Munich, Garching · Full-time · On-site
About Starforge
Starforge is on a mission to make fusion energy a practical utility by factory-manufacturing modular, fleet-deployable fusion reactors. We are fusion's Henry Ford moment.
Our first reactor product line, Unit One, is a 250 MWe spherical tokamak, built from demountable high-temperature superconducting magnets and designed in modular blocks so that every component can be factory-manufactured as well as replaced on site.
Our team comes from the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics, MIT, Commonwealth Fusion Systems, Tokamak Energy, KIT, Lilium, and GE.
Come and join us in building the future.
Build Unit One's magnets as our Manufacturing Engineer, Magnets
Manufacturing a high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnet is a delicate and multidisciplinary process. Long lengths of thin HTS tape need to be wound into shape under controlled tension and positioning, insulated, constrained, and joined without damaging a conductor that is sensitive to bending, strain and heat. We are building our first winding capability now, and every coil we make teaches us how the next hundred should be made. This is your chance to build the process that turns superconducting tape into fusion magnets and then carry it into a factory.
You will be our first magnet manufacturing engineer, owning the magnet manufacturing process and machinery, taking all input materials and turning them into prototype and production superconducting magnets. You will report to the Head of Magnets, and work closely with our magnet design and mechanical engineers, our lab technicians, and external manufacturing partners.
What you'll do
- Develop the winding, joining and fixation processes, from test coils to full magnets
- Own our first magnet winding equipment: specify, commission, and run it
- Design and procure the tooling, fixtures and process equipment around the winding line
- Lead the hands‑on work on our first coil builds, coordinating people, parts and schedule
- Oversee any third‑party manufacturing: find, qualify and steer suppliers for machined parts, coil components and processes
- Build quality into every step: understand and control process physics, input variables, and capture output characteristics to ensure as‑built product matches design intent
- Carry what we learn into design for manufacture and the path to factory production together with the magnet designers
What we’re looking for
- Degree in mechanical, mechatronics, manufacturing or materials engineering, or equivalent experience
- At least 5 years of direct experience in an industrial or laboratory environment with real equipment, taking a manufacturing process from laboratory trials to full‑size builds
- Hands‑on winding of strip, wire or tape, for example coils, motors, transformers, cables or composites
- Experience developing equipment specifications and working with equipment suppliers to deliver hardware
- Working German for equipment supplier conversations
- Comfortable making decisions with incomplete information and documenting the reasoning, in clear written and spoken English Bonus points:
- HTS‑specific experience with machine‑driven winding processes
- Experience with soldering, vacuum impregnation or epoxy potting as part of a production process
- Deep experience in automated web, wire, or strip placement machine build, commissioning, qualification
- Practical knowledge of machinery safety and CE conformity, including EN ISO 12100, EN 60204‑1 and EN ISO 13849
- Prior experience in a regulated industry such as aerospace, medical devices, or nuclear
- Experience with machine controls programming and equipment modification
What we offer
- Ownership of the magnet system manufacturing stack and a chance to shape how the company does magnet manufacturing
- Makerspace membership paid by the company
- Office and lab in Munich and Garching
We welcome applications from senior and mid‑career engineers, and from people moving into fusion from electric motors, transformers, cables, composites, aerospace, medical, or any other relevant engineering field. If you meet the must‑haves and the work excites you, apply.
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