Senior Optical Engineer - Stray Light

Xcimer; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, and vision coverage

Life insurance

401(k) with up to 6% company match

Equity participation

Paid parental leave

Paid sick leave

Flexible paid time off

Annual paid company shutdown

Job summary

Xcimer in Denver, CO, is seeking a Senior Stray Light Optical Engineer to join our dedicated team. This full-time, onsite position involves performing non-sequential ray tracing to analyze stray light and mitigate optical damage in high-energy laser systems.

The ideal candidate will have a strong background in optical engineering with proven experience in stray light analysis. Our benefits include comprehensive health coverage, 401(k) matching, and flexible paid time off.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in stray light analysis and non-sequential optomechanical modeling.
• Expert-level proficiency with non-sequential optical design software, especially FRED.
• Strong understanding of stray light mitigation techniques.

Responsibilities

• Perform comprehensive non-sequential ray tracing to analyze stray light and reflections.
• Identify and mitigate high-fluence hot spots to prevent optical damage.
• Collaborate with engineers to design and validate optical hardware.

Skills

Stray light analysis

Optomechanical modeling

Non-sequential optical design software

Scripting (Python, MATLAB, FRED)

Physical optics

Collaboration with engineering teams

Education

B.S. or M.S. in Optical Engineering, Physics, or related field

Tools

FRED

CAD software

Job description

Xcimer Energy leverages decades of research on Inertial Fusion Energy (IFE) and groundbreaking new laser architecture to deploy fusion power plants for global decarbonization. We welcome a Senior Stray Light Optical Engineer to join our Denver, CO headquarters in a full‑time, onsite role.

Responsibilities

• Perform comprehensive non‑sequential ray tracing (primarily using FRED) to analyze stray light, ghost reflections, scattering, and diffraction in high‑energy DUV laser systems.
• Identify and mitigate high‑fluence "hot spots" and fringing effects to prevent optical damage and ensure system longevity.
• Implement and evaluate mechanical feature models (such as baffles, apertures, and beam dumps) within non‑sequential environments to actively mitigate stray light.
• Write and maintain custom scripts (Python, MATLAB, or FRED script) to automate ray trace simulations, process large datasets, interface with other analysis tools, and quantify system‑level signal degradation.
• Collaborate cross‑functionally with sequential optical designers to optimize system layouts for stray light performance.
• Work closely with opto‑mechanical engineers to design and validate physical stray light mitigation hardware.
• Partner with material scientists to evaluate BSDF/BRDF, surface roughness, and specialized UV‑resilient absorptive coatings/materials.
• Collaborate with Optical Systems Engineers to ensure stray light requirements are defined, met, and verified at the system level for ICF applications.

Qualifications

• B.S. or M.S. degree in Optical Engineering, Physics, or a closely related field.
• 5+ years of dedicated experience in stray light analysis and non‑sequential optomechanical modeling.
• Expert‑level proficiency with non‑sequential optical design software, with a strong preference for FRED.
• Demonstrated experience writing scripts to automate optical analysis and process ray trace data.
• Strong understanding of stray light mitigation techniques, including the implementation of mechanical features (baffles, beam dumps) in optical models.
• Solid foundation in physical optics, scattering (BSDF/BRDF), and diffraction.
• Proven ability to work in a cross‑collaborative environment with multi‑disciplinary engineering teams.
• Must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. permanent resident, or lawfully admitted U.S. refugee/asylee.

Additional Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Optical Engineering, Physics, or a related field.
• 8+ years of experience in stray light analysis for high‑energy laser systems or deep‑UV (DUV) applications.
• Experience with Laser Induced Damage Thresholds (LIDT) and material fluorescence in the DUV regime.
• Specific experience working on laser systems for Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) or similar high‑fluence beam delivery systems.
• Familiarity with stray light measurement instrumentation (e.g., scatterometers) to correlate empirical data with simulation models.
• Experience importing and managing complex CAD geometry within FRED or other non‑sequential optical simulation environments.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Xcimer Energy is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. We hire and promote people based on qualifications, performance, and abilities, fostering a workplace of trust, equality, and teamwork. All qualified applicants receive equal opportunity for employment regardless of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or other status protected by law.

Benefits

Full‑time employees receive comprehensive health, dental, and vision coverage; life insurance; short and long‑term disability; paid parental leave (birth or adoption); a 401(k) with up to 6% company match; and equity participation. Employees also enjoy paid sick leave, 13 company holidays, flexible paid time off, and an annual paid company shutdown. Benefits are available to regular, part‑time, fixed‑term roles, and interns, with eligibility varying by benefit.