Jobs and Careers

Director of Shot Operations and Maintenance

United Statesfull_timeVerifiedPosted 23 Jun 2026

About the role

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!

This is a full-time, onsite role based at our headquarters in Denver, CO.

As the Director of Shot Operations, you will be the functional leader of the organization responsible for executing safe and efficient laser shot operations, maintenance, and upgrade projects. This includes experiments run on Phoenix, the world’s most powerful privately funded laser. You will recruit, develop, retain, and performance manage the test engineers, engineering leads, and technicians that work together to execute this work. You’ll also be accountable for shot operations standards and processes and infrastructure, leading continuous improvement and execution excellence in these areas.

In addition to serving as the functional leader of the Shot Operations and Maintenance department, you will also serve as the Program Leader for Phoenix operations. You will be accountable for the schedule and budget for Phoenix upgrade projects and for Phoenix operational metrics such as shots per day, uptime, planned/ unplanned maintenance, and schedule adherence.

While leading the Shot Operations and Maintenance department, you will ensure collection of operational lessons learned and establish healthy and constructive feedback mechanisms to the Xcimer design teams to ensure the operability and maintainability of Xcimer’s future laser systems. This includes creating mechanisms to capture daily learnings and leading collection of input from the team for gated reviews.

Responsibilities

Functional Operations and Maintenance Leadership

Lead and directly manage the engineers and technicians in the Shot Operations and Maintenance department

Build and scale a high-performing organization capable of supporting increasing operational throughput and system complexity

Ensure effective staffing models and shift structures to support sustained operations

Recruit, develop, and retain top talent, establishing clear roles, expectations, and career paths

Drive a culture of: Operational Accountability and ownership, Safety and operational rigor, Continuous improvement and learning

Develop and maintain shot operations standards and processes and infrastructure, leading continuous improvement and execution excellence in these areas

Drive the development, standardization, and governance of:

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)

Operating limits and readiness processes

Maintenance requirements and spares

Ensure strict adherence to safety standards, operating limits, and regulatory requirements

Serve as program manager for Phoenix (the world’s most powerful privately funded laser) operations – accountable for the scope, schedule, and budget of Phoenix operations, maintenance and upgrades

Own integrated planning and execution of shot operations, maintenance campaigns, and major upgrade projects

Establish and lead the program operating rhythm, including:

Program Management Reviews (PMRs)

Weekly execution and planning meetings

Cross-functional alignment forums

Track and manage program risks, dependencies, and critical path, ensuring proactive mitigation

Ensure high-quality data collection, reporting, and communication of operational and program performance

Own the Phoenix operations and maintenance budget, including:

Labor and staffing plans

Operational expenses

Upgrade and capital expenditures (in partnership with Engineering)

Drive cost efficiency while maintaining