Tritium Breeding Blanket Manufacturing Engineer

Munich

Full-time

Permanent employee

About the role

Tritium and deuterium are the two hydrogen isotopes that will fuel fusion power plants. While deuterium can be extracted from seawater, the supply of tritium is limited and therefore must be produced in the fusion facility. A way to generate tritium and ensure enough tritium inventory for power plants is to have breeding blankets containing lithium compounds inside the fusion device and a fully closed fuel cycle.

GFG is looking for a tritium breeding blanket manufacturing engineer to support the qualification of the TBB and its main interfacing systems. They will collaborate mainly with industry as well as national and international laboratories. Due to the sensitive nature of tritium, close collaboration with Nuclear Safety and Export Control experts will be necessary and at least basic knowledge in this field is required.

The successful candidate will have a relevant role in the qualification of the breeding blanket, particularly supporting the design, development, building and testing of representative mock-ups and prototypes. The main responsibility is to ensure that the final component can be manufacturable on an industrial scale and cost effective.

Main responsibilities

Review engineering, manufacturing deliverables (procedures, reports, manufacturing routes)
Control and verification of manufacturing project requirements
Documentation management and control
Follow-up on engineering activities (technical documentation during engineering and production phases)
Identify design issues, propose solutions and contribute to the updates of the associated design description documents
Provide design-for-manufacturing (DfM) guidance throughout concept evolution
Attendance of activities at partners and collaborators premises
Support mechanical design with engineering verification assessments against criteria defined in standards, regulations and codes
Define and develop manufacturing and assembly strategies and activities (focus on manufacturability assessment, mock-up and prototype development, evaluations and liaison with industrial partners to produce the manufacturing mock-ups)
Review design analysis and development of test prototypes for breeding blankets (technical design and construction of prototypes, CAD modeling, finite element modeling)
Support and review development of mock-ups, and full-scale prototypes

Qualification and educational requirements

A good master’s degree or equivalent in physics, mechanical engineering, materials engineering or nuclear engineering fields
Technical experience:
- At least 5 years’ experience in manufacturing engineering roles, with demonstrated involvement in prototyping, pilot production and qualification phases in fusion, nuclear or aerospace industries
- Hands-on experience in the follow-up of the manufacturing of mechanical components under a Quality Management System, involving some of the following activities: forging, sanding/surface coating, drilling, welding, machining, or electrical /TIG welding
- Preferably with industrial experience in welding activities (International Welding Engineers, ideally) and Non-Destructive Testing techniques (Radiographic, Ultrasonic, Visual, Liquid penetrant), in particular for stainless steels
- Knowledge of at least one code and standard used in the design and manufacturing of mechanical components (ASME III, ASME VIII, RCC-MR, RCC-MRx, Eurocodes, EN standards, etc.)
- Verification of the compliance of mechanical components with at least one code and standard used in the manufacturing of such components (ASME III, ASME VIII, RCC-MR, RCCMRx, Eurocodes, EN standards, etc.)

Competences and preferred skills

Solid understanding of manufacturing processes and routes, including machining, forming, assembly, surface treatments and special processes relevant to the industry
Familiarity with design analysis and development of test prototypes
Familiarity with manufacturing readiness, process qualification, and production ramp-up activities
Experience working with suppliers or industrial partners on technical deliverables
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
Proactive, solution-oriented mindset
Ability to work effectively in cross-functional teams, interfacing with design, materials and quality
Familiarity with magnetic fusion and/or nuclear power-plant systems preferred
Proficiency in English. Ability to read and communicate in German and or French preferred.

Über uns

At Gauss Fusion, we have a clear mission: to accelerate fusion energy's industrialisation and make it a reality in Europe.

Gauss Fusion is a unique greentech company founded in 2022 by private industrial companies from France, Germany, Italy and Spain. It brings together a combination of cutting-edge scientific research and industrial expertise in fusion energy that is unique in Europe. The company is helping to shape a sustainable, independent energy supply in Europe with stable prices and high availability through fusion energy, the solution that will complements renewables like solar and wind, ensuring reliability and sustainability.

The founding companies are among the leading European companies in the fusion industry. As such, they have decades of experience, expertise and an extensive track record in the manufacture of components and technologies for the fusion industry. At the same time, we work closely with world-renowned research institutions and leverage the best practices from the industry to unlock the power of fusion.

Join us on our journey to revolutionize the energy landscape and make fusion power a reality.

The time is now!