Senior Opto-Mechanical Engineer

About Pacific Fusion 

Pacific Fusion was founded in 2023 with the mission to power the world with abundant, affordable, clean energy.We are rapidly designing and building a pulsed magnetic fusion system to achieve net facility gain (more fusion energy output than stored energy input). In parallel, we are developing the key components required to build affordable fusion systems.

Our plans are ambitious. We have raised over $900M so far from incredible investors, resourcing us to deliver on these plans. We are bringing together the best scientists, engineers, and operators from the fusion community, hard tech industry, and other sectors. We are united by a shared sense of urgency to provide clean power for the world, particularly managing climate change while meeting growing global energy demand. You can read more about us in this letter from our founders.

Pacific Fusion is pioneering advancements in pulsed magnetic nuclear fusion, and we are seeking a Senior Opto-Mechanical Engineer to join our Optical Diagnostics Group. This engineer will play a key role in the design, development, integration, and testing of advanced opto-mechanical systems that enable high-precision diagnostic measurements in extreme fusion environments.

Pacific Fusion is pioneering advancements in pulsed magnetic nuclear fusion, and we are seeking a Senior Opto-Mechanical Engineer to join our Optical Diagnostics Group. This engineer will play a key role in the design, development, integration, and testing of advanced opto-mechanical systems that enable high-precision diagnostic measurements in extreme fusion environments.

Responsibilities

• Design, model, and analyze opto-mechanical systems for high-energy plasma diagnostics, including optical sensors, imaging systems, and laser-based measurement tools.

• Develop robust and radiation-resistant optical systems capable of operating in high-temperature, high-magnetic-field, and high-vibration environments.

• Collaborate closely with physicists, engineers, and experimentalists to define optical system requirements for plasma diagnostics and high-speed imaging.

• Perform opto-mechanical simulations (thermal, structural, and optical) to optimize system performance under extreme conditions.

• Design precision optical mounts, beam delivery systems, and shielding to ensure optical integrity in a fusion reactor environment.

• Specify, prototype, and validate optical components, including lenses, mirrors, fiber-optics, and detectors, ensuring they meet stringent performance requirements.

• Utilize CAD and optical design software to create models, tolerances, and technical documentation for optical systems.

• Integrate optical diagnostics into the overall fusion reactor experimental setup, ensuring alignment with other diagnostic and engineering systems.

• Support design-for-manufacturing (DFM) efforts, including material selection for high-temperature, high-radiation conditions.

• Work with external vendors, suppliers, and internal teams to source and fabricate custom optical components.

• Develop and execute calibration and validation procedures for optical diagnostics, ensuring measurement accuracy and repeatability.

• Maintain and improve optical diagnostic systems for long-term fusion experiments, troubleshooting performance issues as they arise.

Required Qualifications

• Extensive experience in the Optical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, or related field.

• Strong background in opto-mechanical design for extreme environments, ideally in fusion energy, high-power lasers, plasma physics, aerospace, or similar high-energy physics fields.

• Expert-level proficiency in CAD software (Creo preferred) for opto-mechanical component and system design.

• Hands-on experience with optical metrology and alignment techniques, including interferometry, wavefront sensing, and high-precision positioning systems.

• Experience designing radiation-resistant and thermally stable optical systems.

• Knowledge of fiber-optic systems, laser diagnostics, and high-speed imaging sensors.

• Ability to work cross-functionally with physicists, electrical engineers, mechanical engineers, and experimentalists in a dynamic research setting.

• Experience with vibration isolation, thermal analysis, and structural FEA simulations for opto-mechanical systems is a plus.

• Familiarity with vacuum systems, cryogenics, and high-power laser optics is a plus.

Benefits:

• Industry-competitive salary

• Equity plan

• 6% employer 401k matching

• Generous paid time off (including sick leave, vacation, paid family leave)

• Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance