---
title: 'Robotics & Automation Engineer at Fuse'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/robotics-automation-engineer-fuse-san-leandro-t5xn00damg6y'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-20'
---

# Robotics & Automation Engineer at Fuse

- **Company:** Fuse
- **Location:** San Leandro, CA
- **Compensation:** $125k–$165k
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-10-16
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-20
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/fuse/88e71da9-ed7c-4f12-853d-c5ea899e6e5c

## Job description

## ABOUT FUSE

We are building one of the most potentially consequential companies of the century. Our mission is to accelerate the world's transition to fusion energy while safeguarding humankind. This is not a normal company. This is not a normal job. We are committed for the long term to win.

## ABOUT THE ROLE

We're looking for robotics engineers to stand up and grow Fuse's robotic manufacturing capability from the ground up. You will design, build, program, and deploy robotic cells that handle the full lifecycle of our pulsed-power hardware, from individual components up to our complete Impedance-Matched Marx Generator (IMG) modules. This is a hands-on, high-responsibility role: you'll select the robots, design the end-effectors and fixturing, write the control and vision software, integrate everything into a working line, and keep it running. You'll work shoulder to shoulder with our pulsed-power, mechanical, and electrical engineers to make our hardware manufacturable by robots.

## WHAT WE VALUE

- Obsess about the details — sloppy work costs us later, so do it right the first time.
- Care — pick up the trash. Do things no one asks you to do. Go the extra mile because you care.
- Act with urgency — every hour matters more than it feels like it does.
- Be responsible for the outcome, not just the task; if it is not working, it remains your problem until it is fixed.
- Assume good intent — disagree openly, then commit fully once a call is made.

## CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

- Design and deploy robotic capabilities to fabricate and assemble Fuse's core pulsed-power components, including FDGS (field-distortion gas switches), "bricks" (capacitor and switch assemblies), stages, full IMG modules, and transmission lines.
- Build automated assembly, fastening, bonding, alignment, and handling processes for high-voltage, high-energy parts, including heavy and delicate components.
- Develop robotic workflows for inspection, test, and preventive maintenance of fielded hardware, reducing manual intervention in high-voltage environments.
- Design and fabricate custom end-effectors, grippers, tooling, and fixtures tailored to our components.
- Integrate machine vision, force/torque sensing, and metrology for precise alignment, quality control, and error detection.
- Program and integrate industrial and/or collaborative robots (arms, gantries, mobile platforms) with PLCs, motion controllers, and factory software.
- Define the cell-level architecture, including safety systems, interlocks, material flow, and throughput, and contribute to the build-out from concept to a fully functioning production line.
- Partner with design engineers on Design for Automated Assembly, feeding manufacturability requirements back into component design.
- Establish maintenance, calibration, spares, and documentation practices so the automation is reliable and serviceable.
- Help onboard new team members as the robotics team grows.

## MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

- Degree in Robotics, Mechatronics, Mechanical/Electrical Engineering, Controls, or equivalent hands-on experience.
- Hands-on experience deploying robotic automation in a manufacturing or assembly environment.
- Strong skills in robot programming and integration (e.g., FANUC, KUKA, ABB, Universal Robots, or similar) and industrial controls (PLCs, motion control, I/O, safety systems).
- Experience designing end-effectors, fixtures, and tooling in CAD and seeing them through fabrication.
- Working knowledge of machine vision and sensor integration for guidance and inspection.
- Software ability (e.g., Python, C++, and/or ROS) for control, vision, and system integration.
- Solid grasp of automation safety standards and safe design practice.
- A builder's mindset: comfortable with ambiguity, iterating fast, and owning a system end to end in a startup.

## PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

- Experience automating the assembly of high-voltage, high-energy, or hazardous hardware, and familiarity with the associated safety requirements.
- Background in pulsed power, Marx generators, capacitors, high-voltage systems, or fusion/plasma hardware.
- Experience with heavy-payload handling, precision alignment/metrology, or automated electrical/hi-pot testing.
- Experience with mobile robots or automated maintenance/inspection in field environments.
- Experience standing up a new automation function or production line.

## ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

- Based in or willing to relocate to our San Leandro, CA facility; this role is fully onsite.
- Comfortable working hands-on in a lab and production environment around high-voltage and high-energy equipment, following strict safety procedures.
- Ability to lift and maneuver equipment and tooling as needed during cell build-out and maintenance.
- Occasional travel to other Fuse locations.

## BENEFITS

- Medical, dental, and vision coverage.
- Relocation assistance for roles that require it.
- Flexible time off. Take what you need, no accrual tracking.
- 2 weeks of paid time off built into the end of each year (subject to team and business needs).
- Supportive leave of absence policies.
- Paid leave for new parents.

## ITAR REQUIREMENTS

To conform to U.S. Government technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

## EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

Fuse is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Fuse is governed on the basis of merit, competence, and qualifications and will not be influenced by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, ancestry, immigration status, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status.

## About Fuse

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Fuse is a fusion energy and defense company developing magnetized-liner inertial fusion (MagLIF) technology to deliver clean, on-demand power while providing radiation testing services for national security customers.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series A)
- **Headquarters**: San Leandro, California, United States (operates "Fuseville" facility)
- **Founded**: 2018 (per CB Insights) or 2019 (per Wikipedia); founder J.C. Btaiche started the company at age 19
- **Founders**: J.C. Btaiche

## Core Business
- **Primary industry/industries**: Fusion energy, defense, nuclear effects testing, pulsed power engineering
- **Target customers**: U.S. government (Air Force, NNSA, national labs), defense contractors, eventually commercial energy utilities
- **Mission or purpose statement**: "Accelerating the World’s Transition to Fusion Energy" — building the fastest practical path to abundant, clean, safe, on-demand energy

## Products & Services
- **TITAN**: A 1 TW Impedance-Matched Marx Generator (IMG) — the essential MagLIF pulser building block. World’s first high-energy, high-power IMG, demonstrated in 2024 with results published in *Nature Scientific Reports*.
- **Z-Star**: A 15 TW MagLIF generator designed to iterate on and solve system engineering challenges (targeting 2027).
- **Apeiron I**: A pilot fusion plant design aiming to demonstrate a MagLIF hybrid plant core (targeting 203x).
- **FAETON I**: Neutron-producing fusion generator (over 1 trillion neutrons generated).
- **Radiation Testing Services (HEART)**: Hardened Electronics And Radiation Testing — providing short-burst radiation testing for government and commercial hardware resilience.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation**: Over $200 million as of September 2024 (per Bloomberg News)
- **Total Funding**: $32 million raised (Series A)
- **Key Metric**: 100+ employees; 2 patents filed; 53 employees as of 2024 (Wikipedia)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Bracket Capital, Tamarack Global, Buckley Ventures. Government partners: U.S. Air Force, National Nuclear Security Administration, Sandia National Laboratories, Los Alamos National Laboratory.
- **Growth Signals**: Awarded USAF contract (Feb 2024); published in *Nature Scientific Reports* (July 2024); former NNSA Administrator Lisa Gordon-Hagerty joined board; building Z-Star and Apeiron I platforms; operating a radiation facility covered by *Wired*.

## Competitive Advantages
- **MagLIF approach**: Integrates proven fusion technologies (magnetic and inertial) — demonstrated feasible by Sandia National Lab (2018, 2022). Fuse’s focus on engineering efficiency and affordability aims to solve repetition rate and cost barriers.
- **Rapid iteration**: Delivered two neutron-producing fusion generators and the world’s first IMG pulser in under three years, on time and on a lean budget.
- **Dual-use revenue model**: Generates revenue now through nuclear effects testing for defense customers while developing long-term fusion power — de-risking the path to commercial fusion.
- **Deep government relationships**: Contracts with USAF, NNSA, and CRADAs with Sandia and Los Alamos. Advisory board includes former Under Secretary of Energy, former CIA COO, former NSA Deputy Director, and senior military officers.
- **Patents**: 2 filed patents protecting core technology.

