Partnerships Specialist
Job description
About the role
Proxima Fusion is Europe's fastest-growing fusion company and the continent's best-funded fusion player, operating as the first spin-out from the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (IPP). The company is backed by over €650M and operates with a growing team across Munich, Zurich, and Oxford, developing the hardware and infrastructure needed to deliver the world's first commercial stellarator fusion power plant. Their concept builds on the most mature fusion technology available, the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator, advancing it through two next-generation machines called Alpha and Stellaris. The work combines stellarator optimization, advanced computation, machine learning, and high-temperature superconducting magnets to unlock higher-performance designs that were previously out of reach. As a Partnerships Specialist, you will help strengthen relationships with research institutions, industrial partners, and government agencies while contributing to securing critical funding and ensuring compliance with funding administrative processes. Your contributions will directly support the mission of bringing fusion energy to Earth, and your work will sit at the intersection of technology, finance, and public engagement.
Key facts
What you'll do
Build and maintain strong partnerships with public research institutions and private partners to advance Proxima Fusion's strategic goals.
Contribute to the company's mission by connecting technology development, funding opportunities, and strategic partnerships in a meaningful way.
Support the preparation, submission, and ongoing management of public funding applications, maintaining timely and clear communication with grant authorities.
Manage relationships with governmental bodies that issue grants, overseeing administrative application processes from start to finish.
Draft materials that make a compelling case for long-term funding, ensuring all documentation meets grant requirements.
Coordinate with internal teams to align partnership activities with the company's broader technical and business objectives.
Identify and evaluate new collaboration opportunities with research institutions, industrial organizations, and government agencies.
Help organize and follow up on meetings, site visits, and partnership discussions with external stakeholders.
Ensure that all partnership-related documentation is properly maintained, tracked, and accessible to relevant team members.
Support the company's compliance with funding administrative processes, flagging any issues or deadlines that require attention.
Collaborate with the leadership team to shape the long-term partnership strategy and identify new areas for institutional collaboration.
Assist in preparing reports and updates for external partners, keeping them informed of project progress and milestones.
Requirements
Bachelor's degree in STEM or a related field; a Master's degree is preferred.
At least 2 years of experience in academia, consulting, government, business strategy, or adjacent fields.
Fluent in English, both written and spoken, as the primary working language of the company.
Willingness to travel as required, on average 1 to 2 times per month.
Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously.
Proactive mindset with a demonstrated ability to take ownership of tasks and see them through to completion.
Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to engage diverse audiences.
Genuine motivation to contribute to solving large-scale global challenges through clean energy technology.
Nice to have
Experience working with public funding bodies or grant-making organizations in a European context.
Familiarity with fusion energy, plasma physics, or related deep-tech research fields.
Background in business development, strategic partnerships, or government relations within a fast-paced environment.
Knowledge of EU or national research funding programs and their application procedures.
Prior experience working in a multicultural, international environment with teams across multiple countries.
Skills & tools
Proficiency in written and verbal English communication for professional and technical contexts.
Ability to draft clear, persuasive documents and funding applications tailored to different audiences.
Strong interpersonal skills for building and sustaining long-term relationships with external partners.
Project management capabilities to track multiple partnership and funding activities in parallel.
Familiarity with CRM or partnership tracking tools to maintain organized records of stakeholder interactions.
Understanding of administrative processes related to public grant applications and compliance reporting.
Attention to detail when reviewing contracts, agreements, and partnership documentation for accuracy and completeness.
Practical notes
This role is based in Munich and requires on-site presence at the company's Munich office.
The interview process includes a Recruiter Interview lasting 30 to 60 minutes, followed by a Technical Screening of 30 minutes, and a Technical Panel consisting of three sessions of 60 minutes each.
This position sits at L1 of the company's internal framework; further details about the framework level can be discussed during the recruitment process.
Proxima Fusion is committed to building a diverse team and does not consider identity, appearance, worship practices, or ethnicity in the hiring process; they value what candidates can bring to the team.
The company expects candidates to be comfortable with a fast-paced environment where responsibilities can grow quickly as the organization scales toward its demo machine and first power plant.
About the company
At Proxima Fusion, we're driven by a bold mission - to redefine the future of sustainable energy. Our unique concept, built upon the groundbreaking W7-X stellarator and the latest advances in technology, paves the way for commercially viable fusion power plants.