Mechanical Engineer

Become a Mechanical Engineer with Thea Energy in Kearny, New Jersey. Take ownership of the design and development of fusion energy components. Enjoy a competitive salary, comprehensive health benefits, and employee equity options. Collaborate with a passionate team dedicated to creating sustainable energy solutions. Thea Energy is seeking a Mechanical Engineer in Kearny, New Jersey, to lead the design and development of fusion energy components. This role involves structural and thermomechanical design, analysis, and collaboration with teams to define prototyping requirements. Enjoy a salary range of $110,000-$180,000, comprehensive health benefits, and employee equity options while working with a creative team focused on sustainable energy solutions.

Thea Energy Kearny, New Jersey, United States On-site Full Time USD 110k–180k yearly UTC-05:00

Thea Energy

Company Overview

Name

Thea Energy, originally known as Princeton Stellarators Inc.

Headquarters

Princeton, New Jersey, United States

Founded

2022

Size

Employee count and revenue figures for 2023 or later remain undisclosed publicly, though it operates as a private fusion startup with funding from the U.S. Department of Energy's Milestone-Based Fusion Development Program as one of eight recipients (source: pppl.gov).

What They Do

Thea Energy focuses on advancing fusion energy through innovative stellarator designs, utilizing arrays of planar high-temperature superconducting (HTS) coils to achieve stable magnetic confinement. This approach simplifies the traditional complex 3D modular magnets found in conventional stellarators, allowing for more efficient and effective fusion energy production (source: fusionxinvest.com). Their flagship system, named Eos after the Greek goddess of dawn, is designed to produce neutrons for tritium breeding, which is essential for validating their technology and enabling future commercial applications, such as steady-state fusion power plants (source: heatmap.news). The company's technology leverages modern computing power and HTS materials to optimize designs, providing inherent steady-state stability that mitigates disruptions commonly associated with tokamaks (source: thea.energy). Their target markets primarily include commercial fusion energy developers, with an initial focus on neutron sources for industrial applications, although specific customer segments have not been detailed (source: fusionxinvest.com). A key differentiator for Thea Energy is its rapid in-house manufacturing capabilities, which utilize tools like a CNC machine and a specialized device named "Zeus" for winding HTS tape, allowing for quick iterations and reducing reliance on outsourced labor (source: heatmap.news).

Projects & Track Record

As of now, Thea Energy has not completed any projects, as it is still in the early stages of development focused on prototyping its Eos system. This system is intended to serve as the first demonstrator for neutron and tritium production, but specific completion dates, capacity specifications, or project locations have not been reported (source: fusionxinvest.com). The company is actively engaged in building and testing planar HTS coil prototypes at its facility in Kearny, New Jersey, which is equipped with an open office space, laboratory, and small-scale manufacturing capabilities for magnet arrays (source: heatmap.news). Thea Energy's origins at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) provide it with strong partnerships and a foundation in stellarator research, with co-founder David Gates being a notable physicist and Edison Patent Award winner for his contributions to the field (source: pppl.gov). Currently, the geographic presence of Thea Energy is limited to New Jersey, and there have been no announcements regarding expansion, although the location benefits from proximity to significant fusion research hubs in the Northeast, including PPPL and Columbia University (source: heatmap.news).

Recent Developments

In 2023, prior to its rebranding, Princeton Stellarators Inc. received funding from the U.S. Department of Energy's Milestone-Based Fusion Development Program, which supports advancements in stellarator technology toward commercialization (source: pppl.gov). However, there have been no reported contracts, acquisitions, mergers, or additional funding rounds in the last two years, as the company focuses on proprietary breakthroughs without public milestones or awards beyond Gates' personal Edison Patent (source: thea.energy). Thea Energy's website encourages subscription updates but does not list any recent press releases regarding major announcements, indicating a relatively quiet period in terms of public communications (source: thea.energy).

Working There

Information about working at Thea Energy is limited, but it appears to be suitable for job seekers interested in a small, early-stage fusion startup environment. Roles likely encompass engineering positions focused on magnet design, HTS winding, and CNC manufacturing, as well as physics research and operational roles, inferred from the facility's mix of open desks, lab work, and prototype building (source: heatmap.news). Hiring seems to be concentrated at the New Jersey site, with no remote or other location postings documented (source: fusionxinvest.com). The company culture appears to blend the agility of a tech startup with the practicalities of a laboratory environment, emphasizing local unionized labor for scalability and rapid prototyping, rather than relying on elite academic talent, all within a space that prioritizes manufacturing efficiency (source: heatmap.news). However, no documented benefits, salary data, or employee testimonials are available in public sources.

Contact

Website · Careers · LinkedIn

Last updated on 2025-12-27 | Report an issue

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.

Position Overview

Thea Energy is looking for experienced, highly motivated mechanical engineers to join its rapidly growing team. Mechanical engineers will have ownership of the mechanical design and development of primary and secondary components and subsystems in the development of Thea Energy's stellarator fusion systems. You will be responsible for the structural and thermomechanical design, manufacturability, analysis, development, and commissioning of these components. The Thea Energy team is comprised of driven, creative, and fun individuals passionate about solving complex problems.

Key Responsibility Areas

Have ownership of the design and development of primary and secondary mechanical fusion components and subsystems
Work with core system-level development teams to define prototyping requirements
Produce mechanical engineering designs, drawings, specifications, and parameters from first principles with appropriate tolerances for vendor quoting and manufacturing
Design tooling for assembly
Perform thermal, structural, and electromagnetic analysis and simulation using Ansys and COMSOL
Incorporate design for manufacturing principles and support first builds
Support the implementation of tooling and manufacturing
Design and execute qualification testing
Track and report results and progress against program goals and milestones
Communicate and collaborate with internal and external stakeholders
Mentor junior engineers

Ideal Experience & Skillsets

Minimum of a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, physics, or related fields
Minimum of 5 years of experience
Extensive experience as a lead designing, building, and commissioning custom systems
Experience in mechanical engineering using CAD software (e.g. Solidworks, CATIA, NX, etc.)
Management of complex assemblies with multiple contributors
Experience specifying machining, welding, and/or fabrication requirements
Ability to mentor junior engineers in methods to decompose complex problems, and review that work
Ability to take initiative and guide the design and analysis of complex components and systems with the aid of peers and team members
Ability to execute and flourish in a fast-paced, rapidly changing environment
Familiarity with GD&T (ASME Y14.5) & Drawing Standards
Experience owning systems or complex sub-systems
Comfortable working to aggressive deadlines
Exceptional work ethic
Strong team member with clear communication and collaboration skills
Innate desire to learn, innovate, and critique ideas including one's own

Company Benefits

Salary range $110,000-$180,000
Comprehensive health benefits (e.g. medical/dental/vision)
Employee equity stock options
20 days PTO

It's not necessary to meet all of the skillsets outlined above. Please feel free to send us a note and tell us why you would still be a great fit for this role or Thea Energy.

Diversity and Inclusion

Thea Energy is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating a company of diverse backgrounds. By creating a diverse environment, we will bring new ideas and approaches to solving some of the world's hardest (and most important) problems. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, family or marital status, age, disability, veteran's status, or other characteristic protected by applicable laws and regulations.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.