Xcimer Energy Corporation
Systems Engineer (Optical Systems)
Xcimer Energy Corporation, Denver, Colorado, United States, 80285
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Systems Engineer (Optical Systems)
role at
Xcimer Energy Corporation
Xcimer Energy Corporation provided pay range This range is provided by Xcimer Energy Corporation. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.
Base pay range $140,000.00/yr - $165,000.00/yr
About Xcimer Energy 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!
As an Optical Systems Engineer, you will serve as the owner of optical performance requirements and error budgets across Xcimer’s laser driver. This is a systems‑focused role, centered on defining, allocating, and validating optical requirements that directly enable fusion ignition. You will bridge the gap between high‑level fusion performance targets and as‑built optical hardware, ensuring that every optic, subassembly, and beamline contributes predictably to overall system performance. You will maintain and update the optical system model in a FRED platform environment to baseline performance metrics and radiometric budgets.
You will work on‑site in a lab‑intensive environment, collaborating across optical, mechanical, electrical, and plasma physics teams; guiding integration, testing, and validation. As a senior engineer, you will also mentor junior staff, influence system‑level decisions, and help define the engineering practices that carry our laser platform from R&D prototypes through manufacturable systems. We are looking for our engineers to apply their leadership, technical expertise, curiosity, problem‑solving skills, and dedication to quality to positively impact the future of energy!
Responsibilities
Translate fusion performance goals into optical system-level requirements (wavefront error, pointing jitter, fluence, scatter, throughput)
Derive, allocate, and manage requirements from system to subsystem to component level, ensuring traceability and compliance
Collaborate with program and systems engineering teams to maintain requirement documentation and verification matrices
Develop and maintain end-to-end optical error budgets for jitter, pointing stability, wavefront distortion, transmission losses, and energy roll-up
Allocate tolerances top-down and bottom-up across optical and opto‑mechanical mechanical subsystems
Track measured as‑built parameters and update budgets based on test data, environmental effects, or component degradation (e.g., contamination, laser damage)
Lead trade studies to reconcile competing subsystem tolerances, negotiating performance trade‑offs with cross‑functional teams
Define verification strategies and test plans that map directly to requirements and budget allocations
Integrate metrology and diagnostics data (interferometry, wavefront sensing, beam profiling) into performance budgets
Perform tolerance analyses, sensitivity studies, and Monte Carlo simulations to quantify system margins and risks
Support integration campaigns by defining acceptance criteria and analyzing test results to confirm compliance
Partner with mechanical engineers on opto‑mechanical stability and alignment tolerances
Collaborate with electrical and controls engineers to integrate active alignment systems, diagnostics, and sensors
Work with physicists and plasma scientists to connect optical performance with fusion target and chamber requirements
Define and manage technical interfaces across optics, mounts, electronics, and target systems
Serve as the technical lead for optical requirements and budgets, accountable for compliance across the laser system
Mentor junior optical and systems engineers in requirements management, error budgeting, and systems engineering rigor
Produce and maintain technical documentation: requirements specifications, performance budgets, verification reports, and test acceptance criteria
Present progress, risks, and trade studies at program reviews, communicating effectively with both technical experts and project stakeholders
Qualifications
Education: B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. in Optical Engineering, Physics, Systems Engineering, or a related field
Experience: 5+ years of experience in optical systems engineering and/or Optical Engineering, preferably with high‑energy lasers, semiconductor lithography, directed energy, or other high‑precision optical systems
5+ years experience using optical design software platforms such as Zemax, Code V, or FRED
Demonstrated expertise in developing and managing complex optical error budgets
Hands‑on experience with requirements flow‑down, allocation, and verification in a multidisciplinary system
Experience working in R&D environments and transitioning designs toward manufacturable systems
Experience with requirements management tools
Strong background in optical metrology (interferometry, wavefront sensing, beam profiling)
Proficiency with simulation and analysis tools (MATLAB, Python, Zemax/Code V)
Strong cross‑disciplinary collaboration skills across optics, mechanics, electronics, and controls
Ability to lead technical discussions, influence decisions, and mentor less‑experienced engineers
Excellent organizational and communication skills for managing complex requirements and budgets
Desired
Prior experience with fusion‑class laser systems or large‑scale optical integration projects
Background in Design for Manufacturability/Reliability (DFM/DFR) for optical hardware
Experience with adaptive optics, wavefront correction, and active stabilization architectures
Familiarity with IV&V processes (Integration, Verification & Validation) and test acceptance workflows
Experience leading supplier engagement for custom optical components or subsystems
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 workforce. 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 Benefits Employee Benefits include: Medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance, paid parental leave (must be employed at time of birth or adoption), short and long‑term disability, 401(k) with a company match of up to 6%. Paid Time Off: 15 days per year based on weekly scheduled hours, 10 paid sick leave, and 13 company‑paid holidays for all regular employees (including part‑time), fixed‑term, and interns. Equity will be granted to eligible employees. Equity is designed to allow employees to share in company results and success.
