Optical Simulation Engineer Jobs in Tennessee (NOW HIRING)

Join us in our mission to commercialize fusion energy

About Type One Energy

Type One Energy Group is mission-driven to provide sustainable, affordable fusion power to the world. Established in 2019 and venture-backed in 2023, the company is led by a team of globally recognized fusion scientists with a strong track record of building state-of-the-art stellarator fusion machines, together with veteran business leaders experienced in scaling companies and commercializing energy technologies.

If you are searching for the best new ideas and share our vision, join us as a RF Engineer-Microwave & Quasi-Optics . This is what you need to know:

Location: Knoxville TN or Madison WI

Salary: Highly Competitive Plus Benefits

Contract: Permanent, full time

Reporting to: Director of Electrical and Software Engineering

Your role in the mission:

We are seeking a motivated RF Engineer to join our Electron Cyclotron Heating (ECH) team and take a central role in the design and development of a quasi-optical (QO) transmission line system. This is a hands‑on engineering position at the intersection of high‑power microwave engineering, optical beam propagation, and fusion system integration.

You will work alongside highly motivated physicists and engineers to design, analyze, and validate the QO transmission line that delivers high‑power millimeter‑wave beams from gyrotron sources to the plasma vessel. This role offers significant opportunity for growth and requires a willingness to develop expertise across a broad set of microwave and optical engineering disciplines.

Responsibilities:

• Lead and contribute to the design of QO transmission line components, including waveguides, mirrors, polarizers, and beam shaping elements for high‑power millimeter‑wave delivery
• Perform Gaussian beam optics analysis and diffraction simulations to characterize beam propagation, spillover losses, and mode purity through the QO transmission line
• Use electromagnetic simulation tools (e.g., CST, HFSS, COMSOL, or equivalent) to model QO component performance and validate designs against system requirements
• Specify and coordinate fabrication of precision microwave components, working closely with machinists, vendors, and metrology teams to ensure design tolerances are met
• Conduct low‑power microwave bench measurements to characterize component performance, including beam pattern mapping, insertion loss, and polarization purity
• Support high‑power conditioning and commissioning activities for the QO transmission line in coordination with the broader ECH team
• Develop and maintain engineering documentation including design drawings, analysis reports, interface control documents, and test procedures
• Stay current with advances in QO and millimeter‑wave engineering and proactively apply new techniques to improve system performance
• Interact with other engineering and physics disciplines including thermal, mechanical, and neutronics

What you’ll need:

• Doctoral degree/Masters in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Applied Physics, or a closely related field
• Demonstrated experience in microwave or millimeter‑wave engineering, including RF component design, analysis, or testing
• Working knowledge of Gaussian beam optics and free‑space wave propagation at millimeter‑wave or sub‑millimeter‑wave frequencies
• Proficiency with at least one electromagnetic/multi‑physics simulation tool (e.g., CST Microwave Studio, HFSS, COMSOL, or similar)
• Hands‑on experience with microwave measurement techniques and laboratory instrumentation (VNAs, power meters, beam profilers)
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills with the ability to translate system‑level requirements into component‑level specifications
• Genuine curiosity and a demonstrated willingness to learn new technical domains; this role spans multiple disciplines and rewards intellectual breadth
• Excellent communication skills and ability to collaborate effectively in a multidisciplinary team environment

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with high‑power gyrotron systems or ECH transmission line architectures used in fusion research
• Experience with QO or antenna range measurements, including near‑field to far‑field transformations
• Exposure to fusion devices (tokamaks or stellarators) and the role of ECH systems in plasma heating
• Experience with engineering design tools such as CAD (SolidWorks, CATIA) for mechanical integration of microwave components

We offer :

In addition to a basic salary and yearly bonus, you will also get…

• A hybrid work policy
• Stock options
• Insurance plans
• Retirement options
• And many more great voluntary benefits

Type One Energy applies proven advanced manufacturing methods, modern computational physics and high‑field superconducting magnets to develop its optimized stellarator fusion energy system. Our FusionDirect development program pursues the lowest‑risk, shortest‑schedule path to a fusion power plant over the coming decade, using a partner‑intensive and capital‑efficient strategy.

Type One Energy is committed to community engagement in the development and deployment of its clean energy technology. For more information, visit www.typeoneenergy.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

Export Control Compliance Notice

This position may require access to technology, technical data, software, or other information that is subject to U.S. export control laws and regulations. Any offer of employment will be contingent upon the Company's ability to comply with applicable U.S. Export Control Laws, including obtaining any required government authorizations.

Type One Energy is a Global, U.S.-based company that develops and utilizes technologies subject to U.S. export control and trade compliance regulations. Certain positions may require access to controlled technologies, technical data, software, or other information regulated by U.S. Export Control Laws.

For positions involving access to export‑controlled technology or information, the Company may be required to determine whether any government authorization or license is needed before such access can be provided. Any offer of employment for such positions may be contingent upon the Company's ability to comply with applicable U.S. Export Control Laws and obtain any required government authorizations.

U.S. Employment Eligibility Verification

For positions based in the United States, Type One Energy participates in E-Verify and verifies the identity and employment authorization of newly hired employees in accordance with applicable federal law. Employees hired to work in the United States will be required to complete the Form I-9 employment eligibility verification process upon hire.

Type One Energy is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are made based on qualifications, merit, business needs, and compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

Candidate Privacy

Type One Energy collects personal information from applicants for recruitment, hiring, and related business purposes. We process applicant information in accordance with applicable privacy and data protection laws and take reasonable measures to protect the confidentiality and security of personal information. By applying for a position, you acknowledge that your personal information may be collected, used, transferred, and disclosed as necessary to evaluate your candidacy, conduct pre‑employment screenings where permitted by law, and comply with legal and regulatory requirements.