About Avalanche Energy

Avalanche Energy is a Washington-based startup building compact, deployable fusion systems through rapid hardware iteration. Rather than pursuing fusion as a single grid-scale outcome, Avalanche develops transportable fusion machines designed to be built, tested, and operated on short cycles, turning real hardware into steady progress. This approach enables near-term applications that demand extreme energy density and endurance—starting with fusion neutron production for radioisotope power and other defense and space uses—while advancing the underlying fusion platform. Backed by U.S. government programs and a team experienced in delivering complex systems, Avalanche is focused on building fusion that runs in the real world, not just on paper.

Avalanche might be a fit for you if:

• You see superconducting magnets not as components, but as integrated systems—electromagnetic, thermal, mechanical, and economic all at once.
• You are comfortable being the ultimate authority in your domain and carrying technical accountability.
• You are happy to spend significant time in design space—running trade studies, building models, and exploring alternatives—before committing to a build.
• You enjoy ambiguity and are comfortable determining whether LTS or HTS is the right solution based on first-principles analysis, cost modeling, and system-level tradeoffs.
• You want to build—not administrate—and see your designs fabricated, energized, and tested.
• You value rigor but do not hide behind it. You know how to move forward responsibly in high-ambiguity environments.
• You want to work closely with physicists and mechanical engineers to shape reactor architecture—not just optimize a coil in isolation.

About the Role

The Principal Magnet Engineer is Avalanche’s ultimate authority on superconducting magnet systems. This role owns the design, architecture, costing, build strategy, and execution of all magnet systems across the company. This is both a systems architect and hands-on engineering role. You will run design studies that directly inform machine geometry, field strength targets, cryogenic approaches, radiation tolerance, and overall system economics. Your models will evolve as our physics evolves. Your recommendations will shape the machine. You will specify, design, and build LTS or HTS systems based on studies you perform. The choice of conductor, architecture, operating margin, and cryogenic approach will be grounded in analysis you lead and defend. You will architect quench protection strategies, cryostats, thermal management systems, and structural support approaches. You will guide make-buy decisions, manage vendor relationships for wire and tape procurement, and determine what we build in-house versus outsource. You will work closely with our onsite machine shop and mechanical engineering team to translate magnet designs into hardware. You may own magnet program budgets and schedules directly or operate in partnership with a project manager depending on program structure. In all cases, you are accountable for magnet system success. This role reports to the Mechanical Engineering Manager and works cross-functionally with physics, simulation, experimental, and facilities teams.

In this role, you will lead:

Magnet Architecture & System Design

• Define and evolve Avalanche’s magnet system architectures across machine variants.
• Perform electromagnetic, thermal, structural, and power balance modeling to size systems appropriately.
• Run LTS vs HTS trade studies including performance, cost, manufacturability, and risk.
• Develop adaptable parametric design tools that evolve with updated physics and economic inputs.
• Inform machine shape, size, and field strategy through magnet-driven system studies.

Superconducting & Quench Strategy

• Specify, design, and implement LTS and/or HTS superconducting magnet systems.
• Architect quench detection and protection strategies.
• Define insulation systems, stabilization approaches, and operating margins.
• Evaluate conductor choices (NbTi, Nb3Sn, HTS tape, etc.) and define procurement strategy.
• Support testing and characterization of wires and tapes.

Cryogenic & Thermal Systems

• Design cryostats and thermal management systems including conduction, radiation, and current lead losses.
• Develop and maintain detailed thermal load budgets.
• Evaluate cooling system choice (Immersion cooling, or cryogen-free Gifford-McMahon or Pulse Tube cryocoolers).
• Evaluate cryocooler or cryogenic plant sizing and integration.
• Collaborate with facilities and mechanical teams on integration.

Radiation & Environmental Considerations

• Partner with nuclear and materials experts to assess neutron and gamma impacts on superconductors and structural materials.
• Contribute to radiation heat loading studies and simulations.
• Incorporate radiation-aware design margins and mitigation strategies.

Build Strategy & Execution

• Own magnet build strategy from concept through energization.
• Develop vendor relationships for superconducting wire and tape procurement.
• Qualify suppliers and assist in negotiating cost and performance tradeoffs.
• Lead make-buy decisions for winding, cryostat fabrication, and subcomponents.
• Manage fabrication, assembly, and test of magnet systems in-house or with suppliers.
• Work closely with the onsite machine shop to develop tooling, fixtures, and build processes.

Cost, Schedule & Program Ownership

• Develop magnet cost models that inform machine-level economics.
• Provide realistic cost and schedule estimates for magnet builds.
• Maintain accountability for magnet performance, reliability, and delivery.
• Participate in rapid design–build–test cycles and iterate based on test results.

About You

• PhD strongly preferred in Applied Physics, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Accelerator Physics, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience designing, building, or leading development of superconducting magnet systems.
• Deep understanding of LTS and HTS physics, conductor behavior, and operating constraints.
• Experience designing quench protection strategies.
• Experience designing cryogenic or cryostat systems.
• Strong electromagnetic and thermal modeling capability.
• Experience integrating magnets into larger electromechanical systems.
• Demonstrated ability to take a system from concept through build and test.
• Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, hardware-driven R&D environment.
• Hands-on mindset with willingness to be involved in build and test activities.
• Strong cross-functional communicator able to defend technical decisions with clarity.

Bonus Skills & Experience

• Experience winding superconducting coils directly.
• Experience designing quench detection electronics.
• Experience with pulsed magnet systems.
• Experience with radiation-exposed magnet systems.
• Experience developing advanced parametric magnet design tools.
• Experience in government-funded or regulated technical environments (DOE, DOD, aerospace, etc.).

Benefits:

• Excellent medical, dental and vision benefits.
• 10 paid holidays and company-wide December holiday break
• Generous paid vacation and sick time
• Small, tight-knit team with low barriers to action
• Exposure to a wide variety of problems for unparalleled, hands-on professional growth
• A well-stocked kitchen, and employee events on and off-site
• Meaningful equity in the form of stock options

We value people of all backgrounds. We are an equal opportunity employer, and you do not need to match every listed qualification to apply. If you like being hands-on, all over the system, and making difficult hardware work in the real world, we encourage you to apply.