Principal Safety Engineer

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 working with policymakers and suppliers to build the energy industry of the future. 

We’re in the best position to make it happen. Since 2018, we’ve raised nearly $3 billion in capital, making us the largest and leading private 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 Principal Safety Engineer

We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated Principal Safety Engineer to join our team at CFS. The CFS Principal Safety Engineer will play a pivotal role in ensuring the safety of both the SPARC and future ARC projects; ambitious endeavors aimed at developing cutting-edge fusion power technology. In this role, you will be responsible for overseeing safety strategies, workflows, and practices for both projects, ensuring compliance with relevant codes, regulations, and industry standards. The CFS Principal Safety Engineer will collaborate with cross-functional teams, review and update safety guidance, support the definition of and response to major transients, and implement safety standards for various activities within the SPARC and ARC programs.

The Principal Safety Engineer provides technical support for engineering design, assembly, commissioning, and operations for the SPARC Project and future ARC Projects. Safety Engineer focus areas include, but are not limited to Equipment Safety, Process Safety, and Operational Safety. This role supports overall EHS initiatives.

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.

• Safe Design
• Provides technical support for safe engineering design, build, and operations of SPARC and ARC Ensures that safety is designed into systems and that controls are incorporated and remain effective through design changes
• Review and support updated guidance for redundancy, fault tolerance, and quality levels in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, with specific focus on the needs of safety critical systems
• Ensures that all design projects comply with regulatory requirements including, but not limited to, those promulgated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• Development of code compliance analyses and engineering design guides based on industry standard codes and guidelines, to the extent to which they are applicable
• Applies engineering concepts and methodologies to enhance the delivery of the SPARC and ARC Tokamaks by providing a technologically advanced, safe, and reliable environment
• Partake in and review risk assessments (HAZOP, FMECA, JHA, etc.)
• Able to evaluate information and provide opinion as to the safety of a concept or design
• Transfer lessons learned from the aforementioned work to the ARC project, staying up to date on relevant progress in the fusion regulatory landscape

• Safe Build and Operation of SPARC and ARC
• Ensures safe, reliable, and a precisely controlled assembly, commissioning, and operating environment through development and management of safety programs specific to SPARC and ARC projects
• Conducts incident investigations and liaises with engineers, management, and health and safety regulatory authorities to identify causes of accidents and prevent their recurrence
• Identifies and reviews hazard, risk and opportunities on an ongoing and proactive basis and ensure that appropriate follow up actions are being implemented
• Leads action plans by identifying potential emergency situations, creating emergency communication plans that address operation or business disruptions
• Review assembly and construction activities, commissioning and test readiness reviews, and operational plans and procedures with a focus on safety
• Collaborate with relevant engineering and operations teams and EHS to ensure adherence to defined safety standards and guidelines

• Cross-Functional Partnerships
• In collaboration with the EHS and Radiation Protection teams, implements and administers safety programs that protect employees and reduce risk
• Partners with Security to implement programs and technology that protect employees and assets
• Promote environmental, health and safety culture through training and education solutions related to environmental, health and safety issues, practices and risks and coach others as the need arises
• Coordinates site activities with regulatory agencies to verify compliance, resolve situations, and maintain a cooperative working relationship
• Support the development and implementation of a consistent system for tracking and closing engineering safety-related issues for the SPARC and ARC projects, working closely with the rest of the EHS team to ensure all issues are appropriately addressed

• Supervisory
• Works closely with a cross-functional team, providing guidance and supervision to team members involved in safety-related initiatives and compliance efforts within the SPARC and ARC projects
• Leads committee type discussions, working meetings, and implementation of project needs and actions

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering, Physics, or a related field
• 15+ years of progressive experience in a safety role, at least 5 of which were in a leadership position within a high-risk industry, preferably in the field of power or process plant development, or related areas
• In-depth knowledge of safety codes, regulations, and awareness of emerging industry standards
• Proven experience in defining and implementing safety strategies for complex engineering projects
• Strong analytical skills to conduct detailed gap analyses of industry standards and internal safety practices
• Strong analytical skills to evaluate existing safety practices and identify opportunities for improvement by benchmarking against emerging industry best practices
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams and external stakeholders
• Demonstrated leadership abilities, including the capacity to empower and motivate a team toward achieving safety-related objectives

• Knowledge of fusion or accelerator regulatory frameworks
• Experience in developing or managing a Process Safety Management (PSM) program at a facility or company is a plus
• Certification in relevant safety management programs (e.g., CSP, CIH, or equivalent) is a plus

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

#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.