Mechanical Engineer (Opto-Mechanical)

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 opto-mechanical engineer you will help us build state-of-the-art UV laser systems for laser driven inertial 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 mechanical engineering skills and technical leadership to complex problems, and directly contribute to the design, build, and test of our laser and diagnostic systems. We are looking for our engineers to apply their technical expertise, problem solving skills, and dedication to quality to positively impact the future of energy!

Responsibilities

• Your role will be concentrated on a wide range of technical mechanical and opto-mechanical engineering efforts to facilitate deep UV high energy laser beam transport culminating in inertial fusion energy.
• You will work closely with the optical engineering team, mechanical team, and controls systems engineers to ensure system through component level requirements are met while tracking performance from design to test and operation.
• Mechanical design of mirror mounts, windows, and other opto-mechanical systems using SolidWorks.
• FEA to map external influences to optical surface deformation including impacts from mount stress, thermal environment/gradients, and orientations with respect to gravity.
• Creating and maintaining interface control documents.
• Procurement of hardware.
• Design, test and integration.
• This is a hands on engineering role where you will spend time in the optics labs.

Qualifications

• B.S. degree in mechanical engineering, optical engineering, or related field
• 6+ years of direct opto-mechanical engineering experience
• Fluent in mechanical design software (SolidWorks preferred)
• Experience with FEA
• Experience in designing and characterizing precision optical mounts in the presence of base/external vibration and impulse sources defined by power spectral densities, including quantifying resonant modes and harmonics
• Experience in optical system / subsystem integration and implementation of alignment references for various optical elements including lenses, and flat/powered/off-axis mirrors.
• Experience in creating and maintaining interface control documents between optical mounts and other mechanical structures

Desired

• M.S. or Ph.D. degree in mechanical engineering, optical engineering, or related field
• 3+ years of direct opto-mechanical engineering experience
• Proven track record of successful design, integration, and characterization of optical mounts for complex electro-optical systems
• Experience in active mount pointing for alignment recovery including slow and fast steering mirrors
• Experience in high energy optical systems working in the deep UV
• Must be authorized to work in the United States for any employer

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.