Chief of Staff, Systems Architecture

Job description

WHO WE ARE Proxima Fusion is Europe’s fastest-growing fusion company and the continent’s best-funded fusion player, as well as the first spin-out from the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (IPP). Backed by over €650M and powered by a growing team across Munich, Zurich, and Oxford, we are developing the hardware and infrastructure needed to deliver the world’s first commercial stellarator fusion power plant. Our concept advances the most mature fusion technology out there, the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator, through two next-generation machines: Alpha and Stellaris. Our work combines stellarator optimization, advanced computation, machine learning, and high-temperature superconducting magnets to unlock higher-performance designs that were previously out of reach. Turning these designs into a functioning fusion power plant requires excellence and ownership across every discipline, from physics and engineering to software, manufacturing, law, and business functions. TEAM AND ROLE - Shape the architecture of the world’s first commercial fusion power plant – Own system-level decisions that determine how a first-of-a-kind energy technology is designed, integrated, and ultimately deployed at scale. - Solve some of the most complex engineering challenges in industry – Work across tightly coupled disciplines (plasma physics, magnets, cryogenics, manufacturing, controls, and more) to resolve critical trade-offs and turn cutting-edge science into a functioning product. - Build real hardware with a pragmatic, fast-moving team from all over the world – Combine advanced simulation and systems thinking with a strong execution mindset, focusing on practical engineering solutions that accelerate the path to commercial fusion energy. WHY JOIN PROXIMA FUSION - You will get to work on some of the most complex tech challenges to bring abundant, safe, clean energy to the world. - You'll get to join and learn from an exceptional selection of accomplished and driven individuals. - Do your life’s best work and enjoy the journey. - Get to show that big things are possible in Europe when you assemble the best talent. ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT Systems Architecture defines which machines Proxima builds, and why. The department owns the architecture of the Alpha stellarator: the set of systems that make up the machine, how the whole is dimensioned, and the top-level requirements that flow down to every subsystem. It also leads plasma engineering for Alpha and Stellaris — coil and plasma shape optimization — sitting at the bridge between science and technology, physics and engineering. YOUR IMPACT Help translate ambition into systems that last. You will work directly with the Chief Scientist as the operational and strategic backbone of Systems Architecture. You interface across all Sys. Arch. teams and contribute to external-facing work: board reporting, strategy offsites, stakeholder engagement. Your instinct is to build systems that outlast your involvement, creating durable processes rather than personal dependencies, and leaving things in better shape than you found them. Your technical background gives you the judgment to operate credibly in a deeply technical environment and to design internal infrastructure that's coherent, low-friction, and built to last. When cross-cutting initiatives arise, special projects that need a clear owner and draw on expertise from multiple teams you're the person who picks them up and sees them through. WHAT YOU WILL DO - Support the Chief Scientist on projects within their scope, and help draft and communicate the department's strategy, plans, and priorities - Build and maintain systems across Sys. Arch. teams that support rapid development: coherent reporting formats, decision-making processes, and operational cadences - Coordinate cross-team special projects for example, aligning Proxima with an external stakeholder and converging on a clear direction and consolidate information across teams into decision-ready form - Interface with external stakeholders on high-priority topics; contribute to board reporting and prepare the department's quarterly strategy sessions - Scope and drive strategic projects and organisational change, proactively identifying bottlenecks before they slow the department down - Support budget planning for the department - Own the people side of the department: improving onboarding, sourcing candidates through your domain network, to guiding hires from first contact to onboarding WHO YOU ARE - You have a technical background and can move comfortably between "plasma beta" and "316LN steel", - You are comfortable in high-growth teams - You take things to the finish line, not the 80% mark, hands-on, accountable, and driven by impact and urgency - You switch cleanly between strategic thinking and execution mode, navigating multi-stakeholder environments with ease and bringing professionalism to everything you touch - You are an excellent written communicator and presenter, capable of producing board-ready materials that land with both technical and non-technical audiences - You are willing to question the status quo, put in the hours when it matters, and take on new challenges with urgency - A Master's degree in a technical field such as physics or engineering is an advantage, though we consider equivalent professional experience equally. INTERVIEW PROCESS - Recruiter Interview (30-60 min) - Technical Screening (30 min) - Technical Panel (3x60 min) *This role sits at L3 of our framework, please inquire during the recruitment process for further information. At Proxima Fusion, our mission is bold: making limitless clean energy a reality. To get there, we need a high-performing, diverse team that brings different perspectives, challenges assumptions, and builds together with purpose. We know that diversity of thought and experience leads to better ideas, stronger execution, and a more resilient team. We don’t look at how you identify, what you look like, who you choose to worship or what ethnicity you are. We care about what you can bring to the table.