Molten Salt Lab Lead for Fusion R&D (Onsite Denver)

Xcimer-Energy; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 170,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

401(k) with company match

Paid time off

Paid holidays

Sick leave

Job summary

Xcimer Energy seeks a lead for building and managing the Molten Salt Laboratory at our Denver headquarters. You will design, commission, and operate the lab, sourcing materials and equipment, and guide a cross-disciplinary team to advance molten salt systems for fusion power development.

The ideal candidate has deep hands-on experience with high-temperature fluids and a proven ability to establish new experimental capabilities from the ground up, while translating results into design

Qualifications

• PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or a closely related field.
• 12+ years of experience in experimental high-temperature fluids, molten salts or liquid metals, and R&D for complex nuclear or fusion systems.
• Hands-on laboratory experience and ability to establish a new experimental capability from the ground up.
• Experience designing and executing experiments that raise component or system technology readiness.
• Proven leadership of multidisciplinary scientific or R&D organizations.
• Mentoring and growing high-performing technical teams.
• Strong publication and engineering leadership record.
• Ability to operate in a startup-to-industrial-scale transitioning organization.
• Ability to balance hands-on engineering with high-level strategic direction.
• U.S. citizenship or eligible status.

Responsibilities

• Lead the planning, design, build, commissioning, and operation of the Molten Salt Laboratory including sourcing materials and equipment, mentoring science and engineering teams, and developing molten salt operational experience and expertise.
• Define and own the development roadmap for molten salt capabilities including science and engineering workscopes from small pots of static molten salt all the way to large, forced flow integrated effects test loops.
• Develop the timeline for key prototypical thermal-hydraulic test environments including fabrication methods, corrosion tests, jet nozzle design and testing, and mass and heat exchanger design and testing.
• Partner with other Science departments and with the Engineering and Operations divisions to ensure strong communication, and to align on scientific, engineering, and operational goals for fusion power systems development.
• Translate scientific insights, experimental data, and hands-on-experience into design guidance for teams responsible for fusion system architecture.
• Evaluate emerging scientific opportunities and integrate advances from academia, national laboratories, and international fusion programs.
• Manage relationships with external laboratories, university collaborators, and vendors providing materials, pumps, and fabricated components for high temperature salt systems.
• Establish molten salt laboratory research best practices, documentation standards, review processes, and quality expectations.
• Support system troubleshooting, root-cause investigations, and engineering review of failures or anomalies encountered in development of experimental operations.

Skills

Leadership of multidisciplinary teams

Hands-on laboratory experience

Experimental R&D

Technical mentoring

Publications in engineering/science

Education

PhD in Mechanical Engineering / Nuclear Engineering / Chemical Engineering

Job description

Xcimer Energy seeks a lead for building and managing the Molten Salt Laboratory at our Denver headquarters. You will design, commission, and operate the lab, sourcing materials and equipment, and guide a cross-disciplinary team to advance molten salt systems for fusion power development.

The ideal candidate has deep hands-on experience with high-temperature fluids and a proven ability to establish new experimental capabilities from the ground up, while translating results into design