability to integrate simulation and experiment, including designing validation campaigns, interpreting discrepancies, refining models, and iterating toward predictive engineering capability.
• Experience designing or evaluating superconducting structures subject to large Lorentz forces, cryogenic thermal contraction, and demanding operating environments.
• Strong technical communication skills and ability to work effectively across interdisciplinary engineering and scientific teams.
• Excitement about building superconducting systems for frontier applications where performance, mass, reliability, and first-principles engineering all matter simultaneously.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with fusion systems, accelerator magnets, pulsed-power systems, MRI/NMR magnets, or other high-field superconducting applications.
• Familiarity with cryogenic system design, cryocoolers, thermal shielding, vacuum systems, and cryogenic diagnostics.
• Experience with quench detection, protection, or fault-response systems for superconducting magnets.
• Exposure to aerospace, spacecraft, or other high-performance engineering environments with demanding reliability and mass constraints.
• Experience operating in fast-paced R&D or startup environments with rapidly evolving technical requirements.