--- title: 'OBA Research Scientist/Engineer – Fusion Energy Systems at Pacific Fusion' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/oba-research-scientist-engineer-fusion-energy-systems-pacific-fusion-san-leandro-qwnr5688ewxc' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-10-29' --- # OBA Research Scientist/Engineer – Fusion Energy Systems at Pacific Fusion - **Company:** Pacific Fusion - **Location:** San Leandro, CA - **Posted:** 2025-11-07 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-29 - **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/pacificfusion/jobs/4048816009 ## Job description ## About Pacific Fusion Pacific Fusion was founded in 2023 with the mission to power the world with abundant, affordable, clean energy. 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. 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 [this letter from our founders](https://www.pacificfusion.com/resources/founders-letter). ## Why This Role Matters Pacific Fusion seeks accomplished scientists and engineers with expertise across the spectrum of fusion energy disciplines. This role is for professionals from U.S. national laboratories interested in pursuing an Outside Business Activity (OBA) in fusion energy under the expanded opportunities provided by Section 10720 of the [CHIPS and Science Act](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-117publ167/pdf/PLAW-117publ167.pdf). Under the new CHIPS Act framework, national laboratory staff can directly participate in advancing fusion energy science and technology as a Pacific Fusion employee outside of their day job at the lab. ## Key Technical Domains We welcome applicants with expertise in any of the following fusion energy fields: - Fusion Energy Science and Technology including plasma physics, fusion science, advanced materials, and all related fields - Fusion Energy Target Design - Fusion Energy Code Development - Fusion Energy Diagnostics - Fusion Energy Target Fabrication and Precision Manufacturing - Fusion Energy Modeling and Simulation - AI/ML for Fusion Energy Applications - Fusion Energy Systems Engineering - Fusion Energy Data Analysis - Fusion Energy Experiments (using existing public-sector experimental capabilities) - Fusion Energy Experimental Operations (including radiation and industrial safety) - Control Systems (human safety, machine control and safety, data collection integrity) - Power Plant Secondary Systems - Fusion Energy Technologies, including pulsed power systems, lasers, materials, optics, target injection and tracking, radiation chamber dynamics, fuel cycle, facility operations, cryogenics, vacuum technology, precision machining, and all other associated fields - Fusion Energy Technology Peer Review - Fusion Energy Technology Concept Ideation ## What You'll Do - Lead and contribute to fusion energy R&D projects from concept through prototype. - Collaborate across disciplines to integrate fusion energy target design, fabrication, diagnostics, and supporting technologies into deployable systems. - Publish results in peer-reviewed journals and present at national and international fusion energy conferences. - Work hard, have fun, feel rewarded, and make a difference! ## What You Bring - A top 1% performer who gives 1000% and has a deep desire to win. - A current national laboratory employee interested in joining PF through OBA. - Advanced degree (Ph.D. or M.S. with significant experience) in physics, engineering, or related discipline. - Strong computational, experimental, or engineering skills relevant to fusion energy research. ## Why Join Us - Contribute directly to the development of commercially deployable fusion energy systems. - Collaborate with a world-class team bridging public–private innovation in fusion energy. - Flexible work options: positions are available from 5 to 40 hours per week with competitive salary, equity, and benefits. ## Compensation Compensation is negotiable and ranges from a full-time equivalent salary of $200,000 to $350,000 per year plus company equity, depending on experience and qualifications. Pay will be prorated based on the agreed weekly hours. Lunch will be provided when working at a Pacific Fusion facility. Support for Navigating OBA Pacific Fusion will provide resources to help you understand and navigate your laboratory’s OBA processes, ensuring compliance while enabling your participation in advancing fusion energy research with us. Alternatives to OBA If this OBA process turns out not to be right for your needs, we have many career [openings](https://www.pacificfusion.com/careers) at PF! How to Apply Send an email to oba@pacificfusion.com expressing your interest in working with PF through OBA. No commitment is implied by this email. ## TOTAL COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS FOR ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES - Industry-competitive salary - Equity plan - 6% employer 401k