Senior Controls Engineer

Commonwealth Fusion Systems
Devens, MA
On-site

Who this role is best for

Aimed at senior controls engineers with 7+ years of experience in complex electro-mechanical systems who can provide technical leadership and mentorship.

Best fit for

  • Candidates with 7+ years of experience in complex electro-mechanical systems and a track record of leading technical projects
    — “7+ years' experience as a controls engineer on complex electro-mechanical systems”
  • Individuals who excel in independent problem-solving and can manage long-term assignments with minimal oversight
    — “operating with little direction from management”
  • Engineers with a background in creating modular, reusable system architectures for manufacturing and test equipment
    — “Create and approve robust system architectures and electrical schematics (compliant with NFPA79/NEC/UL508A standards) for manufacturing and test equipment”

Things to consider

  • The role requires physical capability to lift 50 lbs and work in environments with hazards like high voltage and cryogenics
    — “Dedication to safety to mitigate hazards that may include heat, cold, noise, fumes, strong magnets, lead, high voltage, and cryogenics”
  • Candidates must be prepared for occasional travel, nights, weekends, or on-call work
    — “Willingness to occasionally travel or work required nights/weekends/on-call”

How to stand out

  • Highlight prior experience leading root cause analyses and delivering long-term solutions to systemic failures
    — “Diagnose complex, systemic equipment failures on the production floor and independently lead formal root cause analyses (RCA) to deliver long-term solutions”
  • Demonstrate leadership in mentoring junior staff and cross-functional collaboration
    — “Regularly help onboard peer employees and formally mentor junior colleagues to support their professional growth and skill development”
  • Emphasize mastery of IEC 61131-3 languages and experience with safety systems compliant with ANSI/RIA R15.06 and OSHA standards
    — “Mastery of programming and troubleshooting automation controllers in all IEC 61131-3 designated languages”
  • Showcase ability to define technical requirements for external vendors and ensure compliance with industry standards
    — “Define technical requirements and documentation packages for external equipment vendors and integrators”
  • Demonstrate skills in creating maintainable, documented PLC structured text code for automation controllers
    — “Write and debug PLC structured text with an emphasis on code that is organized, documented, maintainable, and reusable”
Pace · SteadyCollaboration · MediumAutonomy · HighDecision Impact · Team

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

  • lead the initial equipment conceptual development
  • manage deployment through commissioning
  • diagnose complex, systemic equipment failures
Typical background
7+ years' experience as a controls engineer on complex electro-mechanical systems

Skills & requirements

Required

Controls EngineeringPLC ProgrammingSystem ArchitectureElectrical SchematicsRoot Cause AnalysisTechnical LeadershipMentorship

Preferred

Data-driven ApproachesModularity And Reuse

Stack & domain

Controls EngineeringAutomation ControllersPLC Structured TextTechnical LeadershipRoot Cause AnalysisData-driven ApproachesEngineeringManufacturingTechnology

About the role

Original posting from Commonwealth Fusion Systems via Lever

About Commonwealth Fusion Systems: 

Commonwealth Fusion Systems is on a mission to deliver the urgent transition to fusion energy.

Combining decades of research, top talent, and new technologies, we’re designing and building commercially viable fusion power plants. And we're working with policymakers, suppliers, and many others to build the energy industry of the future.

We’re in the best position to make it happen. Since 2018, we’ve raised $4 billion of capital, making us the largest and leading fusion company in the world.

Now we’re looking for more thinkers, doers, builders, and makers to join us. People who’ll bring new perspectives, solve tough problems, and thrive as part of a team. 

If that’s you and this role fits, we want to hear from you.

Join the power movement as a Senior Controls Engineer

As a Senior Controls Engineer, you are an expert in core functions and have a deep understanding of specific domains. You will take independent ownership of developing execution approaches for complex machine and process concepts, operating with little direction from management.

You will generate detailed work plans, define milestones for complex work, and define processes that impact the broader department. You will act as a technical leader, providing expertise for long-term assignments and mentoring junior engineering staff.

