Staff Mechanical Engineer, Vacuum Systems

Tackle complex vacuum engineering challenges at the forefront of fusion technology and help build systems that have never existed before.

The Staff Mechanical Engineer, Vacuum Systems will work closely with Realta’s engineering and scientific teams to provide technical leadership, engineering expertise, and critical design input that advances Realta’s technology development roadmap. This individual will play a key role in the design, development, and execution of Hammir-DD, Realta’s reactor-scale tandem magnetic mirror and development platform ahead of Realta's first-of-a-kind fusion pilot plant. They will be expected to drive complex engineering initiatives, mentor junior engineers, and contribute to strategic decisions that support the commercialization of fusion energy.

Realta Fusion is a rapidly growing start-up developing compact magnetic mirror fusion energy systems to address the biggest challenge of our time –tackling global climate change while ensuring a sufficient energy supply for at least ten billion people on (and off) earth. We are building a team with diverse talents dedicated to making fusion energy a real solution to humanity’s most pressing problem.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with both physicists and scientists, as well as engineers and technical support staff, to develop technologies for novel vacuum systems requiring innovative designs and critical high-level analysis.
• Design and model complex ultra-high vacuum (UHV) pumping technologies, diagnostics, in-situ high temperature bakeout, sealing strategies, and vacuum vessels.
• Establish UHV best practices, design vacuum cleaning and handling laboratories, and mentor staff in UHV principles, contamination control, and leak detection.
• Design, build, and operate UHV test stands to validate both established and emerging vacuum technologies against stringent performance requirements.
• Research, select, and occasionally test UHV-compatible materials (e.g., low-outgassing metals, specific elastomers/metals for seals), specify cleaning protocols, and define bakeout and pump down sequences.
• Lead efforts involving general mechanical-system design, mechanical stress analysis, thermal analysis, and fatigue analysis.
• Interface with facilities and assist in the specification, design, and construction of a greenfield cryoplant and associated gas delivery systems.
• Conduct formal design reviews, generate technical documentation, and respond to questions concerning engineering design and operation.
• Work with vendors and internal resources to fabricate, assemble, test, and validate components and systems.
• Communication: Synthesize and present technical work internally and externally, communicate daily with project teams and leadership to support programmatic needs.
• Safety: Contribute to the establishment of company safety standards and lead implementation of these standards within R&D and Engineering team.
• Culture and Values: Foster a positive and inclusive work environment that aligns with the company's mission, values, and sustainability goals, promoting innovation, collaboration, and employee engagement.

Required Qualifications

1. Education: BS in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field, plus 8+ years’ work experience
2. Extensive experience and expertise in 3D CAD design with current CAD software tools (SolidWorks, NX, Creo, etc.) and familiar with PDM
3. Demonstrated understanding of pressure vessel design, structural analysis, heat transfer, and thermal analysis, and the ability to leverage FEA tools such as ANSYS or COMSOL to solve engineering problems
4. Deep expertise of vacuum pump technologies (ion, turbomolecular, scroll, diffusion, cryogenically cooled panels, getters, etc…) and sealing and bakeout techniques for large vacuum chambers
5. Highly proficient in vacuum conductance and pump down modelling and optimization using tools such as MolFlow, VacTran, hand calculations, or other
6. Substantial technical experience with advanced knowledge and judgement in most of the following areas:
   • Design, commissioning, and operation of ultra-high vacuum systems and parts compatible with vacuum environments
   • Welding, machining, and mechanical assembly processes and techniques
   • Project management abilities defined as the ability to control scope, cost, and schedule
   • Metrology, inspection, quality control, and test methods related to manufacturing using CMMs, laser trackers, FARO arms, or other test equipment
7. Demonstrated ability to supervise and safely direct activities of small teams of technical personnel
8. Ability to interact and communicate efficiently with researchers, engineers, designers, machinists, and technicians to provide a high level of customer service
9. GD&T and P&ID proficiency within ASME standards
10. Collaboration: Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills (written, verbal, public presentation) to collaborate effectively with colleagues, external partners, and stakeholders

Preference will be given to candidates with:

• Master’s Degree or higher in Mechanical Engineering or related field
• Professional Engineering (PE) license
• Direct experience with cryogenic systems for ultra-high vacuum applications
• Strong interest in exploring emerging vacuum technologies such as NEG, combination pumps, magnetic-field resistant gauges, and others
• Experience in designing for and working within radiation environments
• Experience with high-voltage systems, megawatt-scale heating and cooling systems, and specialty materials for fusion or particle accelerator applications
• Experience with nuclear Commercial-Grade Dedication (CGD) or related standards

Compensation and Benefits

What we are working on is hard… and hugely important. Realta Fusion is assembling a talented team bound together by a passion to solve humanity’s biggest challenge with first-of-a-kind technology. Additionally, Realta offers:

• Competitive compensation package, including equity stock options
• Comprehensive benefits including health, dental, and vision insurance, plus a retirement savings plan
• Flexible paid time off (PTO) to support work-life balance
• Work and live in Madison, Wisconsin — one of America’s most livable and vibrant cities

We value diversity as a critical factor in innovation and believe a diverse team is necessary to solve the toughest problems. We aim to create an inclusive environment that unleashes the full creativity of our team members from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. We provide equal employment opportunities to all individuals based on merit and without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable laws.