Head of Quality

U.S. Fusion Energy; Energy (IL); On-site; USD 170,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

401(k) with company match

Equity

Paid time off

Company shutdown

Paid parental leave

Job summary

Xcimer Energy seeks a dynamic Head of Quality to lead the development, governance, and continuous improvement of the QMS. You will ensure products, processes, and suppliers meet standards while building a scalable, data-driven quality culture.

Join a team of leaders in tough tech, fusion science, and manufacturing at our Denver HQ. This senior role demands extensive experience in quality leadership and strategic collaboration across functions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, physical sciences, quality, or related discipline; advanced degree preferred.
• 10+ years in quality organizations.
• 5+ years leading quality organizations in hardware, systems engineering, manufacturing, aerospace, or defense.
• Experience with ISO 9001 and quality system implementation.
• Expertise in structured problem-solving methodologies (RCCA, 8D, Six Sigma).
• Leadership across QA/QC, Quality Engineering, and Supplier Quality functions.

Responsibilities

• Define, govern, and continuously improve Xcimer’s quality policies, standards, and QMS.
• Champion a culture of continuous improvement and data-driven decisions.
• Escalate quality risks and manage containment actions when necessary.
• Lead Quality Engineering and RCCA framework with effective corrective actions.
• Oversee QA, QC, and internal audits, and production line validations for processes.
• Partner with Supply Chain on supplier qualification and performance.
• Monitor key quality metrics and drive improvement initiatives.
• Collaborate across Engineering, Manufacturing Ops, Supply Chain, Programs, and Leadership.
• Integrate quality requirements into change controls (ECR/ECO).
• Build and develop the Quality organization to meet strategic needs.

Skills

Quality leadership

RCCA

Six Sigma

Structured problem-solving

Cross-functional collaboration

Data-driven decision-making

Quality metrics analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or related

Advanced degree preferred

Tools

ISO 9001 knowledge

RCCA tools

Quality management systems

Job description

Denver, CO Operations – Quality / 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 Head of Quality, you will lead the development, governance, and continuous improvement of Xcimer’s Quality Management System (QMS). You will ensure our products, processes, and suppliers meet defined standards while building a scalable, disciplined, data-driven quality culture across the organization. You will apply your expertise in quality systems, structured problem-solving, crossfunctional collaboration, and leadership to positively impact the future of energy.

Responsibilities

• Define, govern, and continuously improve Xcimer’s quality policies, standards, and overall QMS.
• Champion a culture of continuous improvement, structured problemsolving, and objective, metricsdriven decision-making.
• Ensure visibility to quality risks and lead escalation processes, including containment actions such as stopwork or stopship when necessary.
• Lead Quality Engineering, including ownership of the RCCA framework, ensuring investigation rigor and verification of corrective action effectiveness.
• Lead Quality Assurance and Quality Control functions, including defining the NCR process, inspection and verification planning, internal audits, and production line validation for special processes.
• Oversee Supplier Quality Engineering, partnering with Supply Chain on supplier qualification, monitoring, risk evaluation, audits, and supplier quality performance.
• Define and monitor key quality metrics including non-conformance trends, defect rates, rightfirsttime performance, and corrective action timeliness.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Engineering, Manufacturing Operations, Supply Chain, Programs, and Leadership to ensure product integrity and process robustness.
• Ensure quality requirements are integrated into change control processes such as ECR/ECO.
• Build and develop the Quality organization, aligning staffing with strategic and functional needs.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in engineering, physical sciences, quality, or related discipline; advanced degree preferred.
• Experience: 10+ years of overall experience in quality organizations.
• 5+ years experience leading quality organizations or demonstrated growth in quality responsibilities in complex hardware, systems engineering, manufacturing, aerospace, defense, or similar industries.
• Demonstrated experience establishing or scaling a Quality Management System aligned with ISO 9001 principles.
• Expertise in structured problem-solving methodologies (RCCA, 8D, Six Sigma, etc.).
• Experience leading QA/QC, Quality Engineering, and Supplier Quality functions.
• Proven ability to partner across engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, and leadership to influence without direct authority.
• Strong analytical skills with experience defining, interpreting, and acting on quality metrics.
• 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

• Experience in environments with high iteration velocity, evolving configurations, and rapid scaleup.
• Background implementing QMS in regulated or compliance-driven environments.
• Certification such as ASQ CQE, Six Sigma Black Belt, or similar.
• Experience with special process validation or complex systems manufacturing.

$170,000 - $190,000 a year

Candidates may be considered for other positions at Xcimer Energy, and our actual base salary will be determined on an individual basis and may vary based on job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience. The range is published in accordance with Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act and California Equal Pay Act.

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.