Senior Molten Salt Scientist

Responsibilities

• Lead the planning, design, build, commissioning, and operation of the Molten Salt Laboratory including sourcing materials and equipment, mentoring science and engineering teams, and developing molten salt operational experience and expertise.
• Define and own the development roadmap for molten salt capabilities including science and engineering workscopes from small pots of static molten salt all the way to large, forced flow integrated effects test loops.  
• Develop the timeline for key prototypical thermal-hydraulic test environments including fabrication methods, corrosion tests, jet nozzle design and testing, and mass and heat exchanger design and testing.  
• Partner with other Science departments and with the Engineering and Operations divisions to ensure strong communication, and to align on scientific, engineering, and operational goals for fusion power systems development.
• Translate scientific insights, experimental data, and hands-on-experience into design guidance for teams responsible for fusion system architecture.
• Evaluate emerging scientific opportunities and integrate advances from academia, national laboratories, and international fusion programs.
• Manage relationships with external laboratories, university collaborators, and vendors providing materials, pumps, and fabricated components for high temperature salt systems.  
• Establish molten salt laboratory research best practices, documentation standards, review processes, and quality expectations.
• Support system troubleshooting, root‑cause investigations, and engineering review of failures or anomalies encountered in development of experimental operations.

Qualifications

• Education: PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or a closely related field.
• Experience: 12+ years of experience in experimental high temperature fluids (molten salts or liquid metals), experimental R&D, or technology development for complex nuclear or fusion systems under extreme thermal and radiation environments.
• Deep experience with high temperature fluids, thermal-hydraulics, and industrial scale systems.
• Demonstrated hands-on laboratory experience and the ability to establish a new experimental capability from the ground up.
• Experience designing and executing experiments that raise component or system technology readiness.
• Demonstrated leadership of multidisciplinary scientific or R&D organizations.
• Proven record of mentoring and growing high-performing technical teams.
• Strong publication and scientific or engineering leadership record.
• Ability to operate effectively within a rapidly evolving organization transitioning from startup to industrial scale.
• Ability to balance hands‑on engineering and scientific leadership with high‑level strategic direction and organizational oversight.
• Must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.

Desired

• Familiarity with fusion safety and regulatory requirements.
• Experience working under and adhering to beryllium safety requirements. 
• Experience in the commercial nuclear industry or fusion experimental facilities.
• Familiarity with fusion plant design and commercialization efforts.