Thea Energy
Director - Diagnostics
$160K–$240K
Kearny, NJ · On-site · Director · Full-time · Posted Jun 16, 2026
- Experience
- 8+ years; experience on stellarators or tokamaks.
- Education
- Ph.D. in Plasma Physics, Nuclear Engineering, Optical Engineering, or a closely related technical field.
About the job
Leads the strategy, design, integration, and operation of plasma diagnostics for Thea Energy’s fusion systems, providing data for physics validation, machine protection, and real-time control.
What you'll do
- Define the diagnostics roadmap and lead a multidisciplinary diagnostics team, including budget, vendor, and procurement management.
- Oversee design and integration of plasma diagnostic systems within the planar coil stellarator architecture.
- Collaborate with software and AI teams and coordinate diagnostics partnerships with national laboratories and academic institutions.
What they ask for
- Ph.D. in Plasma Physics, Nuclear Engineering, Optical Engineering, or a closely related technical field.
- 8+ years of hands-on experience designing, building, and operating advanced plasma diagnostics on magnetic confinement fusion devices.
- Experience managing engineering or scientific teams, technical budgets, and project schedules.
- Deep expertise in multiple diagnostic modalities, including electromagnetic sensors and optical systems, and high-vacuum/high-radiation environment design.
Pay
$160,000-$240,000 USD base salary
Tools
interferometry / reflectometry, Thomson scattering, magnetics, spectroscopy, neutron / X-ray diagnostics, magnetic probes, flux loops, spectrometers
AI focus
Collaborates with AI simulation and software teams to connect physical sensor measurements with real-time machine optimization and support the Helios digital twin.
Model-written summary · the original posting is authoritative