Seniority level Not Applicable
Employment type Part‑time
Job function Information Technology
Industries Renewable Energy, Semiconductor Manufacturing
Referrals increase your chances of interviewing at Xcimer Energy Corporation by 2x
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Systems Engineer (Optical Systems)
role at
Xcimer Energy Corporation
Xcimer Energy Corporation provided pay range This range is provided by Xcimer Energy Corporation. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.
Base pay range $140,000.00/yr - $165,000.00/yr
About Xcimer Energy 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!
As an Optical Systems Engineer, you will serve as the owner of optical performance requirements and error budgets across Xcimer’s laser driver. This is a systems‑focused role, centered on defining, allocating, and validating optical requirements that directly enable fusion ignition. You will bridge the gap between high‑level fusion performance targets and as‑built optical hardware, ensuring that every optic, subassembly, and beamline contributes predictably to overall system performance. You will maintain and update the optical system model in a FRED platform environment to baseline performance metrics and radiometric budgets.
You will work on‑site in a lab‑intensive environment, collaborating across optical, mechanical, electrical, and plasma physics teams; guiding integration, testing, and validation. As a senior engineer, you will also mentor junior staff, influence system‑level decisions, and help define the engineering practices that carry our laser platform from R&D prototypes through manufacturable systems. We are looking for our engineers to apply their leadership, technical expertise, curiosity, problem‑solving skills, and dedication to quality to positively impact the future of energy!
Responsibilities
Translate fusion performance goals into optical system-level requirements (wavefront error, pointing jitter, fluence, scatter, throughput)
Derive, allocate, and manage requirements from system to subsystem to component level, ensuring traceability and compliance
Collaborate with program and systems engineering teams to maintain requirement documentation and verification matrices
Develop and maintain end-to-end optical error budgets for jitter, pointing stability, wavefront distortion, transmission losses, and energy roll-up
Allocate tolerances top-down and bottom-up across optical and opto‑mechanical mechanical subsystems
Track measured as‑built parameters and update budgets based on test data, environmental effects, or component degradation (e.g., contamination, laser damage)
Lead trade studies to reconcile competing subsystem tolerances, negotiating performance trade‑offs with cross‑functional teams
Define verification strategies and test plans that map directly to requirements and budget allocations
Integrate metrology and diagnostics data (interferometry, wavefront sensing, beam profiling) into performance budgets
Perform tolerance analyses, sensitivity studies, and Monte Carlo simulations to quantify system margins and risks
Support integration campaigns by defining acceptance criteria and analyzing test results to confirm compliance
Partner with mechanical engineers on opto‑mechanical stability and alignment tolerances
Collaborate with electrical and controls engineers to integrate active alignment systems, diagnostics, and sensors
Work with physicists and plasma scientists to connect optical performance with fusion target and chamber requirements
Define and manage technical interfaces across optics, mounts, electronics, and target systems
Serve as the technical lead for optical requirements and budgets, accountable for compliance across the laser system
Mentor junior optical and systems engineers in requirements management, error budgeting, and systems engineering rigor
Produce and maintain technical documentation: requirements specifications, performance budgets, verification reports, and test acceptance criteria
Present progress, risks, and trade studies at program reviews, communicating effectively with both technical experts and project stakeholders
Qualifications
Education: B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. in Optical Engineering, Physics, Systems Engineering, or a related field
Experience: 5+ years of experience in optical systems engineering and/or Optical Engineering, preferably with high‑energy lasers, semiconductor lithography, directed energy, or other high‑precision optical systems
5+ years experience using optical design software platforms such as Zemax, Code V, or FRED
Demonstrated expertise in developing and managing complex optical error budgets
Hands‑on experience with requirements flow‑down, allocation, and verification in a multidisciplinary system
Experience working in R&D environments and transitioning designs toward manufacturable systems
Experience with requirements management tools
Strong background in optical metrology (interferometry, wavefront sensing, beam profiling)
Proficiency with simulation and analysis tools (MATLAB, Python, Zemax/Code V)
Strong cross‑disciplinary collaboration skills across optics, mechanics, electronics, and controls
Ability to lead technical discussions, influence decisions, and mentor less‑experienced engineers
Excellent organizational and communication skills for managing complex requirements and budgets
Desired
Prior experience with fusion‑class laser systems or large‑scale optical integration projects
Background in Design for Manufacturability/Reliability (DFM/DFR) for optical hardware
Experience with adaptive optics, wavefront correction, and active stabilization architectures
Familiarity with IV&V processes (Integration, Verification & Validation) and test acceptance workflows
Experience leading supplier engagement for custom optical components or subsystems
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 workforce. 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 Benefits Employee Benefits include: Medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance, paid parental leave (must be employed at time of birth or adoption), short and long‑term disability, 401(k) with a company match of up to 6%. Paid Time Off: 15 days per year based on weekly scheduled hours, 10 paid sick leave, and 13 company‑paid holidays for all regular employees (including part‑time), fixed‑term, and interns. Equity will be granted to eligible employees. Equity is designed to allow employees to share in company results and success.
Seniority level Not Applicable
Employment type Part‑time
Job function Information Technology
Industries Renewable Energy, Semiconductor Manufacturing
Referrals increase your chances of interviewing at Xcimer Energy Corporation by 2x
Get notified about new System Engineer jobs in
Denver, CO .
#J-18808-Ljbffr