In-Vessel Systems Lead
Full-time
Posted on Oct 12, 2026
Munich, Garching · Full-time · On-site, remote work possible
About Starforge
Starforge is on a mission to make fusion energy a practical utility by factory-manufacturing modular, fleet-deployable fusion reactors. We are fusion's Henry Ford moment.
Our first reactor product line, Unit One, is a 250 MWe spherical tokamak, built from demountable high-temperature superconducting magnets and designed in modular blocks so that every component can be factory-manufactured as well as replaced on site.
Our team comes from the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics, MIT, Commonwealth Fusion Systems, Tokamak Energy, KIT, Lilium, and GE.
Come and join us in building the future.
Build Unit One as our In-Vessel Systems Lead
The components inside the vacuum vessel see the harshest conditions in the machine: plasma heat and particle loads, neutrons, and erosion. In a compact spherical tokamak, this can get even trickier as the divertor has to handle some of the highest heat fluxes in fusion. How long these components last and how quickly they can be swapped sets the overall efficiency of the Unit One reactor, and, ultimately, its value proposition. This is your chance to design the parts that stand face to face with a fusion plasma, prove they survive it in Unit One, and then watch them come off a factory line.
You will be our first in-vessel hire and own the divertor, first wall and all other in-vessel components end to end. You will report to the Head of Physics and Reactor Design, and work closely with our neutronics, blanket, mechanical and magnet owners and our external research partners.
What you'll do
Define and lead the design of Unit One's in-vessel systems: the architecture of the divertor, first wall and every other in-vessel component
Set the requirements each component must handle, with plasma physics and neutronics
Define and own the interfaces to the blanket, vacuum vessel, heating systems, magnets and remote maintenance
Integrate the in-vessel systems into Unit One, with every component replaceable by remote handling
Carry the designs towards factory manufacturing with design for manufacture, supplier qualification and production-ready documentation
Build and lead the in-vessel team, growing it as the system moves from design to prototypes to factory production, with a strong safety and quality culture
What we're looking for
Degree (MSc/PhD) in mechanical, nuclear or materials engineering, physics or a related field, or equivalent experience
Demonstrated design of plasma-facing or other high-heat-flux components that were built and tested
Thermal-hydraulic and thermo-mechanical analysis with ANSYS, Abaqus, COMSOL or equivalent
Working knowledge of plasma-facing and structural materials such as tungsten, copper alloys and reduced-activation steels, and how they behave under heat,neutrons and erosion
Hands-on understanding of how these components are manufactured and joined
Comfortable making design calls with incomplete information and documenting the reasoning
Clear written and spoken English Bonus points:
Divertor or first wall design for a tokamak or stellarator
Edge plasma and heat exhaust modelling, or close work with the people who do it
Design for remote maintenance
Experience in a nuclear or other regulated environment
What we offer
Ownership of the components that decide how long a fusion reactor runs between maintenance, from conceptual design onwards
Munich or Garching-based office and lab, with remote flexibility
We welcome applications from senior and early-career engineers and scientists, and from people moving into fusion from aerospace, gas turbines, fission or other high-temperature industries. If you meet most of the must-haves and the work excites you, apply.
How to apply
Send your CV and a short note on one component you designed under extreme loads and what you would do differently today, via this form.