Matthew Vernacchia
Senior Manager, Scientific Software at Commonwealth Fusion Systems
Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
Summary
👤
Senior🎓
Top SchoolMatthew Vernacchia is a senior scientific software leader who builds optimization, modeling, and analysis tools to turn advanced engineering concepts into deployable systems. With a PhD in Aeronautics and Astronautics from MIT and 13 years of hands-on R&D experience, he now leads scientific software at Commonwealth Fusion Systems, delivering optimization and data platforms for superconducting magnets and tokamak design. He combines deep simulation and prototyping experience—from founding his lab’s solid-rocket testing and 3D-printed propulsion hardware to thermal and neutronics modeling—with practical software engineering and team-building skills. Matthew has a track record of shipping end-to-end technical solutions in high-stakes environments (SpaceX, JPL, MIT) and scaling a team from two to six engineers while defining workflows at a fast-moving startup. He thrives on bringing difficult technologies from theory to implementation and prefers mission-driven teams that can shape long-term outcomes. An uncommon strength is his ability to span combustion and hardware testbeds through to production optimization software, bridging lab experimentation and production-grade tooling.
13 years of coding experience
9 years of employment as a software developer
Doctor of Philosophy - PhD, Aeronautics and Astronautics, focus in Space Propulsion, Doctor of Philosophy - PhD, Aeronautics and Astronautics, focus in Space Propulsion at Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyInternational Baccalaureate Diploma, International Baccalaureate Diploma at Upper St. Clair High School
English, Spanish
Github Skills (126)
numerical-optimization10
optimization10
convex-optimization10
typescript10
convex10
calculation10
modeling10
linear-optimization9
python9
cvxpy9
modelica9
embedded9
mixed-integer-programming9
quadratic-programming9
simplex9
Programming languages (8)
Github contributions (5)
mvernacc/aerospike-nozzle-design-gui
Nov 2015 - Aug 2020
Contributions:10 commits, 9 pushes, 1 branch in 4 years 10 months
mvernacc/lvreuse
Dec 2017 - Oct 2018
Contributions:230 commits, 1 push, 1 branch in 9 months
Find and Hire Top DevelopersWe’ve analyzed the programming source code of over 60 million software developers on GitHub and scored them by 50,000 skills. Sign-up on Prog,AI to search for software developers.