Head of Magnet, Vacuum and Cryogenics

We are looking for an experienced, world-class engineer and manager to form, inspire and lead the department of Magnet, Vacuum and Cryogenics (MVC) Engineering. The successful candidate will report directly to the CTO and work closely with the Heads of HTS film deposition, liquid metal R&D, fusion science and “Heat, Diagnostics and Balance-of-Plant”. He/she will deliver integrated systems consisting of vacuum vessels, HTS magnets and the associated cryogenic cooling. The systems, initially cylindrical, will be made compatible with LM operations at high temperature. We will then progress to toroidal geometry and fusion plasma operation. The Head of MVC will play a major role in first plasmas and seamless operation of a net-heat stellarator experiments and finally a net-electricity power-plant. He/she will also play a major role in non-fusion spin-offs deploying comparably strong, large and accurate magnets, vessels and cryostats - for medical imaging, energy storage and other fields.

Your main responsibilities will be:

Scientific leadership and activities

• Oversee and integrate all MVC activities, ensure the proper coordination of the teams.


• Monitor, coordinate and enable the on-time, on-budget, on-spec accomplishment of technical milestones, including the first integrated HTS-LM demonstrator, non-fusion and fusion magnets, experimental and commercial stellarators.


• Conduct conceptual and detailed design reviews of integrated systems consisting of vacuum vessels, HTS magnets and the associated cryogenic cooling.


• Design and lead experiments to de-risk MVC systems and test them to their limits.


• Occasionally contribute -in person- to tough design and modelling to lead by example and not lose contact with the lab.

Team management

• Form and lead the MVC department (group leaders, engineers and technicians).


• Be the ambassador of Renaissance Fusion's vision within your team, and promote its culture, values (speed, simplicity, fantastic realism, constructive interference and unified force) and policies.


• Encourage collaboration at all levels of the organization.


• Ensure that your team is motivated to achieve its objectives: set targets and follow them up with encouragement, support, feedback and responsibility.


• Ensure that employees are in the best position to achieve their objectives: listen to them, look after their well-being, make sure they have the appropriate tools and skills; fill the gap if necessary (recruitment, training, reorganization…).


• Take an active role in talent development: identify potential, determine areas and opportunities for development, encourage reflection on professional projects, propose training courses.


• Appoint, empower, inspire and coordinate the group-leaders. Train the group-leaders of tomorrow.


• Comply with and enforce the highest Health, Environment and Safety standards within her/his team. Ensure that the laboratory is a safe, clean, well-organized, pleasant workplace by controlling many hazards (magnetic fields, high electric currents, very high and low temperatures, gases and high-pressure liquids, etc.).

Scientific input to company strategy

In your field of expertise:

• Identify scientific needs, directions, priorities and goals in the short, medium and long term, to realize the company’s mission and vision of building and commercializing a stellarator power-plant and non-fusion spin-offs.


• Identify scientific risks and opportunities and spearhead the team efforts to address them.

You are the ideal profile if:

Education and professional experience

• PhD or Master’s degree + equivalent experience in electrical, industrial, mechanical or nuclear engineering, or closely related field.


• Management certification or equivalent experience of Team Management.


• 15+ years of experience in international labs or in the industry- in design, modeling, manufacturing, and testing in at least 3 of the following areas:


• Magnet technology


• Vacuum technology


• Structural engineering


• Cryogenics


• Heat transfer


• Experience in designing, purchasing, testing or using of one or more of these activities is a plus:


• HTS and/or Low Temperature Superconductivity (LTS)


• Permanent magnets


• Copper coils


• Vacuum pumps and other vacuum equipment


• Working fluids for heat extraction (water, supercritical CO2, liquid metals, etc.) and refrigeration (liquid N2, He gas, liquid He, etc.)


• Experience or familiarity with one or more of the following industries is a plus: energy, electricity, big science, particle accelerators, medical, metallurgy, innovative materials.


• 10+ publications in first-tier journals and 3+ invited or plenary talks at international conferences.


• 5+ patent families, as co-inventor. Leadership of your teams to exceptional patents.

Language requirements

• Fluent in English (C2).


• Knowledge (B2 or higher) of French is a plus.

Technical competencies

• Safety standards.


• Risks management in complex projects.


• Contract management.


• Modern CAD and simulation tools (multi-physics FEA, Monte Carlo, topology optimization etc.).


• Designing and contributing to the successful construction and operation of high-field magnets, vessels, cryostats and related systems.


• Detailed knowledge of material parameters at cryogenic temperatures and in high magnetic fields is a plus.


• Detailed knowledge of nuclear civil engineering, remote handling and waste management is a plus.

At Renaissance Fusion, we value diversity and are an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants equally for employment. We do not discriminate on the basis of origin; gender; morals, sexual orientation; sexual identity; age; marital status; pregnancy; genetic characteristics; actual or assumed membership or non-membership of an ethnic group, nation or race; political opinions; trade union or mutualist activities; religious beliefs; physical appearance; family name; place of residence; state of health; disability.

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Location: Grenoble, FR

Posted Date: 11/23/2024