Director of Optical Engineering — Fusion Laser Systems

Xcimer Energy; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

401(k) with company match

Paid time off and holidays

Job summary

Xcimer Energy in Denver, CO is seeking a Director of Optical Engineering to lead the design, analysis, integration, and validation of state‑of‑the‑art UV laser optical systems for laser‑driven inertial fusion. You will build and guide a high‑performing team of optical engineers, partnering with scientists and program leadership to deliver robust optical architectures and roadmaps.

You will drive technical direction, risk mitigation, and successful delivery within a matrix organization, shaping

Qualifications

• MS degree in Optical Engineering or related field.
• 10+ years in optical engineering, including design, analysis, integration, testing.
• 15+ years leading technical teams and engineering orgs.
• Experience with optical design software (Zemax preferred, CODE V).
• Strong MATLAB/Python or similar tools for analysis.

Responsibilities

• Build, lead, and mentor the Optical Engineering team; set goals and standards.
• Provide technical oversight for design, tolerancing, alignment, and performance analyses.
• Oversee integration, verification, and commissioning of optical systems.
• Collaborate with science, systems, and laser teams; manage requirements and risk.
• Present status and recommendations to leadership.

Skills

Optical design

Team leadership

Zemax

MATLAB

Python

Adaptive optics

System integration

Beam diagnostics

Tolerancing

Education

MS degree in Optical Engineering

PhD in Optical Engineering

Tools

CODE V

Zemax

Job description

Xcimer Energy in Denver, CO is seeking a Director of Optical Engineering to lead the design, analysis, integration, and validation of state‑of‑the‑art UV laser optical systems for laser‑driven inertial fusion. You will build and guide a high‑performing team of optical engineers, partnering with scientists and program leadership to deliver robust optical architectures and roadmaps.

You will drive technical direction, risk mitigation, and successful delivery within a matrix organization, shaping