---
title: 'Senior Mechanical Engineer - Fusion Engine Design and Analysis at Inertia'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-mechanical-engineer-fusion-engine-design-and-analysis-inertia-livermore-1z56gm4hyd60'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-09'
---

# Senior Mechanical Engineer - Fusion Engine Design and Analysis at Inertia

- **Company:** Inertia
- **Location:** Livermore
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-02-19
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-09
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/inertia/3f594d6e-945c-49ad-a53f-2a9eb0320be4

## Job description

## Overview

Inertia Enterprises is developing the technologies to build the world’s first fusion energy power plant. At our 48,000 sq.ft. facility in Livermore, CA, we are seeking a Senior Mechanical Engineer - Fusion Engine Design and Analysis to lead analysis and support the mechanical design of critical components and structures of Inertia’s integrated fusion power plant.

This role will lead the design and analysis of components and structures, including the first wall and breeding blanket structures, that must survive the harshest conditions known to engineering— intense x-ray and neutron flux, high temperatures, extreme thermal gradients, corrosion, among others.

## What You'll Get to Do

- Develop the mechanical design and 3D modeling of the fusion engine key systems, structures and components: chamber, first wall, blanket, vacuum chamber, piping.
- Lead mechanical design and thermal-structural analysis of key components such as the engine first wall and tritium breeding blanket, in steady-state and transient conditions. Optimize structures for heat removal, thermo-mechanical longevity, manufacturability.
- Evaluate the effects of cyclic heat flux, creep loading, fatigue loading on chamber components using relevant models, codes and standards to predict the operational lifespan of the fusion core. Account for effects of irradiation (displacement per atom and helium) in thermal mechanical analyses.
- Conducts thermal and structural analyses and parametric studies to validate and optimize materials choices and mechanical designs, capturing insights and results in technical documentation and reports
- Actively participates in design reviews and risk matrix development, helping to identify technical gaps, track open action items, and incorporate feedback from various stakeholders into the design.
- Support and mentor other mechanical engineers, designers, and analysts working on other company priorities such as high power laser design, fusion target design. .

## What You Bring to Inertia

- Bachelor’s or advanced degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, Materials, Nuclear, Structural or a related engineering discipline.
- 7+ years of experience in mechanical design and analysis of structural materials in chemical, power generation, oil & gas, nuclear, defense, or aerospace industries.
- Expert-level skills in mechanical design and computer-aided design (CAD)
- Expertise in finite element analysis using codes such as ANSYS or Abaqus applied for stress and thermal analysis
- Knowledge of FEA and other spatial/time discretization techniques for partial differential equation (PDE) systems.
- Familiarity with application of numerical material models to metallic systems, structures and components
- Experience with alloys and metals, high temperatures, high heat fluxes, and/or irradiation effects on materials

Bonus Points

- Experience with power plant design
- Experience in/knowledge of Computational Materials Science or Mechanics preferred
- Experience developing scientific codes and softwares using C++, Fortran, python or similar programming language
- Experience with fusion or nuclear technologies
- Working knowledge of ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Codes, with specific interest in high-temperature service rules.

Salary & Benefits:

- The base salary range for this role is $125,000 - $225,000; 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
- [Senior Mechanical Design Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-mechanical-design-engineer-inertia-livermore-bey7f6xvm1p4) — Livermore
- [Mechanical Technician](https://feeny.ai/job/mechanical-technician-inertia-livermore-qmf2aas8y4kn) — Livermore