About Me

Hi, I'm James! I'm an engineer.

My staple crop is performance- and reliability-intensive software bridging scientific computing, design optimization, and embedded systems.

I also design precision analog measurement electronics and have 7 semesters plus 5 years of industry experience in thermal fluid power systems.

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For more about those topics, see my blog or socials.

Background

Alaska

After 18 years in rural Alaska, working summers as an emergency trauma technician, construction worker, and trailbuilder, I relocated to civilization to do my training in mechanical engineering at MIT.

MIT

I joined the MIT Rocket Team while studying mechanical engineering, eventually taking the role of club VP and one of the three co-designers of the Pyralis liquid bi-propellant rocket engine. Two years in the blast chamber building a team and an engine ultimately led to 14 members of the team transferring to SpaceX together.

SpaceX

Five years at SpaceX on the Merlin 1D and Raptor engine development teams left me with an appreciation for simplicity and a visceral familiarity with the failure modes of complex systems and organizations.

Fusion Energy

My gradual slide toward software was formalized when I moved to Commonwealth Fusion Systems as the first member of a new scientific software team to simulate and optimize superconducting magnets, fusion reactors, and powerplants.