_{24th July, 2026}

Senior Mechanical Engineer - Superconducting Magnets
 
Equal Opportunity Statement: We are an equal opportunity employer and are committed to creating an inclusive and diverse workplace. We believe that diversity strengthens our team and are dedicated to providing a work environment free from discrimination and harassment.
 
Who We Are
OpenStar Technologies is on a mission to repeat the feats of Māui and capture the power of the Sun. By mastering fusion - the process that powers the stars - we can generate safe, clean, carbon-free, base-load electricity in a way that is economically scalable to the challenge of mitigating climate disaster and giving birth to the next industrial revolution. Our team is currently made up of talented engineers and physicists, based in Wellington, New Zealand.
At OpenStar Technologies, our culture is founded on a commitment to making a positive impact on the world. We empower every member of our team with meaningful responsibility, fostering an environment where creativity and innovation thrive in pursuit of our collective mission.
 
About the Role
The Senior Mechanical Engineer (Superconducting Magnets) is the mechanical owner for OpenStar's HTS lift and dipole magnet systems in our levitated dipole fusion experiment. You will translate system-level physics and performance requirements into manufacturable magnet structures, tooling, and validated hardware, while providing technical leadership and mentoring within a rapidly growing magnet team.
 
Key Responsibilities
 
Design & Analysis

• Own the mechanical design of HTS lift and dipole magnet structures, supports, and interfaces from concept through detailed design, build, and test.
• Develop mechanical and thermal specifications for magnet components based on system design, performance goals, loads, and integration constraints.
• Perform structural and thermal analyses, from first-principles calculations to FEA, using multiphysics tools such as ANSYS and COMSOL, and collaborate with EM specialists on coupled analyses where needed.
• Develop design tools, data analysis software, and automation workflows using Python or similar to accelerate design iteration and test interpretation.

Manufacturing & Delivery

• Incorporate design-for-manufacture and assembly principles, balancing performance, cost, and schedule while supporting first builds.
• Produce drawings, specifications, and tolerance schemes, and collaborate with internal manufacturing team and external vendors to obtain quotes and deliver hardware that meets mechanical, cryogenic, and cleanliness requirements.
• Support the implementation of tooling, manufacturing processes, assembly procedures, and lifting/handling fixtures for magnet hardware.

Testing & Reporting

• Design and execute mechanical and integrated magnet tests in cryogenic and vacuum environments.
• Track and report results and progress against program goals and milestones.
• Communicate and collaborate effectively with internal teams, external vendors, and technical collaborators, and contribute to design reviews and technical documentation.

Key Relationships

• Magnet Technologies team (mechanical, EM, cryogenics)
• Experimental systems and operations teams
• External vendors and manufacturing partners
• Academic and industrial collaborators working on superconducting magnets and fusion hardware.

What We're Looking For
Essential

• Experience in design using CAD software (e.g. Solidworks, CATIA, NX, etc.).
• Experience with Ansys and/or COMSOL for structural, thermal, or multiphysics analysis.
• Experience specifying machining, welding, fabrication, and assembly requirements for precision hardware.
• Ability to work through and solve highly multidisciplinary engineering problems spanning mechanical, electromagnetic, thermal, and operational constraints.
• Ability to take initiative, work independently, and work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Comfortable working to deadlines in a dynamic and rapidly growing team.
• Demonstrated technical leadership through ownership of key subsystems, design reviews, or test campaigns.
• Strong communication, collaboration, and mentoring skills, with experience coaching junior engineers or technicians.
• At least a bachelor's degree in physics, mechanical engineering, materials engineering, or related fields.
• Eight plus years of industry experience in mechanical design and delivery of complex hardware.

Highly Regarded

• Experience with magnetic confinement fusion, superconducting magnets, cryogenics, aerospace, medical devices, or other highly technical industries.
• Experience with superconducting or high-field magnets, cryogenic systems, vacuum hardware, or power-dense electrical equipment.

 
Join Us
This opportunity offers the chance to work on something truly meaningful: practical fusion power and carbon-free energy at scale. You'll join OpenStar at a stage where our magnet and experimental teams are growing quickly, giving you both the responsibility to shape core hardware and the opportunity to mentor and grow the next generation of fusion engineers. Please join us in making this a reality.

Apply For Job