Head of Design
Fuse · San Leandro
ABOUT FUSE
We are building one of the most potentially consequential companies of the century. Our mission is to accelerate the world's transition to fusion energy while safeguarding humankind. This is not a normal company. This is not a normal job. We are committed for the long term to win.
ABOUT THE ROLE
Fuse is hiring its first Head of Design: a hands-on design leader who reports to JC Btaiche, our CEO and Founder, owns how the world sees Fuse, and builds the team that makes it real. Fuse is at an inflection point. Investors, government partners, national labs and the engineers we want to hire are all forming a view of us right now.
Design is how we earn their conviction and trust, and your job is to give it one owner, one standard and one voice. You will work as JC's creative thought partner and own the brand system everywhere it shows up: the website, decks, video, recruiting, events and the physical spaces we build. Communications reports into you.
You will start by directing our in-house 3D artist and external creative partners, then grow a team. Over time the role expands into industrial design, UI/UX for our control systems, and the architecture of APEIRON.
WHAT WE VALUE
Obsess about the details — sloppy work costs us later, so do it right the first time.
Care — pick up the trash. Do things no one asks you to do. Go the extra mile because you care.
Act with urgency — every hour matters more than it feels like it does.
Be responsible for the outcome, not just the task; if it is not working, it remains your problem until it is fixed.
Assume good intent — disagree openly, then commit fully once a call is made.
CORE RESPONSIBILITIES
Set the brand: land Fuse's identity (logo, wordmark, type, color, layouts and guidelines), steer the external studio already working on it, then bring the system in-house and make it stick across every touchpoint.
Hold the line on taste: keep the work clear and grounded, and let the machines, the people and the message carry it.
Rebuild the front door: lead the website from audit to a new site and a public reveal campaign, then keep it relevant and fresh.
Tell the APEIRON story: direct the investor deck, renders, floor plans and a launch film for our fusion plant campus, working with architects, render studios and video partners.
Make content a habit: build a steady stream of photo, video and writing from inside the shop, so the world sees what Fusers build every week.
Help us hire: make our careers page, job posts and employer content as compelling as the mission.
Build the team: hire and lead designers, content producers and storytellers, direct our 3D artist, and decide when to use agencies and freelancers.
Run the studio: set the approval flow with JC, a production rhythm with clear turnarounds, and a shared asset library everyone can use.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
10+ years in visual, product or industrial design, with at least a few years leading teams or creative functions.
Built a brand system and carried it across web, print, product, video and physical space.
A portfolio that shows taste with restraint: clear, confident work.
Directed photo and video, not just approved it, with enough knowledge of storytelling, shooting and editing to push a crew.
Hired designers and producers, and managed agencies and freelancers without losing the soul of the work.
Worked side by side with a founder or executive with strong opinions, and made the work better for it.
Made complex hardware or deep technology understandable and exciting.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
Experience at a hardware company in energy, space, defense, automotive or robotics.
Industrial design, UI/UX or architecture in your background.
Strong writing: you can draft the headline, not just lay it out.
Launched a product or company in public, from the site to the film to the event.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
This is not a remote position and will require relocation if not already local to Fuse's San Leandro, CA facility.
Occasional travel to other Fuse locations, events and partner sites.
BENEFITS
Medical, dental, and vision coverage.
Relocation assistance for roles that require it.
Flexible time off. Take what you need, no accrual tracking.
2 weeks of paid time off built into the end of each year (subject to team and business needs).
Supportive leave of absence policies.
Paid leave for new parents.
ITAR REQUIREMENTS
To conform to U.S. Government technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
Fuse is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Fuse is governed on the basis of merit, competence, and qualifications and will not be influenced by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, ancestry, immigration status, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status.