Commonwealth Fusion Systems is on a mission to deliver the urgent transition to fusion energy. The company is designing and building commercially viable fusion power plants and is working with policymakers, suppliers, and others to build the energy industry of the future. This role will manage the permitting process for the world's first grid-scale commercial fusion power plant and lay the groundwork for subsequent deployments. As Project Manager, you will support end-to-end siting, regulatory engagements, permitting strategies, and application processes across local, state, and federal levels within the Project Development team, securing environmental permits, utility approvals, and land-use authorizations.
Responsibilities
Perform fatal flaw analyses and use GIS tools to evaluate potential project locations, assessing topography, generation and water availability, environmental constraints, and site viability; Evaluate local land-use policies, zoning regulations, and tax structures with Government Affairs to determine development strategies; Support land acquisition negotiations and site control plans with legal advisors; Conduct initial real property due diligence (title evaluations, ALTA surveys, Phase I ESAs, preliminary geotechnical reviews); Partner with grid interconnection and power engineering groups to analyze transmission availability, sub-station capacity, and grid infrastructure; Collaborate with multi-disciplinary project teams and manage external environmental consulting firms and contractors; Oversee contractor work quality and completeness; Lead proactive community outreach during early site identification; Represent the company at public hearings, regulatory proceedings, and community forums; Lead the strategy, drafting, submission, and execution of major environmental and regulatory permit applications (Wetlands, Air Quality, NPDES, Storm Water, CPCN filings); Maintain relationships with federal, state, and local regulatory bodies, public utility commissions, environmental agencies, and zoning authorities; Coordinate cross-functionally to embed permitting requirements into schedules and design basis; Oversee environmental consultants, legal counsel, and engineering firms in environmental impact studies and permit preparation; Monitor regulatory proceedings, policy updates, and utility dockets to identify risks; Establish and manage post-issuance compliance and turnover systems; Develop and track permitting schedules, recovery plans, and the permitting risk registry; Build a standardized permitting knowledge base and operational framework to enable multi-site scaling
Requirements
Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering, Urban/Regional Planning, Public Policy, Law, or a related technical field; 7+ years of experience leading complex environmental permitting, regulatory compliance, or land-use approvals for utility-scale energy, thermal power generation, or large industrial infrastructure projects; Technical expertise in federal and state environmental regulatory frameworks (e.g., Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, NEPA/state equivalents); Exceptional project management skills and written/verbal communication skills; Perform activities such as typing, standing, and sitting, for extended periods of time; Willingness to occasionally travel or work required nights/weekends/on-call, with up to 25% travel (day-trip & overnight); Work in a facility that contains industrial hazards including heat, cold, noise, fumes, strong magnets, lead (Pb), high voltage, high current, pressure systems, and cryogenics
Nice to have
Master's degree or advanced technical degree preferred; Experience in state public utility commission filings; PMP certification; Proficiency with project scheduling software (MS Project, Primavera P6); GIS applications
Stany Zjednoczone · Devens