## Strategic Focus
- **Immediate**: Scale the pulsed power driver technology (Z-Star) and continue delivering radiation testing services to defense and intelligence customers.
- **Medium-term**: Demonstrate a MagLIF hybrid plant core with Apeiron I.
- **Long-term**: Deploy commercial fusion power plants, achieving 90% energy efficiency and enabling clean, on-demand energy at scale.
- **Talent**: Aggressively hiring for plasma physics, electrical engineering, pulse power, mechanical engineering, and experimental physics roles.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Described as "misfits, tinkerers, skeptics, doers" — drawn to impossible problems. Values include frugality, speed, hands-on experimentation, and deep technical conviction. "Fuse is not a comfortable environment" — no bean bag chairs; many live, eat, and work at the facility.
- **Work environment**: "Fuseville" — a shipping-container communal living facility adjacent to the lab. Bed-to-reactor commute under 60 seconds. Sleep pods available. You'll likely build your own desk. "We really skimp on furniture."
- **Compensation**: Low salaries — "you should be willing to work for free. While you will receive a minimum base so that you can survive, money and lifestyle is not the motivator." Significant stock option upside if fusion succeeds. "Fair wages. Long hours. High voltage. Success far from guaranteed."
- **Benefits**: Competitive healthcare plan. High-end computer setup and cloud computing resources. "Everyone on the team has skin in the game."
- **Who should apply**: Self-motivated, deeply internally driven, humble yet brilliant, fusion geeks who built Polywells in high school, boundary-pushers who "get shit done." Must be comfortable with deferred gratification and high risk.
- **Remote/hybrid policy**: Not explicitly stated, but the "Fuseville" on-site living model suggests heavy in-person presence is expected. "Commuting makes your blood boil" is a stated value.
- **Notable perks**: Working on one of humanity’s hardest problems alongside top 1% talent; national security impact; potential enormous financial reward via stock options; "glory in case of ignition."

## Sources
1. [f.energy](https://www.f.energy/)
2. [f.energy - About](https://www.f.energy/about-fuse-energy)
3. [f.energy - Join Us](https://www.f.energy/join-us)
4. [CB Insights](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/fuse-energy-technologies)
5. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuse_Energy_Technologies_Corporation)
6. [Jobs page](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/fuse)

## Other roles at Fuse

- [Security Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/security-engineer-fuse-san-leandro-ny5j9cmv18qr) — San Leandro, CA
- [IT System Administrator](https://feeny.ai/job/it-system-administrator-fuse-san-leandro-jgpta6gqdgg9) — San Leandro, CA
- [FSO/ITPSO (Fuse Fed)](https://feeny.ai/job/fso-itpso-fuse-fed-fuse-fuse-federal-albuquerque-3qer3v7mpvze) — Fuse Federal Albuquerque, NM
- [IT System Administrator (Fuse Fed)](https://feeny.ai/job/it-system-administrator-fuse-fed-fuse-fuse-federal-albuquerque-ry10tqst0n42) — Fuse Federal Albuquerque, NM
- [Health Physicist](https://feeny.ai/job/health-physicist-fuse-albuquerque-gddj5k91cqf5) — Albuquerque, NM
- [Head of Government Affairs](https://feeny.ai/job/head-of-government-affairs-fuse-washington-19z8bhwga0xj) — Washington, DC
- [Director, Defense Prime Partnerships](https://feeny.ai/job/director-defense-prime-partnerships-fuse-washington-1fz4np6nf5jd) — Washington, DC
- [Director of Commercial Partnerships](https://feeny.ai/job/director-of-commercial-partnerships-fuse-san-leandro-amvyfmb02jh8) — San Leandro, CA
- [Director of Contracts](https://feeny.ai/job/director-of-contracts-fuse-washington-jwcd5z44856p) — Washington, DC
- [Technician](https://feeny.ai/job/technician-fuse-albuquerque-9fazbpqp0gzv) — Albuquerque, NM