Director of Laser Engineering

U.S. Fusion Energy; Energy (IL); On-site; USD 220,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

401(k) with company match

Paid parental leave

Paid time off & holidays

Job summary

Xcimer Energy in Denver, CO seeks a Director of Laser Engineering to lead development and industrialization of large-scale laser systems for the next‑generation fusion energy platform. You will define the technical roadmap, ensure reliability, and scale from prototype to production.

You will build and mentor a high‑performing team, coordinate with optics, pulsed power, and manufacturing, and translate experimental results into robust, production-ready designs while aligning engineering work with

Qualifications

• Advanced degree (MS/PhD preferred).
• 10+ years designing, developing, and delivering industrial laser systems.
• Experience leading engineering teams or major technical programs.
• Strong understanding of laser architectures, integration, and performance.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Laser Engineering department, including hiring and mentoring staff.
• Define and own the technical roadmap for laser system development and deployment.
• Oversee design, integration, testing, validation, and commissioning of large-scale laser systems.
• Collaborate with experimental physics teams to evaluate architectures and tradeoffs.
• Drive technical decisions using data, modeling, and system-level analysis.
• Partner with optics, pulsed power, materials science, controls, and manufacturing teams.

Skills

Engineering leadership

Laser system design

Cross-functional collaboration

Strategic thinking

Mentoring and coaching

Rapid execution

Education

Advanced degree in Engineering/Physics

Job description

Denver, CO Engineering – Laser Engineering / Full-Time / On-site

Xcimer Energy leverages decades of research on Inertial Fusion Energy (IFE) combined with groundbreaking new laser architecture. Our mission is to deploy fusion power plants to meet global decarbonization goals as fast as possible. Xcimer has assembled a team of leaders in tough tech, fusion science, and manufacturing with a track record of rapid execution. Supported by leading investors, Xcimer is uniquely positioned to deliver limitless, clean, fusion power to combat climate change. Join us in powering a better world with inertial fusion!

This is a full-time, onsite role based at our headquarters in Denver, CO.

As the Director of Laser Engineering, you will lead the development, scaling, and industrialization of advanced laser systems that support Xcimer’s next-generation fusion energy platform. You will define the technical direction for large-scale laser architectures, build and mentor a high-performing engineering organization, and ensure laser systems are reliable, manufacturable, and scalable for industrial deployment. We are looking for a technical leader to apply their expertise in laser engineering, systems integration, and organizational leadership to positively impact the future of energy!

Responsibilities

• Lead the Laser Engineering department, including hiring, onboarding, mentoring, and performance development of engineering staff.
• Define and own the technical roadmap for laser system development, maturation, scaling, and industrial deployment.
• Oversee the design, integration, testing, validation, and commissioning of large-scale laser systems with strong emphasis on reliability, manufacturability, repeatability, and operational performance.
• Collaborate closely with experimental physics teams to evaluate existing laser architectures, experimental results, and critical design tradeoffs.
• Review and assess current laser technologies and architectures to identify technical risks, limitations, opportunities, and areas for improvement.
• Drive technical decision-making related to future laser system architectures using experimental data, modeling results, and system-level performance analysis.
• Partner cross-functionally with optics engineering, optomechanical engineering, pulsed power, materials science, controls, manufacturing, and systems engineering teams to ensure effective communication and technical alignment.
• Translate experimental insights and lessons learned into robust engineering designs, specifications, and scalable production-ready systems.
• Lead the transition from prototype and research systems to reliable industrial-grade laser products and infrastructure.
• Establish engineering best practices, design review processes, technical documentation standards, and quality expectations for complex laser systems.
• Identify technical risks across laser development programs and drive mitigation strategies to support program execution and long‑term scalability.
• Manage relationships with external vendors and partners supplying laser components, hardware, and subsystems.
• Support system troubleshooting, root cause investigations, and corrective action implementation during development and operations.
• Align laser engineering priorities with company strategy, schedules, budgets, and organizational objectives in partnership with executive leadership.

Qualifications

• Education: Advanced degree in Engineering, Physics, Optical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related technical field; MS or PhD preferred.
• Experience: 10+ years of experience designing, developing, and delivering industrial laser systems.
• Prior experience leading engineering teams, technical organizations, or major technical programs.
• Strong understanding of laser system architectures, integration, and performance considerations.
• Experience scaling laser systems from laboratory or R&D environments into industrial or production settings.
• Strong communication, leadership, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Ability to operate effectively within a rapidly evolving and fast‑paced organization.
• Demonstrated ability to balance hands‑on technical leadership with strategic organizational oversight.
• Ability to quickly learn and adapt to new laser technologies and system architectures.
• Must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.

Desired

• Direct experience with pulsed gas laser systems.
• Experience with large‑scale or high‑energy laser architectures.
• Familiarity with high‑power laser operations and industrial laser infrastructure.
• Experience supporting manufacturing, integration, commissioning, or field deployment activities.
• Experience working within fast‑growth startup or scale‑up engineering environments.

$220,000 - $260,000 a year

Equal Employment Opportunity

Xcimer Energy is proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and is committed to attracting, retaining, and developing a highly qualified, diverse, and dedicated work force. Xcimer Energy hires and promotes people on the basis of their qualifications, performance, and abilities. We support the establishment and maintenance of a workplace that fosters trust, equality, and teamwork, in which all employees recognize and appreciate the diversity of individual team members. We provide all qualified applicants for employment and employees with equal opportunities for hire, promotion, and other terms and conditions of employment, regardless of their race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin/ethnicity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic factors, military/veteran status, or any other status or characteristic protected by federal, state, and/or local law. Xcimer Energy will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws. For more information on “EEO Is the Law,” please see here and here.

Benefits

Xcimer offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support employee health, well-being, and long‑term success. Benefits include medical, dental, and vision coverage; basic and supplemental life insurance; short‑and‑long‑term disability; paid parental leave for employees at the time of birth or adoption; and a 401(k) with a company match of up to 6%. Eligible employees also receive equity, allowing them to share in the company’s long‑term success.

Xcimer operates under a flexible Paid Time Off (ATO) approach. Rather than a fixed number of vacation days, employees are trusted to take the time they need to rest and recharge while meeting the expectations of their role and team. In addition, employees receive paid sick time, 13 company‑paid holidays, and an annual paid company shutdown. Benefits are available to regular employees, including part‑time and fixed‑term roles, as well as interns, with eligibility varying by benefit.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.