What you'll do::

  • Lead the initial equipment conceptual development while balancing product specifications, process control requirements, layout complexity, and lead time limits
  • Act as the Responsible Engineer (RE) for complex equipment assets or SCADA modules, independently managing deployment through commissioning and post-commissioning stabilization
  • Diagnose complex, systemic equipment failures on the production floor and independently lead formal root cause analyses (RCA) to deliver long-term solutions
  • Provide technical leadership on medium to long-term problems and share expertise outside of the immediate group
  • Create and approve robust system architectures and electrical schematics (compliant with NFPA79/NEC/UL508A standards) for manufacturing and test equipment, designed for modularity and reuse across future equipment
  • Write and debug PLC structured text with an emphasis on code that is organized, documented, maintainable, and reusable
  • Define technical requirements and documentation packages for external equipment vendors and integrators
  • Contribute to department policies, tool development, and the characterization of automated processes using data-driven approaches like Cpk and Gage R&R
  • Respectfully challenge and influence cross-functional peers to achieve alignment on the best path forward, leveraging data and rationale to support your point of view
  • Regularly help onboard peer employees and formally mentor junior colleagues to support their professional growth and skill development
  • Identify and mitigate low and medium risks while identifying larger risks and proposing solutions to management

What we're looking for::

  • Bachelor's degree in an engineering field is required
  • 7+ years' experience as a controls engineer on complex electro-mechanical systems
  • Mastery of programming and troubleshooting automation controllers in all IEC 61131-3 designated languages
  • Proven ability to apply sound reasoning and considerable judgment in ambiguous situations where decisions impact large portions of a project
  • Experience with control reliable safety systems (ANSI/RIA R15.06/OSHA compliant)
  • Expertise in enclosure design compliant with NFPA79/NEC/UL508A standards
  • A reliable and persistent work ethic, seeing tasks through to completion and staying determined in the face of uncertainty and failure
  • Familiarity with rotating machinery, cable winding, soldering, and/or pipe bending
  • Collaboration experience with job shops and external vendors
  • High self-motivation and drive to execute quickly with excellent troubleshooting and problem-solving skills
  • Demonstrated commitment to design for manufacturability, serviceability, and simplicity over complexity

Bonus points for::

  • Experience in Beckhoff and Siemens controls platforms
  • Experience in Ignition SCADA systems
  • Experience integrating equipment data into SCADA/data systems (e.g., IO-Link, MQTT)
  • Machine Vision experience
  • Greenfield or brownfield startup commissioning experience
  • Expertise with CAD drafting, specifically AutoCAD Electrical

Must-have requirements::

  • Ability to lift up to 50 lbs occasionally
  • Perform activities such as typing, standing, stooping, and sitting, for extended periods of time
  • Dedication to safety to mitigate hazards that may include heat, cold, noise, fumes, strong magnets, lead, high voltage, and cryogenics
  • Willingness to occasionally travel or work required nights/weekends/on-call

Compensation:

Salary range for this full-time position + equity + benefits. The actual salary will depend on level, location, qualifications, and experience. The range displayed on each job posting reflects new hire salaries for the position across all US locations.

Benefits include:

  • Competitive compensation with equity
  • 13 Company-wide Holidays
  • Flexible vacation days
  • 10 sick days
  • Generous parental leave policy
  • Health, dental, and vision insurance
  • 401(k) with employer matching
  • Professional growth opportunities
  • Team-building activities

#LI-Onsite

At CFS, we excel in fast-paced environments, driven by our values of integrity, execution, impact, and self-critique. As we grow, we’re eager to bring on mission-driven folks who offer diverse perspectives and fresh ways to tackle challenges.

We value diversity deeply and are proud to be an equal opportunity employer by choice. We consider all qualified applicants equally, regardless of race, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, protected veteran status, religion, physical or mental disability, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, or any other basis protected by law.

This role requires compliance with U.S. laws concerning the export of controlled or protected technologies or information (collectively, “Export Control Laws"). Any offer of employment will be contingent on the need for compliance with such Export Control Laws.

Source: Commonwealth Fusion Systems careers (Lever)

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