matching - Generous paid time off (including sick leave, vacation, paid family leave) - Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance Actual base salary offered will be determined by: experience, skills, and work location. This range is for base salary, our total compensation includes equity and benefits. We welcome you to apply even if your expectations are outside our listed range. ## EQUAL OPPORTUNTITY Pacific Fusion is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. Pacific Fusion is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities in our job application procedures and throughout employment. If you need assistance or any accommodation, please let us know. ## U.S. EXPORT CONTROL COMPLIANCE This position may require access to information or technology that is subject to U.S. export control laws, such as ITAR or EAR. Under these regulations, we are required to ensure that such access is provided only to individuals who are classified as 'U.S. Persons.'This status includes U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents (green card holders), and asylees and refugees with such status granted, not pending. ## RECRUITING AGENCIES Pacific Fusion does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters or employment agencies without a fully executed recruitment agreement in place. In the absence of such agreement, Pacific Fusion reserves the right to pursue and hire any candidates without an obligation to pay fees. Agencies are requested not to contact Pacific Fusion hiring managers or employees regarding recruiting services. ## About Pacific Fusion ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: Pacific Fusion is developing a pulsed magnetic inertial fusion system designed to deliver affordable, clean, commercial fusion energy by the early 2030s. - **Entity Type**: Private (Series A) - **Headquarters**: Fremont, California, United States - **Founded**: 2023 - **Founders**: Eric Lander (CEO), Keith LeChien (CTO), Carrie von Muench (COO), Will Regan, Leland Ellison ## Core Business - **Primary Industry**: Fusion Energy / Renewable Energy Power Generation - **Target Customers**: Utility companies, large-scale industrial power consumers, and governments seeking clean, baseload energy generation. - **Mission Statement**: To power a prosperous planet by delivering affordable, reliable fusion power to meet growing global energy demand and address the climate crisis [pacificfusion.com](https://pacificfusion.com/). ## Products & Services - **Pulsed Magnetic Inertial Fusion System**: A modular fusion power plant design that uses a fast, powerful electrical pulser to rapidly compress small fuel containers (centimeter-scale) of deuterium-tritium fuel. The system is designed to achieve "net facility gain" — producing more fusion energy output than the total stored energy input. The approach is highly modular, enabling affordable manufacturing and rapid iteration using common materials [pacificfusion.com](https://pacificfusion.com/). ## Market Standing - **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed. - **Key Metric (Total Funding)**: Over **$900 million** raised in Series A funding (announced October 2024) [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/pacificfusion), [wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Fusion). - **Notable Investors/Partners**: Led by **General Catalyst**, with participation from **Breakthrough Energy Ventures**, **Ken Griffin** (Citadel founder), **Patrick Collison** (Stripe co-founder), **John Doerr** (venture capitalist), **Mustafa Suleyman** (Microsoft AI), and **Eric Schmidt** (former Google CEO) who joined the board [wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Fusion). - **Growth Signals**: - Headcount has grown **118.8% YoY** to approximately 151 employees [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/pacificfusion). - In September 2025, selected Mesa del Sol, Albuquerque, New Mexico, for a **$1 billion research and manufacturing facility**, expected to create 200 permanent jobs and ~1,000 construction jobs [wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Fusion). - In December 2025, opened its first build center in Los Lunas, New Mexico [wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Fusion). - In June 2026, achieved a key technical milestone: a scaled module prototype delivered **over 440 GW of peak output power** and **~1.1 MV peak voltage** in ultra-fast pulses, demonstrating the performance required for fusion conditions [wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Fusion). ## Competitive Advantages - **Proven Science, Practical Engineering**: The company is building on decades of government-funded research (including breakthroughs at Sandia and US National Labs in 2022) and using an advanced pulsed power driver (the Impedance-Matched Marx Generator, co-invented by CTO Keith LeChien), which is designed to be simpler and more