---
title: 'Senior Mechanical Design Engineer at Inertia'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-mechanical-design-engineer-inertia-livermore-bey7f6xvm1p4'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-09'
---

# Senior Mechanical Design Engineer at Inertia

- **Company:** Inertia
- **Location:** Livermore
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-03-13
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-09
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/inertia/da3ded3c-0705-4a11-b3e6-818e98720462

## Job description

## Overview

We are seeking a Senior Mechanical Design Engineer within the laser division, to play a key role in developing the next generation of ultra-high energy pulsed laser systems for fusion energy. Typical design projects would include the design and development of solid-state laser hardware and systems, large-aperture opto-mechanical mounts and positioning systems, support structures, vacuum chambers and systems, thermal management systems, and test stands and diagnostics.

## WHAT YOU'LL GET TO DO

- Gather and develop requirements for systems with stakeholders across all disciplines.
- Conceptualize system architectures and concepts based on high-level requirements.
- Lead small teams in the design of precision mechanical and opto-mechanical equipment and systems for IFE facilities.
- Design mechanical, opto-mechanical, and electro-mechanical equipment and systems.
- Validate design work with appropriate analysis (static and modal FEA, hand calculations, etc.).
- Present at design reviews to science and management stakeholders.
- Work closely with other disciplines in the design and coordination of activities.
- Integrate precision opto-mechanical, fluidic, and electrical hardware, designed both in-house and by subcontractors, into large-scale CAD assemblies that include facility BIM data.
- Perform detailed component materials and finish specifications, manage technical data transfer to suppliers, inspect and qualify hardware following procurement.
- Assemble prototype hardware; develop and execute test plans for subsystem performance validation.
- Utilize large-scale CAD assemblies to provide assembly documentation and installation schedules for opto-mechanical and electrical systems.
- Guide and mentor other engineers.

## WHAT YOU BRING TO INERTIA

- 10+ years of experience as a mechanical design engineer.
- Proven history of delivering novel and innovative solutions to challenging problems.
- Proficiency with 3D CAD packages; SolidWorks (preferred), CREO, Autodesk Inventor, etc.
- Thorough knowledge of drafting, tolerance analysis, and Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T).
- Demonstrated experience with FEA - Structural, Modal, Random Vibration with empirical validation.
- Experience with CFD analysis with empirical validation.
- Practical knowledge of manufacturing processes (machining, sheet metal, welding) and design for manufacturability (DFM).
- Experience specifying components for precision design: linear stages, rotary motors, encoders, optical sensors, pneumatic components, vacuum components, etc.
- Full design lifecycle experience including design, procurement, assembly, and test of mechanical systems.
- Experience with cleanroom procedures, high-voltage, and high-vacuum environments.
- Experience designing laser systems or optical instruments.
- Due to the nature of this position, applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

## SALARY & BENEFITS:

- The base salary range for this role is $180,000 - $240,000 per year; The pay range provided is an estimated base range for this role. Exact compensation may vary based on skills, experience, and education.
- We offer market-competitive compensation and an excellent benefits program, including Medical, Dental, and Vision plans, company-paid holidays, matching 401k, and more!

About Inertia:

Inertia is taking the most direct, scientifically-proven path to commercializing fusion, leveraging the only successful achievement of fusion ignition, using a process that was pioneered at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). With groundbreaking innovation, transformative technology, and multi-year investment, Inertia is committed to commercializing fusion energy in the next decade.

This position requires access to technology, software and other information that is subject to governmental access control restrictions, due to export controls, security classification and/or designation as Controlled Unclassified Information. Employment in this position is conditioned on the candidate’s eligibility for, obtaining and maintaining appropriate government authorization to access technology or information, to the extent required, including without limitation a security clearance, export license, or other documentation required to establish authorization to receive access to such items technology or information.

## About Inertia

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Inertia is a commercial fusion energy company developing laser-based inertial fusion power plants based on proven physics from the National Ignition Facility.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series A – raised $450M in February 2026)
- **Headquarters**: Livermore, California, United States
- **Founded**: 2024
- **Founders**: Jeff Lawson (CEO), Mike Dunne (Co-Founder, CTO & SVP Fusion Power), Annie Kritcher (Co-Founder)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Renewable energy, fusion power generation
- **Target customers**: Utility-scale electricity providers and grid operators (B2B, enterprise)
- **Mission**: Create limitless clean energy by commercializing the only proven approach to fusion – laser-driven inertial fusion – and delivering gigawatt-scale, dispatchable power.

