Robert "Ert" McMullen
Mechanical Engineer
"I’ve always been interested in nuclear fusion and the opportunity to work at an early-stage startup. That opportunity combined with the fast-paced work environment that enables us to see results quickly sold me on joining the Avalanche team."
Ert is Avalanche’s resident mechanical jack of many trades - from designing and building out the original shop space (and subsequent expansion) to making ideas into actual parts and upgrading vacuum chambers, Ert has had his hands on a lot as a mechanical engineer in the Avalanche shop.
Ert graduated from Olin College of Engineering with a degree in Mechanical Engineering before briefly working in the oil and gas industry, followed by Blue Origin and First Mode. He has worked on projects including the New Shephard crew capsule and New Glenn rocket, as well as a hydrogen fuel cell retrofit of an Ultra-Class mining truck.
When he isn’t in the Avalanche shop, he’s likely skiing, sailing or tinkering on his own projects. Ert and a friend plan to sail the self-supported, 750 nautical mile Race to Alaska in June 2022.
Join our Team
Join our team of elite physicists, scientists, and engineers and help make compact fusion machines a reality.
- Competitive salaries
- Flexible schedules
- Paid time off
- Team off-sites
- Excellent health benefits
- Stock options