US$130,000–155,000 /yr
9d ago
US$130,000–155,000 /yr
9d ago
Job description
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 highly motivated and experienced Finite Element Analysts to join our rapidly growing team. In this pivotal role, you'll be instrumental in performing complex analysis to design, optimize, and verify the thermal, structural, and magnetic requirements of our cutting-edge stellarator systems. If you have at least 4 years of professional experience and a strong background in mechanical engineering, applied mechanics, materials, and simulation, you'll be well-positioned to deliver insightful results, provide data-driven recommendations, and justify critical design decisions.
Key Responsibility Areas
- Owns complex multi-domain and non-linear analyses, defines advanced material/weld modeling parameters, drives structural optimization, and justifies critical design decisions to engineering leadership.
- Develop and Analyze Complex FE Models: Create complex Finite Element Models, including advanced non-linear contacts, plasticity, and large deformations, to support the design of major stellarator systems and prototyping activities.
- Perform Multi-Domain Simulations: Develop multi-domain models, including thermal, mechanical, vibration, and magnetic loads.
Ideal Experience & Skillsets
- FEA Software Proficiency: 4+ years of industry or academic experience performing Finite Element Analysis using commercial software packages. Experience in scripting and building tools around commercial FEA tools
- Complex Problem Solving: Demonstrated ability to solve complex engineering problems and identify root causes through meticulous analysis.
- First-of-its-Kind Development: Proven experience developing first-of-its-kind components or systems.
- Provides technical guidance and peer-review for junior analysts (Eng I/II) to ensure model accuracy and best practices.
- Optimize Structural Designs: Utilize various techniques to optimize structures for optimal performance under loading conditions, minimizing weight, and maximizing maintainability.
- Drive Design Improvements: Actively participate in the design process, identifying opportunities for improvements that lead to higher-performing, lower-cost, and more maintainable systems.
- Material Modeling: Identify required property development to ensure accurate analysis.
- Specialized Materials Knowledge: Experience with the cryogenic behavior of materials and welds.
- Adaptability & Drive: Comfortable working to ambitious timelines with an exceptional work ethic, adaptability, and a continuous improvement mindset.
- Collaboration & Communication: A strong team player with excellent communication and collaboration skills.
- Continuous Improvement Mindset: An innate desire to learn, innovate, and critically evaluate ideas, including your own.
Company Benefits
- Salary range $120,000 - $155,000
- 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 and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. 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.
Pay & benefits
US$120,000–155,000 /yr
Health insurance
Equity
Paid time off
About this role
Posted
20 Oct 2026
Updated
20 Oct 2026
Job type
Full time
Workplace
On-site
Sectors
Working hours
UTC-05:00
Experience
4+ years
Employerthea.energy
LinkedInThea Energy
About Thea Energy
Company Overview
Name
Thea Energy, originally known as Princeton Stellarators Inc.
HeadquartersPrinceton, New Jersey, United States
Founded2022
SizeEmployee 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.
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