Senior Optical Engineer

Xcimer Energy Corporation is looking for a senior optical engineer to help us build state-of-the-art UV laser systems for nuclear fusion. We are a small, dynamic, and highly motivated team focused on the most plausible path to bringing fusion to the grid. You will have the opportunity to apply broad optical engineering skills and technical leadership to complex problems, and directly contribute to the design, build, and test of our laser and diagnostic systems.

Responsibilities

- Work with science and laser teams to derive and track optical system requirements
- Perform basic system calculations for laser beamlines and diagnostics
- Optical design of laser beamlines and diagnostics
- Build analysis of laser beamlines and diagnostics, including alignment design, tolerancing, and component specifications
- Work with optomechanical team to iterate between mount requirements and system performance
- Work with optical physicists, electrical and mechanical engineers to design active beam control systems including AO and tracking systems
- Source optical components including optics, coatings, cameras, active beam control, etc. develop strategic relationships
- Support integration and test of laser and diagnostic systems

Minimum Qualifications

- B.S. degree in optical engineering, or related field
- 4+ years of optical engineering experience, or relevant coursework directly related to optical engineering
- Experience using commercially available optical design software (Zemax preferred) and computational tools (matlab or python)
- Experience in optical design using best practices and optimization methods using common imaging-based and beam quality metrics
- Experience in optical system tolerancing based on achievable fabrication limits, and statistical representations of optical system performance
- Experience in optical system / subsystem integration and alignment techniques using common instrumentation such as theodolites, auto-collimators, laser trackers, etc
- Experience in performing optical metrology including interferometric measurements of optical surfaces, surface scatter characterization, and part inspection

Preferred Qualifications

- M.S. or Ph.D. degree in optical engineering/science, or related field
- 10+ years of experience in optical design, optimization, tolerancing, and precision alignment
- Experience in the design of adaptive optics and tracking (beam pointing stabilization) systems
- Experience in high fidelity physical wave optics propagation in the near and far fields
- Experience in high energy optical systems working in the deep UV
- Comprehensive end-to-end optical system modeling and characterization
- Experience in defining and setting requirements from the system to component level
Xcimer Energy Corporation is a startup pursuing baseload energy production from inertial fusion. We are using the same fundamental physics recently proven by the NIF (National Ignition Facility), made economically viable by Xcimer’s novel, low-cost laser architecture. Xcimer was founded in 2021 by a team of experts in high-energy laser systems, nuclear physics, and fusion engineering, and is backed by leading clean energy and deep-tech investors. Xcimer’s comprehensive, integrated design for a power plant has been analyzed and reviewed by independent experts and offers the most assured path to put fusion energy on the grid within 10 years. Xcimer is currently finalizing plans for construction of a prototype, multi-kJ laser facility to demonstrate critical aspects of the Xcimer laser architecture.

Xcimer Energy is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy or perceived pregnancy, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, protected military or veteran status or any other characteristic or condition protected by federal, state or local law.