Director - Electrical Engineering Systems

About Thea Energy:  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.  
Position Overview:Thea Energy is seeking a Director - Electrical Engineering Systems to lead electrical system design and execution for the Company’s upcoming Eos integrated stellarator. This leader will manage and grow three tightly coupled engineering groups:- Electrical Distribution (facility and plant electrical architecture and integration)- Power Electronics (development of high-power converters and HTS magnet power supplies)- Electronics Systems Engineering (embedded control and instrumentation electronics, including custom PCBAs)
This role will own the end-to-end delivery of electrical systems from architecture and requirements through detailed design, prototyping, vendor engagement, test, installation support, and commissioning readiness. The Director will serve as a key cross-functional partner to systems engineering, controls and software, mechanical engineering, safety, and program management, ensuring electrical designs are buildable, testable, safe, and integrated.
As part of a rapidly growing team, you’ll be part of the organizational build-up of a leading fusion energy company. This role will have a high degree of autonomy and must be able to move quickly. The Thea Energy team is comprised of self-motivated, creative, and fun individuals with an excitement for solving complex problems.

Key Responsibility Areas:

• Lead and mentor a multi-disciplinary organization spanning power systems, power electronics, and embedded electronics, including hiring, performance management, career development, and team structure.
• Establish engineering operating rhythm: planning, prioritization, technical reviews, staffing plans, and decision-making processes.
• Set technical direction and ensure consistent engineering quality across requirements, architecture, implementation, verification, and documentation.
• Own the plant-level electrical architecture, including utility interface, substation and distribution design, grounding and protection philosophy, and power quality and reliability strategy. 
• Guide system modeling and simulation efforts including load flow, short-circuit, and transient studies, and ensure models remain consistent with evolving load envelopes and operating modes. 
• Lead integration strategy for compensation and storage assets such as STATCOM for load shaping, ride-through capability, and power recovery as applicable. 
• Own the technical interface to external engineering, procurement, and construction partners and utilities, including technical specifications, design reviews, and factory and site acceptance participation. 
• Oversee development of high-power converters and magnet power supplies, including topology selection, protection concepts, thermal strategy, and integration with embedded controls. 
• Develop test strategy and execution: prototype bring-up, staged-load validation, failure mode exploration, parameter tuning, and readiness evidence for integration. 
• Own hardware architecture for embedded control and instrumentation electronics that interface power conversion hardware, diagnostics, and control firmware. 
• Lead electromagnetic compatibility and noise mitigation strategy across boards, cabinets, and system integration boundaries. 
• Partner with systems engineering to translate device requirements into electrical requirements, interface definitions, and verification plans.
• Run evidence-based technical gates and design reviews, with clear entry and exit criteria and configuration control.
• Own delivery artifacts such as requirements, interface definitions, design packages, test plans, and acceptance evidence to support procurement, installation, and commissioning.
• Maintain a strong safety culture including electrical safety, hazard analysis inputs, and design choices that support safe installation and operations.
• Provide hands-on leadership in lab and field environments, coordinating with technicians and test teams for build, wiring, installation support, and debug.

Ideal Experience & Skillsets:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Electrical Engineering or equivalent.
• 10 or more years of relevant experience spanning two or more of the following: power systems, substation and distribution, power electronics, embedded electronics, controls hardware, industrial electrical infrastructure.
• 5 or mor