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Principal Safety Engineer

Commonwealth Fusion Systems

Commonwealth Fusion Systems

Devens, MA, USA
Posted on Nov 10, 2023
Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) has the fastest, lowest cost path to commercial fusion energy.
CFS collaborates with MIT to leverage decades of research combined with groundbreaking new high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnet technology. HTS magnets will enable compact fusion power plants that can be constructed faster and at lower cost. Our mission is to deploy these power plants to meet global decarbonization goals as fast as possible. To that end, CFS has assembled a team of leaders in tough tech, fusion science, and manufacturing with a track record of rapid execution. Supported by the world’s leading investors, CFS is uniquely positioned to deliver limitless, clean, fusion power to combat climate change. To implement this plan, we are looking to add dedicated people to the team who treat people well, improve our work by adding multifaceted perspectives and new ways of solving problems, have achieved outstanding results through a range of pursuits, and have skills and experience related to this role.
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 safety engineering technical support for engineering design, assembly, 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.
The Principal Safety Engineer will work 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. This lead role will lead committee type discussions, working meetings, and implementation of project needs and actions.

This team member will be responsible for Safe Design:

  • Provide technical support for safe engineering design, build, and operations of SPARC and ARC
  • Ensure 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
  • Ensure 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
  • Apply 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
  • Ensure a consistent safety approach to response plans and design basis analysis of Major Transients and Integrated Failure Modes as part of the SPARC and ARC design basis (e.g., loss of power, facility fire, earthquake, etc)
  • Transfer lessons learned from the aforementioned work to the ARC project, staying up to date on relevant progress in the fusion regulatory landscape

This team member will be responsible for Safe Build and Operation of SPARC and ARC:

  • Ensure safe, reliable, and a precisely controlled assembly and operating environment through development and management of safety programs specific to SPARC and ARC projects
  • Conduct incident investigations and liaises with engineers, management, and health and safety regulatory authorities to identify causes of accidents and prevent their recurrence
  • Identify and review hazard, risk and opportunities on an ongoing and proactive basis and ensure that appropriate follow up actions are being implemented
  • Lead 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

This team member will be responsible for Cross-Functional Partnerships:

  • In collaboration with the EHS and Radiation Protection teams, implement and administer safety programs that protect employees and reduce risk
  • Partner 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
  • Coordinate 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.

The ideal candidate will have most, if not all, of these requirements:

  • Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering, Physics, or a related field
  • 10+ 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

Additional preferred experience and/or qualifications:

  • Knowledge of fusion, fission, 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 typing, standing, or sitting for extended periods of time
  • Willingness to travel or work required nights/weekends/on-call occasionally
  • Dedication to safety to mitigate industrial hazards that may include heat, cold, noise, fumes, strong magnets, lead (Pb), high voltage, and cryogenics
  • #LI-Onsite
CFS team members thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and have demonstrated exceptional results through a range of different pursuits. We all tightly align with our company values of integrity, execution, impact and self-critique. As we grow, we are looking to add talented people who are mission driven and bring diverse perspectives and new ways of solving problems.
At CFS, we deeply value diversity and are an equal opportunity employer by choice. We consider all qualified applicants equally for employment. We do not discriminate on the basis 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, ordinance, or regulation.