Embedded Systems Engineer

Thea Energy is leveraging recent breakthroughs in stellarator physics and engineering to create a faster and simpler approach to commercializing fusion energy. The company is reinventing the stellarator using computer-controlled arrays of planar coils thereby replacing the intricate, complex modular magnets required in all other stellarator architectures. Thea Energy is on a mission to create a limitless source of zero emission energy for a sustainable future.

Thea Energy is seeking a skilled and motivated Embedded Systems Engineer to lead the development of control and protection systems for high-power power supply systems deployed in the Integrated Stellarator Eos. This position focuses on enabling safe and precise operation of superconducting coil power supplies and high-voltage heating systems.

This role will involve designing and implementing embedded control systems using ARM microcontrollers, FPGAs, SoC and DSPs, as well as real-time modeling of power supply behavior. You will interface with internal system owners, power electronics vendors, and control software developers to ensure reliable and high-performance integration across the full range of mission-critical power subsystems.

• Design and implement real-time control logic for HTS magnet power supplies (low-voltage/high-current) and gyrotron HVPS systems.
• Develop embedded firmware for ARM-based microcontrollers (e.g., STM32, NXP), FPGA and SoC (Xilinx), DSP (TI) for low-latency control, feedback regulation, and interlock logic.
• Implement quench detection and fast protection logic for superconducting magnets using embedded or FPGA-based platforms.
• Simulate and validate control schemes using MATLAB/Simulink, including HIL or SIL configurations.
• Program and integrate FPGA and DSP hardware as required for fast, deterministic control of power conversion systems.
• Collaborate with Plasma Control and Supervisory Systems to ensure accurate interface protocols and control sequencing.
• Specify and validate analog and digital I/O, high-speed communication links, and protection interfaces between PSUs and control systems.
• Participate in FAT/SAT, commissioning, and system validation, including low- and high-power test operations.
• Support system documentation, interface control documents (ICDs), and structured control validation plans.

Required Qualifications:
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Embedded Systems, Power Electronics, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in control and embedded development for high-power systems in R&D, industrial, or scientific environments.
• Hands-on experience with:
o ARM Cortex-M/A series microcontrollers (e.g., STM32, NXP)
o Embedded C/C++ for bare-metal or RTOS (e.g., FreeRTOS, Zephyr)
o FPGA, SoC (Xilinx) or DSP (TI)-based control logic development
o Quench detection, crowbar logic, or magnet protection schemes
o Current and voltage regulation, PID control, and waveform generation
• Proficiency with simulation tools such as Simulink, MATLAB, or PLECS for modeling PSU behavior.
• Familiarity with industrial communication protocols (e.g., UART, SPI, CAN, Modbus, OPC UA, EtherCAT).

Preferred Qualifications:
• Experience designing control systems for fusion devices, particle accelerators, or large magnet systems
• Knowledge of superconducting magnet characteristics, ramp-up constraints, and discharge handling
• Exposure to gyrotron power supply design, including triode control and anode/bias supply regulation
• Integration experience with SCADA, EPICS, or plant-wide supervisory control systems
• Familiarity with EMI/EMC mitigation techniques for control electronics in high-power environments

Tools & Platforms:
• Languages: C/C++, MATLAB/Simulink, Python, Verilog/VHDL (preferred)
• Platforms: ARM Cortex-M/A (STM32, NXP), TI DSP (C2000), Xilinx FPGAs and SoC, NI PXIe, CompactRIO (Optional)
• Tools: STM32CubeIDE, Keil, PlatformIO, MATLAB/Simulink, LabVIEW (optional), PTP/White Rabbit for timing
• Protocols: OPC UA, Modbus TCP, EtherCAT, CANopen