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Job Description

Overview

Thea Energy is a company focused on commercializing fusion energy through innovative stellarator technology. They are seeking a Senior Tooling Engineer to lead the design and implementation of custom tooling for a unique fusion energy system.

Responsibilities

  • Lead the design, analysis, procurement, fabrication, and commissioning of large, heavy custom tooling.
  • Develop custom lifting rigs, spreader bars, and heavy handling equipment while establishing safe rigging protocols.
  • Define structural, mechanical, interface, and safety requirements for custom tooling.
  • Manage vendor and fabrication shop relationships for heavy tooling assemblies.
  • Drive Design-for-Manufacturability (DFM) and Design-for-Assembly (DFA) input into design engineering.
  • Support development of physical assembly, installation, and integration sequences.
  • Define precise tooling requirements for positioning, joining, inspection, testing, and metrology alignment.
  • Develop detailed work instructions, lift plans, and operational procedures for heavy tooling setup.
  • Identify, manage, and resolve tooling-related safety, structural, and integration risks.
  • Support prototype builds, hardware integration, factory/field assembly, and troubleshooting.

Requirements

  • 8+ years of experience in custom tooling design, mechanical engineering, heavy equipment design, or hardware integration.
  • Proven track record of designing and deploying large, heavy custom tooling and fixtures.
  • Hands-on exposure to rigging principles, heavy lifting practices, and load testing standards.
  • Expert knowledge of structural design, welded steel structures, and mechanical interfaces.
  • Expertise in 3D CAD modeling (NX preferred) and finite element analysis in COMSOL or Ansys.
  • Experience developing assembly and integration processes, DFM/DFA, and hands-on support.
  • Experience with precision alignment and metrology tools.
  • Background in nuclear, aerospace, fusion, heavy equipment, or other highly engineered hardware industries.
  • Strong interpersonal communication and cross-functional leadership skills.

Benefits

  • Health Insurance
  • PTO

Benefits

Health Insurance
PTO
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How this job compares in Kearny, NJ

Pay in context

At roughly $69/hr, this posting sits about 108% above the $33/hr median for welding jobs across New Jersey — toward the top of a $27–$40/hr middle band drawn from 101 postings with published pay. Put another way, it pays more than about 99% of the comparable postings we have wage data for. Pay that far above local median usually comes attached to something: a harder cert requirement, travel, night shift, or overtime that isn't really optional. Worth establishing which before you accept.

The local market in Kearny, NJ

Kearny, NJ is a small market in our index: 2 other active welding openings alongside this one, from 2 employers. Across New Jersey as a whole we're tracking 174 other active welding openings from 130 employers. With this few local postings, most welders here end up either commuting or looking at travel work. Browse welding jobs across New Jersey.

Thea Energy currently has 1 other opening live in New Jersey, which is usually a sign of either steady growth or steady turnover — worth asking which in the interview.

The most active employers in New Jersey at the moment, by number of open welding reqs, are gpac (8), Valcor Engineering Corporation (6), and Xylem (3). Volume like that usually means either a genuine expansion or a staffing agency working several client sites — worth knowing which before you apply.

Within New Jersey, the best-paying metros we track by median hourly rate are South Plainfield at $38/hr and Cherry Hill at $31/hr. If you can relocate or commute, that spread is worth factoring in.

Similar openings near Kearny, NJ

Pay figures are medians computed from live postings in the Welding Pros index, not from survey data, and they move as employers post. Senior Tooling Engineer figures were last recalculated when this page was built.