Full-Time

Laser Physicist

Xcimer Energy

Xcimer Energy

51-200 employees

Develops inertial fusion power using laser

Compensation Overview

$140k - $190k/yr

No H1B Sponsorship

Denver, CO, USA

In Person

US Citizenship Required

Category
Electrical Engineering (2)
,
Requirements
  • BS with 3+ years of experience, MS with 1-2 years of related lab experience, PhD desired.
  • Advanced knowledge in solid state and gas pulsed lasers and characterization of laser pulses.
  • Ability to own and maintain complex laser systems.
  • Experience in specifying, budgeting, purchasing, installing, and operating laser systems, detectors, optics, spectrometers, and other scientific research equipment.
  • Experience in nonlinear frequency conversion processes.
  • Independent troubleshooting and solving non-trivial technical issues.
  • Planning, managing, and executing laser-based experiments.
  • Experience working with a multidisciplinary team of engineers and scientists.
  • Highly self-motivated, with the ability to work independently without guidance.
  • Advanced verbal and written communication 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 of granted asylum.
Responsibilities
  • Design, modify, operate, and maintain advanced pulsed laser systems.
  • Enhance laser beam quality by specifying, sourcing, and installing optical components and hardware.
  • Select optical components based on laser damage thresholds, transmission, and beam quality requirements; collaborate with vendors to refine specifications and procure these optics.
  • Develop clear procedures and documentation for technicians, providing training on complex laser systems to enable basic maintenance and alignment tasks.
  • Plan, execute, and oversee spectroscopic experiments, ensuring accurate data collection and thorough analysis.
  • Calibrate laser characterization devices and ensure experimental data is acquired accurately and free of artifacts.
  • Collaborate closely with engineers, offering clear technical guidance to support the design and development of laser systems.
Desired Qualifications
  • PhD in electrical engineering, chemistry, physics, or related fields.
  • Expertise in optical spectroscopy, gas kinetics, and data processing.
  • Experience in laser gain dynamics.
  • Experience with electro-optical devices.
  • Experience in pulse shaping of laser pulses.
  • Experience in spectral shaping of laser pulses.
  • Hands-on experience with aligning Ti:Sapphire laser systems.
  • Familiarity with fiber optics.
  • Experience working with high-damage-threshold optics.
  • Knowledge of phase mask and/or free-form optic manufacturing, specification, and alignment.
  • Experience with ns and fs pulse diagnostics and characterization (spectral and temporal).
  • Experience with vacuum systems.
  • Experience leading teams of optical, laser, and controls engineers.
  • Experience building laser beamlines.
  • Experience working in multidisciplinary research laser facilities, such as national labs.
  • Experience in writing scientific papers.
  • Experience in Matlab, Python, and LabVIEW.

Xcimer Energy develops inertial fusion energy technology aiming to generate fusion-powered electricity. Its system uses a 10+ megajoule KrF laser to ignite a hydrogen fusion target inside a HYLIFE-style liquid-wall chamber, which absorbs fusion energy and shields reactor walls for long life. The approach combines a high-energy laser, a consumable fusion target, and a liquid-wall chamber to pursue scalable, laser-driven inertial confinement fusion for power generation. The company’s goal is to make commercial fusion power a reality for utilities within the next decade.

Company Size

51-200

Company Stage

Series A

Total Funding

$117.8M

Headquarters

Denver, Colorado

Founded

2021

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Phoenix demo validates laser architecture in Denver by 2026 using DOE-funded LPK.
  • $100M Series A from Hedosophia funds Vulcan breakeven by 2031 and Athena grid power.
  • AI data centers demand 400 MW firm power, aligning with Athena's mid-2030s deployment.

What critics are saying

  • NIF's irreproducible ignition since 2022 invalidates Xcimer's scaling to Vulcan by 2031.
  • Commonwealth Fusion Systems' SPARC achieves net energy in 2027, preempting Xcimer's advantage.
  • Excimer supply from Trumpf and Coherent halts by 2028 due to export controls.

What makes Xcimer Energy unique

  • Xcimer uses excimer lasers with 30x lower cost per joule than NIF's 192-beam system.
  • Xcimer employs HYLIFE-III molten salt chamber for 40-year lifetime and tritium breeding.
  • Xcimer builds on NIF's proven ignition unlike unproven magnetic confinement approaches.

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Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

401(k) Company Match

Paid Vacation

Paid Sick Leave

Paid Holidays

Company Equity

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

0%

1 year growth

6%

2 year growth

16%
Business Wire
Jun 6th, 2024
Xcimer Raises $100 Million to Put Inertial Fusion Energy on Path to Commercialization

Xcimer Energy Inc. today announced that it has raised $100 million in Series A financing led by Hedosophia, with participation from investors includin

Yahoo Finance
Jun 5th, 2024
Xcimer Raises $100 Million to Put Inertial Fusion Energy on Path to Commercialization

DENVER, June 04, 2024--Xcimer Energy Inc. today announced that it has raised $100 million in Series A financing led by Hedosophia, with participation from investors including Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Lowercarbon Capital, Prelude Ventures, Emerson Collective, Gigascale Capital and Starlight Ventures. Xcimer will use this financing to establish a new facility in Denver, where it will build a prototype laser system including the world’s largest nonlinear optical pulse compression system to adv

Business Wire
Jun 2nd, 2023
Xcimer Energy Announces $9 Million US Department of Energy Award to Develop Laser-Driven Inertial Fusion Energy

The US Department of Energy announced Xcimer has been selected for $9M of federal funding for development of laser inertial fusion energy.