Director - Electrical Engineering Systems

Position Overview

Director - Electrical Engineering Systems to lead electrical system design and execution for the Company’s upcoming Eos integrated stellarator. This leader will manage and grow three tightly coupled engineering groups:
Electrical Distribution (facility and plant electrical architecture and integration), Power Electronics (development of high‑power converters and HTS magnet power supplies), Electronics Systems Engineering (embedded control and instrumentation electronics, including custom PCBAs). This role owns end‑to‑end delivery of electrical systems from architecture and requirements through detailed design, prototyping, vendor engagement, test, installation support, and commissioning readiness. The Director will serve as a key cross‑functional partner to systems engineering, controls and software, mechanical engineering, safety, and program management, ensuring electrical designs are buildable, testable, safe, and integrated.

As part of a rapidly growing team, you’ll be part of the organizational build‑up of a leading fusion energy company. This role will have a high degree of autonomy and must be able to move quickly. The Thea Energy team is comprised of self‑motivated, creative, and fun individuals with an excitement for solving complex problems.

• Lead and mentor a multi‑disciplinary organization spanning power systems, power electronics, and embedded electronics, including hiring, performance management, career development, and team structure.
• Establish engineering operating rhythm: planning, prioritization, technical reviews, staffing plans, and decision‑making processes.
• Set technical direction and ensure consistent engineering quality across requirements, architecture, implementation, verification, and documentation.
• Own the plant‑level electrical architecture, including utility interface, substation and distribution design, grounding and protection philosophy, and power quality and reliability strategy.
• Guide system modeling and simulation efforts including load flow, short‑circuit, and transient studies, and ensure models remain consistent with evolving load envelopes and operating modes.
• Lead integration strategy for compensation and storage assets such as STATCOM for load shaping, ride‑through capability, and power recovery as applicable.
• Own the technical interface to external engineering, procurement, and construction partners and utilities, including technical specifications, design reviews, and factory and site acceptance participation.
• Oversee development of high‑power converters and magnet power supplies, including topology selection, protection concepts, thermal strategy, and integration with embedded controls.
• Develop test strategy and execution: prototype bring‑up, staged‑load validation, failure mode exploration, parameter tuning, and readiness evidence for integration.
• Own hardware architecture for embedded control and instrumentation electronics that interface power conversion hardware, diagnostics, and control firmware.
• Lead electromagnetic compatibility and noise mitigation strategy across boards, cabinets, and system integration boundaries.
• Partner with systems engineering to translate device requirements into electrical requirements, interface definitions, and verification plans.
• Run evidence‑based technical gates and design reviews, with clear entry and exit criteria and configuration control.
• Own delivery artifacts such as requirements, interface definitions, design packages, test plans, and acceptance evidence to support procurement, installation and commissioning.
• Maintain a strong safety culture including electrical safety, hazard analysis inputs, and design choices that support safe installation and operations.
• Provide hands‑on leadership in lab and field environments, coordinating with technicians and test teams for build, wiring, installation support, and debug.

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Electrical Engineering or equivalent.
• 10 or more years of relevant experience spanning two or more of the following: power systems, substation and distribution, power electronics, embedded electronics, controls…