Mechanical Engineer - Equipment Engineering

WHO WE ARE Proxima Fusion is Europe’s fastest-growing fusion company and the continent’s best-funded fusion player, as well as the first spin-out from the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (IPP). Backed by over €650M and powered by a growing team across Munich, Zurich, and Oxford, we are developing the hardware and infrastructure needed to deliver the world’s first commercial stellarator fusion power plant.   Our concept advances the most mature fusion technology out there, the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator, through two next-generation machines: Alpha and Stellaris. Our work combines stellarator optimization, advanced computation, machine learning, and high-temperature superconducting magnets to unlock higher-performance designs that were previously out of reach.   Turning these designs into a functioning fusion power plant requires excellence and ownership across every discipline, from physics and engineering to software, manufacturing, law, and business functions.   BY JOINING OUR TEAM YOU’LL GET TO - Build the machine that builds the machine. Join TechOps at the forefront of advanced manufacturing, we’re building the production system that will enable commercial fusion. The Production lines, tooling, and processes are being developed from the ground up; you'll create the ways of working, not inherit them. - Work at the frontier of manufacturing technology. Bring your creativity to evaluate, qualify, and deploy processes with no industry playbook, every component you build and every process you shape goes directly into the core of the stellarator magnet technology. - Do work that matters, and see it grow. The hardware you build is the product and your career grows with it, from prototyping and process development through quality and industrialization, alongside exceptional colleagues from around the world. - Make an impact you can point to. In a small, fast-moving team, your calls on equipment, quality, and process directly shape how a world-class deep-tech company produces superconducting magnets with results visible on the shop floor, not buried in a slidedeck. YOUR IMPACT Design and build the machines, fixtures, and tooling used to manufacture HTS magnet coils. Develop the manufacturing processes that turn new equipment into a repeatable production line. Work hands-on with technicians to build, debug, and commission equipment on the shop floor. Own equipment and process development together, from clean-slate concept through production readiness. WHAT YOU WILL DO Design new manufacturing equipment and fixtures for magnet manufacturing; from concept generation and trade studies through the whole equipment life cycle. Perform proof-of-concept calculations, benchtop testing, and tolerance stack-up analysis to validate design decisions before committing to build. Own subsystem designs, BOMs (Bills of Materials), specifications, and drawings, and manage changes as designs mature. Develop, coordinate and document assembly procedures, commissioning and operation for the equipment you design. Support technicians during equipment build, assembly, and commissioning. Supporting the production team troubleshooting issues and iterating on design or process as needed. Drive non-conformances to root cause and turn findings into concrete process or design improvements. Provide DFM (Design for Manufacturing)/DFA (Design for Assembly) input to magnet design engineers to keep coil designs manufacturable. Select and manage external vendors and machine shops for components, subassemblies, and fabricated parts. Recommend equipment, tooling, or facility improvements needed to scale manufacturing capacity as production ramps. Participate in design reviews, and communicate design and process decisions clearly to cross-functional partners. WHO YOU ARE 4–6 years of experience in mechanical design or manufacturing engineering, ideally building complex electromechanical systems, automated equipment, or precision assemblies. Strong CAD skills (SolidWorks preferred) including GD&T (Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing) and drawing creation for fabrication and inspection. Experience designing parts and equipment across multiple manufacturing processes: machining, sheet metal, welding, fabricated assemblies. Hands-on experience building, assembling, and debugging equipment or prototype, not just designing on paper. Solid technical writing skills for work instructions, assembly procedures, and design documentation. Comfort with ambiguity and rapidly changing requirements in a fast-paced startup environment. Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field, or equivalent experience. Nice to have: Exposure to automation systems, control cabinets, PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers), or industrial sensors. Experience with FEA (Finite Element Analysis) tools (SolidWorks Simulation, Ansys) for structural or thermal analysis. Familiarity with cryogenics, vacuum systems, or superconducting/high-precision electromechanical hardware. Experience with PLM (Product Lifecycle Management)/MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems) tools for BOM and change management. Rapid prototyping skills: 3D printing, mill, lathe, or hand tools. INTERVIEW PROCESS - Recruiter Interview (30-60 min) - Technical Screening (30 min) - Technical Panel (3x60 min) - CEO call (30 min) This role sits at L2/L3 of our framework, please inquire during the recruitment process for further information At Proxima Fusion, our mission is bold: making limitless clean energy a reality. To get there, we need a high-performing, diverse team that brings different perspectives, challenges assumptions, and builds together with purpose. We know that diversity of thought and experience leads to better ideas, stronger execution, and a more resilient team. We don’t look at how you identify, what you look like, who you choose to worship or what ethnicity you are. We care about what you can bring to the table.