## Products & Services
- **Fusion Power Plant**: A grid-scale, 1.5GW baseload plant that uses a 10MJ laser firing ten times per second at mass-produced fuel targets, generating electricity via steam turbines. First plant expected in the 2030s.
- **Fusion Fuel Targets**: Peppercorn-sized capsules of fusion fuel mass-manufactured for less than $1 each, enabling continuous, low-cost operation.
- **Modular Laser System**: The world’s most powerful laser (by average power), built from thousands of modular, replaceable beamlines (shipping-container-sized), 20x more efficient than NIF and 1/10th the footprint.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed (private company)
- **Total Funding**: $450M (Series A, February 2026) from leading venture investors
- **Key Metric**: 23 employees as of mid-2026; 16 active job postings; monthly headcount growth of +46.4% [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/inertia-fusion)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Backed by a group of leading visionaries and investors (names not disclosed in public materials). Public-private partnership with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) signed April 2026 [inertia.com](https://inertia.com/press/)
- **Growth Signals**: Proven physics (first net-energy-gain fusion experiment at NIF in 2022); $450M Series A; partnership with LLNL to commercialize fusion; rapid hiring across engineering, laser science, and manufacturing roles.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Proven physics basis**: Only company commercializing the laser-driven inertial fusion approach that has already achieved net-positive ignition (NIF 2022, repeated multiple times). Avoids scientific risk.
- **Modular laser architecture**: Thousands of identical, manufacturable laser units allow rapid scaling, redundancy, and cost reduction through mass production.
- **Low-cost fuel targets**: Mass-manufacturing targets for under $1 each eliminates the hand-crafted, expensive targets used in research labs.
- **Integrated power plant design**: Leverages existing turbine and grid infrastructure; breeds its own fuel and recycles components.

## Strategic Focus
- **Immediate priorities**: Build the world’s first assembly line for fusion fuel targets; construct the prototype modular laser beamline in Livermore; complete an integrated, fully consistent power plant design.
- **Next phase**: Scale both laser and target production into a gigawatt, utility-scale fusion power plant during the 2030s, demonstrating end-to-end energy generation.
- **Long-term**: Drive down cost for subsequent commercial facilities, targeting grid-scale, zero-emission baseload power.

## Why Work Here
- **Mission-driven culture**: "Building big" to solve climate change with limitless clean energy. The team emphasizes engineering over scientific risk, using known physics to commercialize rapidly.
- **Early-stage impact**: Small team (~23 employees) means each hire can have outsized influence across laser physics, target manufacturing, plant design, and business operations.
- **Work environment**: On-site in Livermore, CA (facilities for laser and target prototyping). Roles span mechanical engineering, controls, laser science, manufacturing, and content/storytelling.
- **Notable perks/benefits**: Not explicitly detailed, but the company offers competitive compensation in a high-growth, venture-backed startup. Open positions include senior engineers, scientists, and a Head of Content & Storytelling [inertia.com](https://inertia.com/jobs/).
- **Leadership**: Founded by proven entrepreneurs (Jeff Lawson, former Twilio CEO) and world-class fusion scientists (Mike Dunne led the US government fusion power plant program; Annie Kritcher designed the first net-positive ignition experiment).

## Sources
1. [inertia.com – Homepage](https://www.inertia.com/)
2. [inertia.com – Founders Message](https://inertia.com/press/founders-message/)
3. [inertia.com – Press Releases](https://inertia.com/press/)
4. [linkedin.com – Inertia Fusion](https://www.linkedin.com/company/inertia-fusion)
5. [inertia.com – Jobs Page](https://inertia.com/jobs/)

## Other roles at Inertia

- [Facilities Technician](https://feeny.ai/job/facilities-technician-inertia-livermore-kewb6gs52rav) — Livermore
- [Compliance Manager / Director / Counsel](https://feeny.ai/job/compliance-manager-director-counsel-inertia-livermore-md8d7dn6a2dj) — Livermore
- [VP, Finance](https://feeny.ai/job/vp-finance-inertia-livermore-8kdtp92993xg) — Livermore
- [Desktop Support Technician](https://feeny.ai/job/desktop-support-technician-inertia-livermore-cdb8b5m1zm47) — Livermore
- [Optics Manufacturing Development Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/optics-manufacturing-development-engineer-inertia-livermore-sats46ed86kk) — Livermore
- [Project Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/project-manager-inertia-livermore-qwrhbaa67b5d) — Livermore
- [Mechanical Technician](https://feeny.ai/job/mechanical-technician-inertia-livermore-qmf2aas8y4kn) — Livermore
- [Senior Mechanical Engineer - Fusion Engine Design and Analysis](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-mechanical-engineer-fusion-engine-design-and-analysis-inertia-livermore-1z56gm4hyd60) — Livermore
- [Senior Mechanical Design Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-mechanical-design-engineer-halobraid-bristol-89mq4afmz14w) — Bristol, United Kingdom
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