Lead R&D Engineer, Tritium-Breeding Blanket

The role

You will build and lead the development of the Stellaris tritium-breeding blanket from initial concept to first prototype tests. This involves owning the blanket design, remote-maintenance architecture, and compliance analysis while leading a multidisciplinary technical design team.

What you will do

• Own the blanket design from initial requirements through conceptual design, prototype manufacture and testing
• Own the integrated remote-maintenance architecture for each concept
• Own the compliance analysis across neutronics, thermal hydraulics, structural integrity, materials, tritium, decommissioning, safety and remote maintenance
• Lead the design, procurement, manufacture, instrumentation, commissioning and test campaign for rapid fail-fast prototypes
• Translate test results into updated models, requirements, risk assessments and design decisions
• Own and build the multidisciplinary, technical design team

Required qualifications

• Master's degree or higher in mechanical engineering, nuclear engineering, materials science, chemical engineering, physics or equivalent experience
• Led the development of complex nuclear, thermal, chemical or energy technology from conceptual design into hardware and testing under budget and time constraints
• Able to lead multidisciplinary trade studies without converging prematurely on a preferred solution
• Strong knowledge in several relevant domains, such as thermal hydraulics, structural mechanics, neutronics, nuclear materials, tritium systems, high-temperature coolants, corrosion, manufacturing or r
• Able to distinguish between analysis that enables a decision and analysis that merely adds detail
• Comfortable structuring and managing technical work with external institutes, industrial partners and specialist suppliers
• Willing to test critical assumptions early, learn from failure and stop weak development paths
• Able to make clear and defensible engineering decisions under uncertainty

Nice to have

• Experience with fusion blankets
• Experience with fission-reactor components
• Experience with breeder materials
• Experience with tritium systems
• Experience with remotely maintained nuclear equipment

About the company

Proxima Fusion is Europe’s fastest-growing fusion company and the continent’s best-funded fusion player, as well as the first spin-out from the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (IPP). They are developing the hardware and infrastructure needed to deliver the world’s first commercial stellarator fusion power plant.