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Breakthrough Energy Ventures Portfolio Company Career Opportunities

Automation Control Software Engineer

Commonwealth Fusion Systems

Commonwealth Fusion Systems

Software Engineering
Devens, MA, USA
Posted on Thursday, November 9, 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.
Fusion power will draw together many technologies in the SPARC facility, from cryogenics and gas fueling systems to neutron detectors and high-voltage transistors. These unique and critical systems to our mission are intertwined in the SPARC Central Control System (CCS). The SPARC Software team responsible for designing the control software, implementing, testing, and commissioning the software that will operate SPARC. The Industrial Controls team within the SPARC Software team is looking for an exceptional Senior Automation Control Software Engineer to join us on this exciting mission to commercial fusion energy.
In this role, the Automation Control Software Engineer will own the end to end software engineering effort for several PLC systems in the SPARC Central Control System including:
· Control software design
· Software implementation
· Software testing
· Software deployment
· System commissioning
The SPARC CCS will coordinate and orchestrate the whole SPARC facility, bringing together all the control systems of each part of the machine, and the Senior Automation Control Software Engineer will play a critical role in building out the PLC framework, library of functions, and applications thereof.

This team member will:

  • Collaborate with other I&C and Software engineers to build the CCS PLC framework and libraries
  • Collaborate with other I&C engineers, software engineers, system responsible officers, and responsible engineers to implement the CCS supervisory control systems
  • Collaborate with other I&C engineers to define and implement the CCS architecture and interfaces with other systems
  • Collaborate with other software and I&C engineers and other key stakeholders to ensure all necessary functions and interfaces are included in the design and implemented according to requirements
  • Utilize industry standard software engineering best practices including Jira workflows, GitHub version control, peer code reviews, and unit testing
  • Production of the required design deliverables according to the SPARC design process
  • Take responsibility for implementation, testing, installation and commissioning of the CCS supervisory control system according to the project schedule
  • Produce testing, installation, commissioning, operations and maintenance procedures for the CCS supervisory control system
  • Ensure the design is completed in compliance with the Code of Record and established requirements
  • Maintain interfaces with other engineering subsystems
  • Report on and be accountable for progress to the Lead Engineer

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

  • Experience designing and writing software for real-time control systems
  • Experience with high-availability, multi-tiered controller architectures
  • Designed, built, and operated control systems with interlocks and protection functions from concept to completion under a QA program
  • Functional modeling language such as UML, SysML, GRAFCET, SDL or similar
  • Knowledge of gathering system Requirements, function definition and decomposition, technical writing and documentation
  • Experience with Software Lifecycle Management - QA, version control, software unit testing, commissioning and validation
  • Production of engineering deliverables for design reviews, construction work packages, operations, and maintenance
  • Strong interpersonal and technical communication skills, with the ability to proactively engage and communicate with a wide range of stakeholders
  • Experience commissioning control systems
  • Basic knowledge of industrial electrical systems
  • Basic knowledge of industrial safety

Additional experience and/or qualifications:

  • Experience with the major PLC vendors, Siemens and Beckhoff preferred, particularly programming S7-1500s with TIA portal and TwinCAT
  • Proficiency with IEC 61131-3 languages, particularly Structured Text
  • Experience with C/C++, Python, Java, other programming skills
  • Current best practices and emerging technologies in industrial control systems
  • Experience designing HMIs and SCADA, particularly with Ignition
  • Industrial communication protocol experience (TCP/IP, UDP, Profinet, ProfiSAFE, Modbus, OPC UA, CAN, RS232, RS485)
  • Experience designing and implementing Functional Safety systems, redundant controllers, and safety PLCs
  • Ability to lift up to 50 lbs occasionally
  • Perform activities such as typing, standing, stooping, and sitting, for extended periods of time
  • Work in a facility that contains industrial hazards including heat, cold, noise, fumes, strong magnets, lead (Pb), high voltage, high current, pressure systems, and cryogenics
  • This role will be expected to work primarily onsite to support prototyping, testing, commissioning, and operation of SPARC in Devens, MA
  • Willingness to occasionally travel or work required nights/weekends/on-call
  • #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.