Senior Technical Project Manager

Madison, WI

Drive the execution of high-impact, first-of-a-kind projects, leading multidisciplinary teams to turn ambitious technical vision into delivered results. The Senior Technical Project Manager will drive successful delivery of multidisciplinary engineering and research projects. This role requires an innate sense of urgency, a strong technical background, exceptional organizational skills, and the ability to lead teams of physicists, engineers, and external partners. The Sr. Technical Project Manager will ensure project alignment with company milestones while maintaining a culture of accountability, credibility, and collaboration.

*exact title is TBD and dependent upon successful candidate’s experience

Realta Fusion is a rapidly growing start-up developing compact magnetic mirror fusion energy systems to address the biggest challenge of our time – tackling global climate change while ensuring a sufficient energy supply for at least ten billion people on (and off) earth. We are building a team with diverse talents dedicated to making fusion energy a real solution to humanity’s most pressing problem.

Key Responsibilities

Project Leadership & Execution

• Own end-to-end delivery of complex engineering and research projects ($1M-$50M) from concept through commissioning, leading teams of contributors across plasma physics, mechanical, electrical, nuclear, systems, and controls
  
• Make autonomous decisions on scope changes, resource allocation, and schedule adjustments; escalate strategic decisions with clear recommendations
• Drive critical path management and resolve bottlenecks threatening company milestones or investor commitments

Strategic Planning & Stakeholder Management

• Partner with VP-level leadership to align project portfolio with business objectives, technical roadmap, and fundraising milestones
• Serve as primary interface with external partners including national labs, universities, DOE programs, and strategic vendors
• Manage multi-million-dollar vendor contracts, ensuring alignment with technical specifications and project timelines
• Provide executive-level updates to leadership and investors, translating technical progress into business impact
• Lead rapid response to technical setbacks, equipment failures, or experimental anomalies
• Make real-time trade-off decisions under pressure

Technical Excellence & Risk Management

• Develop comprehensive project documentation including integrated schedules, risk registers, budget tracking, and progress reports
• Lead technical design reviews and facilitate critical decisions, ensuring documentation and effective communication
• Conduct quantitative risk assessments and execute mitigation strategies protecting critical milestones
• Establish KPIs for project delivery and implement corrective actions to maintain schedule and budget discipline

Organizational Development

• Build and scale project management standards and best practices for fast-growing startup environment
• Mentor junior project managers and develop PM capabilities as organization scales

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, physics, or a related technical discipline; advanced degree preferred.
  
• 7+ years of experience in project management within a highly technical, hardware-intensive environment (energy, R&D, or engineering preferred).
• Demonstrated track record managing projects exceeding $1M in budget
• Proven experience leading multidisciplinary teams and managing complex technical deliverables.
• Strong understanding of engineering design lifecycles, systems integration, and technical documentation.
• Excellent organizational and communication skills; ability to simplify complex technical topics for diverse audiences.
• Proficiency with project management tools (e.g., MS Project, Jira, Asana, or equivalent).
• PMP or similar certification is a plus.
• Proven ability to operate with limited oversight in fast-paced environments. Experience in startup or research environments is highly desirable.

Applicants who do not meet the entire job specification are encouraged to apply.

Compensation & Benefits

What we are working on is hard… and hugely important. Realta Fusion is assembling a talented team bound together by a passion to solve humanity’s biggest challenge with first-of-a-kind technology. Additionally, Realta offers:

• Competitive compensation package, including equity stock options
• Comprehensive benefits including health, dental, and vision insurance, plus a 401(k)
• Flexible paid time off (PTO) to support work-life balance
• Work and live in Madison, Wisconsin — one of America’s most livable and vibrant cities

We value diversity as a critical factor in innovation and believe a diverse team is necessary to solve the toughest problems. We aim to create an inclusive environment that unleashes the full creativity of our team members from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. We provide equal employment opportunities to all individuals based on merit and without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable laws.