{"id":2143987,"url":"https://alion.io/job/focused-senior-laser-engineer","title":"Senior Laser Engineer","company":{"id":24087,"name":"Focused Energy","domain":"focused.ai","url":"https://alion.io/company/focused-ai","size_band":"201-500","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Ashby","truth_index":{"grade":"A","score":95,"open_postings":4,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":0,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":62,"computed_at":"2026-10-20T05:45:00Z"}},"role":"Industrial Engineering","role_family":"Industrial Engineering","seniority":"senior","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"explicit","locations":["Austin, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":null,"salary_estimate":{"min_usd":88000,"max_usd":167000,"period":"year","method":"role_seniority_country_remote_cell","sample_n":5966},"experience_years_min":null,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":true,"technologies":[{"name":"Windows","optional":true}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-09-21T15:54:17Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-09-21","last_verified_at":"2026-10-20T12:35:07Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":28,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":28},"description":"Focused Energy is building the future of clean energy through laser-driven inertial fusion. Backed by our $240M Series A - the largest fully secured Series A in the global fusion industry - we are scaling rapidly across multiple geographies.\nBased in Germany and the US, we have brought together the top scientific and engineering minds using proven technologies to unlock fusion power at commercial scale. Focused Energy is working to realize game-changing scientific innovation that promises to deliver a clean, sustainable and abundant source of power globally.\nYour Role\nFocused Energy's Austin laser team is building and commissioning a kJ-class laser system. We are seeking a Senior Laser Engineer to be the technical anchor for laser setup and alignment in Austin. This person will turn beam path plans into commissioned, operating systems. You will own laser alignment and optomechanical layout end-to-end for a critical program, and will progressively take ownership of the optical side of the standard laser diagnostic package and alignment automation as the program matures. This is a hands-on, on-site role at the center of a cutting-edge laser facility, working alongside senior laser scientists and engineers.\nWhat You'll Do\nOwn laser setup, alignment, and beam path implementation, from initial layout through commissioning and handoff to operations.\n\nLead translation of beam path designs into physical optomechanical layouts, producing complete and accurate BOMs in close collaboration with Laser team leadership.\n\nDrive beam-smoothing beam path design and component procurement, with laser team members and external vendors.\n\nOwn the optical side of the standard laser diagnostic package, including integration, calibration, and ongoing maintenance.\n\nBuild and implement the optical alignment automation interface, in close coordination with Controls Engineering.\n\nEnsure cleanroom protocols are followed during optical handling and installation; coordinate cleanroom upgrade activities as required.\n\nPartner with Controls Engineering on the laser diagnostic and alignment automation architecture, providing optical requirements and interface definitions.\n\nEnable FM/AM and beam-smoothing experiments by providing hands-on optical support during experimental campaigns.\n\nWho You Are\n Must-haves\nDeep, hands-on experience with high-power laser systems, precision beam alignment, and optical system integration.\n\nDemonstrated ability to translate beam path plans into physical optomechanical layouts and produce complete, procurable BOMs.\n\nWorking knowledge of standard laser diagnostic instrumentation, alignment and wavefront characterization, and cleanroom handling procedures for high-damage-threshold optics.\n\nComfort operating independently on optical layout, alignment approach, and component selection, escalating only on system-architecture or facility-level trade-offs.\n\nFamiliarity with laser safety standards and protocols (ANSI Z136 / Class 4).\n\n Nice-to-haves\nExperience with pulsed laser systems (CPA or Q-switched); petawatt-class, kJ-class, or equivalent high-power facility experience is a significant advantage.\n\nOptomechanical CAD experience.\n\nPrior work coordinating with Controls Engineering on diagnostic or alignment automation interfaces.\n\nA track record as the go-to technical resource for laser alignment and optical systems - mentoring through hands-on example rather than formal authority.\n\nExperience supporting beam-smoothing or amplifier characterization efforts.\n\nEntrepreneurial mindset: thrives in a startup environment; self-directed and energized by building laser engineering capability from the ground up.\n\nMission-driven: genuinely motivated by the prospect of making fusion energy commercially real.\n\nWhat We Offer\nInnovative Technology & Mission: Be part of a cutting-edge company working on groundbreaking research in clean energy and scientific discovery.\n\nCareer Development: We invest in our people. This is an opportunity to join an early, growing company at the forefront of new technology, where you'll have the opportunity to develop and grow your career.\n\nCollaborative Culture: Work with great people in a dynamic, international environment with top-tier scientists, engineers and professionals passionate about solving global challenges.\n\nOwnership: Take ownership from day 1 and drive impact by making decisions, solving challenges and shaping the future of our company.\n\nYour Success is our Success: We offer a competitive salary and company ownership in the form of stock options, giving you a direct stake in our success and ownership in what we build together.\n\nMedical, Dental, Vision: Multiple great plans to pick from that are active come the 1st Day of employment for you and any enrolled dependents.\n\nVacation Days: We support your work-life-balance by granting you Unlimited PTO.\n\nSnacks and Drinks: Our office fridges are never empty. Enjoy our healthy snacks and drinks.\n\nRetirement Plan: If you decide to enroll in our 401k plan, we will match up to 4% on top of the employee contribution.\n\nEquipment: We offer state-of-the-art Windows or Apple Laptops. In addition, you will receive a keyboard, mouse and headset so you are fully equipped from day 1.\n\nEvents: We organize regular events to foster team bonding, encourage collaboration, and build a strong, supportive company culture. Connect with colleagues across departments, share ideas, and have fun together, both in and outside of the workplace.\n\nFocused Energy is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive environment. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender perception or identity, national origin, age, marital status, protected veteran status, or disability status.\nPursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, Focused Energy will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.\nCompensation offered will be determined by factors such as location, level, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Certain roles may be eligible for incentive compensation, equity, benefits.","description_format":"text","description_chars":6181,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":null,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":null,"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":["401k plan","Equity","Retirement plans","Stock options","Unlimited PTO"],"hiring_locations":[{"name":"United States","iso":"US","kind":"country"},{"name":"Germany","iso":"DE","kind":"country"}],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Nuclear Energy","Lasers & Laser Systems"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-10-09T04:00:12Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":79,"band":"hot","label":"Hiring now","p_open":1,"p_active":0.877,"p_room":0.9,"age_days":28,"expected_fill_days":62,"reasons":["conf:2","velocity","win:mid"],"computed_at":"2026-10-20T05:45:00Z"},"pay":null,"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/focused-senior-laser-engineer","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/focused-senior-laser-engineer.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-20T14:48:16Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":16610,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-10-21T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":24087},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=24087"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Ffocused-senior-laser-engineer"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Ffocused-senior-laser-engineer"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Ffocused-senior-laser-engineer"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/focused-senior-laser-engineer\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Ffocused-senior-laser-engineer"}]}