manufacturable than other fusion approaches [pacificfusion.com](https://pacificfusion.com/), [wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Fusion). - **Modular and Affordable Design**: The system is made of three highly modular parts (a fast electric pulser, a small fusion chamber, and tiny fuel containers), enabling cheap, rapid iteration and supply chain simplicity [pacificfusion.com](https://pacificfusion.com/). - **Clear Path to Commercialization**: The company has a defined roadmap with milestone-based funding, a specific goal of achieving net facility gain by 2030, and is already investing heavily in large-scale manufacturing facilities [pacificfusion.com](https://pacificfusion.com/), [wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Fusion). ## Strategic Focus - **Technical Milestone Execution**: Rapidly building and testing scaled prototypes of their pulser system to demonstrate fusion conditions. - **Manufacturing Scale-Up**: Building out the $1 billion facility in New Mexico to house the Demonstration System and prepare for commercial production. - **Talent Acquisition**: Aggressively hiring top-tier scientists, engineers, and operators from the fusion community, national labs, and hard-tech industry (e.g., Lawrence Livermore, Los Alamos, Tesla, SpaceX) [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/pacificfusion). - **Workforce Development**: Partnering with local universities in New Mexico to create training programs for its future workforce [wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Fusion). ## Why Work Here - **Mission-Driven Impact**: Employees are united by a "shared sense of urgency" to solve the climate crisis and provide clean, abundant power for the world [pacificfusion.com](https://pacificfusion.com/careers). - **Award-Winning Culture**: 100% of employees say Pacific Fusion is a Great Place to Work (vs. 57% at a typical US company), earning the company the #60 spot on Fortune's Best Workplaces in the Bay Area™ 2025 list [greatplacetowork.com](https://www.greatplacetowork.com/certified-company/7085506). - **Core Values**: The company operates on four key values: *Support each other, Pursue the truth, Encourage creative approaches, Commit to impact* [pacificfusion.com](https://pacificfusion.com/careers). - **Work Environment**: A builder's mentality with a mix of scientists, engineers, and operators. Roles are on-site in Fremont, CA; San Leandro, CA; Albuquerque, NM; and Los Lunas, NM. The culture emphasizes rapid iteration, open communication, and practical engineering. - **Strong Financial Backing**: With over $900M in funding from top-tier investors, the company is well-resourced to pursue its ambitious timeline. ## Sources 1. [pacificfusion.com](https://pacificfusion.com/) 2. [pacificfusion.com/careers](https://pacificfusion.com/careers) 3. [linkedin.com/company/pacificfusion](https://www.linkedin.com/company/pacificfusion) 4. [wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Fusion](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Fusion) 5. [greatplacetowork.com](https://www.greatplacetowork.com/certified-company/7085506) ## Other roles at Pacific Fusion - [NetSuite Administrator](https://feeny.ai/job/netsuite-administrator-pacific-fusion-san-leandro-8m3f8d6jbdxa) — San Leandro, CA - [Hardware Configuration & Change Management Specialist](https://feeny.ai/job/hardware-configuration-change-management-specialist-pacific-fusion-san-leandro-949e36fx4ay8) — San Leandro, CA - [Summer 2027 Internship- Supply Chain](https://feeny.ai/job/summer-2027-internship-supply-chain-pacific-fusion-san-leandro-ca-fremont-ca-or-31v3f06rjh41) — San Leandro Ca/fremont CA OR Los Lunas, NM - [Summer 2027 Internship- Software Engineering](https://feeny.ai/job/summer-2027-internship-software-engineering-pacific-fusion-san-leandro-ca-sjnerfajh3nk) — San Leandro Ca/fremont CA OR Los Lunas, NM - [Summer 2027 Internship - Electrical Engineering](https://feeny.ai/job/summer-2027-internship-electrical-engineering-pacific-fusion-san-leandro-ca-e8vy78c5z1v2) — San Leandro Ca/ Fremont CA OR Los Lunas, NM - [Summer 2027 Internship- Mechanical Engineering](https://feeny.ai/job/summer-2027-internship-mechanical-engineering-pacific-fusion-san-leandro-ca-82c4h67r4wj3) — San Leandro Ca/fremont CA OR Los Lunas, NM - [Manufacturing Systems Analyst](https://feeny.ai/job/manufacturing-systems-analyst-pacific-fusion-los-lunas-qk55y71ff0e3) — Los Lunas, NM - [Summer 2027 Internship-Manufacturing Engineering](https://feeny.ai/job/summer-2027-internship-manufacturing-engineering-pacific-fusion-san-leandro-09kxn4d8q0pf) — San Leandro, CA / Fremont, CA / Los Lunas, NM - [Senior Manufacturing Engineer - NPI](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-manufacturing-engineer-npi-pacific-fusion-fremont-pmh1tcd60e6v) — Fremont, CA - [Fabrication Lead](https://feeny.ai/job/fabrication-lead-pacific-fusion-san-leandro-ksv7jbsw5vhg) — San Leandro, CA