Director of Imaging & Spectroscopy Diagnostics

XCimer Energy; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 200,000 - 225,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

401(k) with company match

ATO and holidays

Job summary

Xcimer Energy is seeking a Head of Diagnostics Physics (Imaging and Spectroscopy) to lead and grow a multidisciplinary team focused on optical, X-ray, and neutron imaging and spectroscopy for practical fusion power plants.

You will guide experimental programs, validate technologies, and interface with laser architects, target design, and manufacturing to translate diagnostics into reliable, scalable measurements.

Qualifications

• MS in Physics, Electrical Engineering, or a closely related field.
• 10+ years of experimental experience in imaging, spectroscopy, laser experiments, plasma diagnostics, or development of complex optical/X-ray/neutron diagnostic systems.
• Deep experience with simulation tools for beam propagation, laser–matter interaction, radiation transport, nonlinear optics, and diagnostic performance modeling.
• Experience designing, executing, and analyzing complex imaging, spectroscopic, or fusion experiments.
• Demonstrated leadership of multidisciplinary scientific or R&D organizations.
• Proven track record of mentoring, developing, and guiding high-performing scientific teams.
• Strong publication record and recognized scientific contributions.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-moving organization transitioning from startup to industrial scale.
• Ability to balance hands-on scientific leadership with high-level strategic and organizational responsibilities.
• Must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident, or lawfully admitted as a refugee or granted asylum.

Responsibilities

• Build, lead, and scale the Diagnostics Physics department, including hiring, onboarding, mentoring, and developing exceptional scientific talent.
• Learn and maintain a system-wide understanding of diagnostic requirements across laser science, target design, pulsed power, nuclear science, manufacturing, operations, and systems architecture.
• Build and maintain scientific models, analysis tools, simulation frameworks, and validation infrastructure for imaging and spectroscopy activities.
• Ensure imaging and spectroscopy systems have calibration standards, verified response functions, and traceable performance metrics.
• Drive design requirements so diagnostic instruments survive in high-radiation fields, EMI, neutron exposure, vacuum, and thermal loads.
• Partner with Controls and DAQ teams to enable remote configuration, synchronization, and data readout for diagnostics.
• Maintain awareness of emerging opportunities in optical, X-ray, neutron, and plasma diagnostics; collaborate with program leads.
• Contribute to collaborations with national labs, universities, external vendors; oversee off-site validation campaigns.
• Establish departmental best practices, documentation standards, design reviews, and quality expectations for industrial diagnostics.
• Own validated knowledge and collaborate with engineering to deliver scalable diagnostic systems for future fusion operations.
• Identify key scientific/technical risks and drive mitigation for reliable operation and long-term scalability.
• Support troubleshooting, root-cause investigations, and analyses of anomalies across experiments.

Skills

Imaging

Spectroscopy

Laser experiments

Plasma diagnostics

Diagnostics systems

Education

MS in Physics/Electrical Engineering/related field

Tools

Simulation tools (beam propagation, laser-matter interaction, radiation transport)

Job description

Xcimer Energy is seeking a Head of Diagnostics Physics (Imaging and Spectroscopy) to lead and grow a multidisciplinary team focused on optical, X-ray, and neutron imaging and spectroscopy for practical fusion power plants.

You will guide experimental programs, validate technologies, and interface with laser architects, target design, and manufacturing to translate diagnostics into reliable, scalable measurements.