Director of Optical Engineering

XcimerEnergyleverages 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 recordof rapid execution. Supported by leading investors, Xcimeris 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.

Asa Director of Optical Engineering you willlead the department which staffs the design, development, qualificationand commissioningof state-of-the-artUV laser opticalsystems for laser-driven inertial fusion. This role combines deep technical expertisein optical engineering with organizational leadership responsibility for the Optical Engineering team. You will be responsible forbuilding and leading a high-performing team of optical engineers while providing technical direction for the design, analysis, integration, and validation of laser beamlines, diagnostics, optical coatings, adaptiveoptics systems, and other critical optical subsystems.

As a member of the engineering leadership team, you will partner closely with scientists, systems engineers, optical physicists, opto-mechanical engineers, and program leadership to ensure that the optical architectures, technical roadmaps, risks, and deliveryof optical systems, is accomplished in accordance with the requirements of Xcimer'sFusion and Directed Energy missions. We are looking for a leader who combines exceptional technical depth with strong people leadership, execution discipline, and a passion for solving some of the world's most challenging engineering problems, while very comfortableworking in a matrix organization.

Responsibilities

Organizational Leadership

• Build, lead, mentor, and grow the Optical Engineering team through hiring, coaching, performance management, and career development.
• Establish team goals, priorities, staffing plans, and organizational capabilities aligned with company objectives.
• Develop engineering processes, design standards, documentation practices, and quality expectations for the optical engineering organization.
• Foster a culture of technical excellence, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Partner with executive leadership to develop long-term optical engineering strategy and organizational growth plans.

Technical Leadership

• Oversee the development of optical architectures for laser beamlines, diagnostics, adaptive optics systems, beam transport systems, and related optical subsystems.
• Work with science, systems engineering, and laser teams to derive, allocate, and manage optical system requirements.
• Provide technical oversight for optical design, tolerancing, alignment strategies, and system performance analyses.
• Chairreviews of optical designs and analyses, ensuring technical rigor and adherence to performance requirements.
• Guidedevelopment of active beam control systems including adaptive optics, beam stabilization, and tracking systems.
• Ensure that requirements and specifications for optical components, coatings, imaging systems, cameras, sensors, and precision optical assembliesare established in compliance with the XcimerProduct Development Process.
• Drive resolution of complex optical performance issues through modeling, experimentation, root-cause analysis, and corrective actions.
• Oversee optical system integration, alignment, verification, validation, and commissioning activities.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with optomechanical engineering teams to optimizesystem performance, manufacturability, alignment accessibility, and maintainability.
• Collaborate with optical physicists, electrical engineers, controlsengineers, and software engineers to develop integrated laser and diagnostic systems.
• Support supplier selection, technical evaluations, and strategic relationships with optical componentvendors and manufacturing partners.
• Work closely with program management to identifyrisks, develop mitigation plans, and ensure successful execution of program milestones.
• Present technical status, risks, and recommendations to engineering leadership and executive stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Education: MSdegree in Optical Engineeringor a related technical discipline.
• Experience: 10+ years of experience in optical engineering, including optical design, analysis, integration, and testing of complex optical systems.
• Leadership: 15+ years of experience leading technical teams and managing engineering organizations.
• Demonstrated expertiseusing optical design software such as Zemax(preferred), CODE V, or equivalent tools.
• Strong experience with computational analysis tools such as MATLAB, Python, or similar engineering software.
• Deep understanding of optical design methodologies, optimization techniques, and performance metrics for imaging and laser systems.
• Experience with optical tolerancing, fabrication specifications, statistical performance analysis, and alignment sensitivity assessments.
• Experience integrating and aligning complex optical systems using instrumentation such as theodolites, autocollimators, laser trackers, interferometers, and related metrology equipment.
• Experience performing optical metrology and characterization, including interferometric measurements, surface quality assessment, scatter characterization, and precision inspection techniques.
• Demonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary engineering efforts fromconcept throughintegration and testing.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and organizational skills.
• 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

• Ph.D. degree in Optical Engineering, Optical Science, Physics, or a relateddiscipline.
• 15+ years of experience in optical system design, optimization, tolerancing, integration, and precision alignment.
• Experience working in a Matrix Organization delivering multiple projects and programs in parallel.
• Experience leading optical engineering organizations supporting large-scale technical programs.
• Experience designing adaptive optics systems and beam pointing stabilization systems.
• Experience performing high-fidelity physical optics modeling and wavefront propagation analyses in both near-field and far-field regimes.
• Experience with high-energy laser systems and deep ultraviolet (UV) optical systems.
• Experience developing comprehensive end-to-end optical system models and performance budgets.
• Experience defining and flowing requirements from system-level architectures to subsystem and componentspecifications.
• Experience supporting development of advanced scientific, aerospace, defense, fusion, or directed-energysystems.
• Demonstrated success scaling engineering teams in fast-paced, high-growth technical organizations.