Senior Manufacturing Engineer

About the company

Pacific Fusion is an inertial confinement fusion startup developing pulser modules and a demonstration fusion power plant.

About this role

<div class="content-intro"><h2><strong>About Pacific Fusion</strong></h2> <p>Pacific Fusion was founded in 2023 with the mission to power the world with abundant, affordable, clean energy.</p> <p>We are rapidly designing and building a pulser-driven inertial fusion system to achieve net facility gain (more fusion energy output than stored energy input). In parallel, we are developing the key components required to build affordable fusion systems.</p> <p>Our plans are ambitious. We have raised over $900M so far from incredible investors, resourcing us to deliver on these plans. We are bringing together the best scientists, engineers, and operators from the fusion community, hard tech industry, and other sectors. We are united by a shared sense of urgency to provide clean power for the world, particularly managing climate change while meeting growing global energy demand. You can read more about us in&nbsp;<a href="https://pacificfusion.com/updates/founders-letter" target="_blank"><u>this letter from our founders</u></a>.</p></div><h1><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Why This Role Matters</strong></span></h1> <p>As a Sr. Manufacturing Engineer on the Pulser Module Assembly team, you'll be on the shop floor every day — owning the processes, tooling, and workflows that bring our core fusion hardware to life. You'll work alongside a small team of technicians, drive continuous improvement across the build line, and work closely with design engineering to make sure our pulser modules are built right, every time.</p> <p>This is a hands-on, high-ownership role at the center of Pacific Fusion's production operations. If you thrive in a fast-moving environment where the hardware is unlike anything built before, this is your seat.</p> <h2><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>What You'll Do</strong></span></h2> <ul> <li>Own end-to-end manufacturing processes for pulser module assembly, from work instruction development through build completion and acceptance</li> <li>Work alongside the technicians to provide fast solutions that can be quickly executed to keep the build progressing</li> <li>Support documentation handoff to the production team for the build processes as well as issues and their respective resolutions</li> <li>Manage build schedule using microsoft project to communicate within the company</li> <li>Partner with design engineering to provide manufacturing feedback, drive DFM improvements, and support first article builds</li> <li>Identify and resolve production non-conformances, leading root cause analysis and implementing corrective actions to prevent recurrence</li> <li>Define and develop tooling, fixturing, and equipment requirements to support safe, efficient, and repeatable assembly operations</li> <li>Track and report production metrics — cycle time, yield, first pass rate — and drive initiatives to hit and exceed targets</li> <li>Support the scale-up of assembly operations as Pacific Fusion transitions from low-rate initial production to higher volume output</li> <li>Support schedule management by clearly defining steps to completion&nbsp;</li> </ul> <h2><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>What You Bring</strong></span></h2> <ul> <li>3–7 years of manufacturing or process engineering experience in a hands-on production environment</li> <li>Demonstrated experience leading or mentoring technicians on a production floor</li> <li>Strong understanding of mechanical assembly processes, work instruction development, and production documentation</li> <li>Hands-on experience with complex electromechanical assembly — high voltage, pulsed power, precision mechanical, or similarly demanding hardware preferred</li> <li>Familiarity with quality management systems, non-conformance processes, and root cause analysis methodologies (8D, 5-Why, Fishbone)</li> <li>Ability to read, interpret, and create engineering drawings, schematics, and GD&amp;T</li> <li>Comfortable working in an early-stage, fast-moving environment where processes are still being defined</li> <li>Hands on experience working at a startup building the prototype units</li> <li>Familiarity with standard machining processes and capable of running equipment</li> </ul> <h2><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Bonus Points For</strong></span></h2> <ul> <li>Experience in aerospace, defense, energy, or other high-complexity hardware industries</li> <li>Familiarity with Lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, or other continuous improvement frameworks</li> <li>Experience supporting first-of-kind or prototype-to-production transitions</li> <li>Exposure to high voltage or pulsed power systems</li> <li>BS in Mechanical, Manufacturing, Electrical, or Industrial Engineering (or equivalent experience)<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">&nbsp;</span></li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p><div class="content-pay-transparency"><div class="pay-input"><div class="title">Pay Range: </div><div class="pay-range"><span>$138,100</span><span class="divider">—</span><span>$207,100 USD</span></div></div></div><div class="content-conclusion"><h3><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Total Compensation &amp; Benefits for Eligible Employees</strong></span></h3> <ul> <li style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> <p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Industry-competitive salary</span></p> </li> <li style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> <p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Equity plan</span></p> </li> <li style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> <p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">6% employer 401k matching</span></p> </li> <li style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> <p><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Generous paid time off (including sick leave, vacation, paid family leave)</span></p> </li