Technical Project Manager – Laser System

Xcimer Energy

200

Denver, CO

Posted on: 2026-10-26

Category: energy

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Employment type:

Full time

Experience required:

Intermediate

Salary

$100,000.00 - $120,000.00

About the company:

Xcimer Energy is a fusion energy company focused on commercializing laser-driven inertial confinement fusion, which it describes as the only scientifically validated form of fusion energy. The company is developing high-energy excimer laser systems designed to ignite fusion reactions using fuel derived from seawater and lithium, with the goal of delivering safe, clean, and affordable electricity that is cost-competitive with fossil fuels and renewables. Its mission centers on decarbonizing energy-intensive sectors such as artificial intelligence infrastructure, desalination, and industrial processes that require firm, always-on, carbon-free power. Xcimer's technical approach relies on electron-beam-pumped excimer lasers combined with a pulse compression technique called Stimulated Brillouin Scattering (SBS), which compresses microsecond laser pulses to nanosecond durations without damaging optics. In 2024 the company broke ground on Phoenix, its first prototype high-energy laser system, located in Denver, Colorado, and announced the start of its operations in June 2026. Phoenix is the first electron-beam-pumped excimer laser built in the private sector in more than two decades and validates key elements of the company's low-cost laser fusion architecture. Xcimer's longer-term target is Athena, which it describes as the world's first laser fusion power plant, expected to deliver 400 megawatts of continuous clean energy by 2035. The company has received a U.S. Department of Energy approval of its fusion power plant preconceptual design and technology roadmap milestone, and collaborates with industrial partners such as TRUMPF Laser SE. With a team of nearly 200 engineers, physicists, and business professionals, Xcimer positions itself as the most technically mature private laser fusion company.

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 a Technical Project Manager – Laser System, you will play a critical role driving execution of the Inertial Fusion Energy Program’s laser system — the high-energy excimer laser driver systems that will enable nuclear fusion. You will work closely with the Laser System Director, Program Director, and Project Controls & Planning, as well as the optics, pulsed power, laser controls, and beamline engineering teams, to ensure seamless coordination, tracking, and reporting of Laser System project activities. Your ability to manage schedules, maintain project documentation, engineering review artifacts and facilitate communication across the Laser Element’s systems and sub-systems will be key to driving efficiency and meeting critical design-review and build milestones. We are looking for a highly organized individual with strong problem-solving skills, technical fluency in laser/optical or high-energy hardware systems, and experience in all aspects of engineering project delivery. The ideal candidate would have demonstrated experience leading engineering project execution from cradle to grave in the disciplines of photonics, optics, lasers and/or RF.

Benefits

Xcimer offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support employee health, well-being, and long-term success. Benefits include medical, dental, and vision coverage; basic and supplemental life insurance; short- and long-term disability; paid parental leave for employees at the time of birth or adoption; and a 401(k) with a company match of up to 6%. Eligible employees also receive equity, allowing them to share in the company’s long-term success.

Xcimer operates under a flexible Paid Time Off (ATO) approach. Rather than a fixed number of vacation days, employees are trusted to take the time they need to rest and recharge while meeting the expectations of their role and team. In addition, employees receive paid sick time, 13 company-paid holidays, and an annual paid company shutdown. Benefits are available to regular employees, including part-time and fixed-term roles, as well as interns, with eligibility varying by benefit.

Responsibilities

Drive execution of projects within your scope through informed technical decision making and bias to action.
Plan, schedule, and track project progress for Laser Element systems and sub-systems using Jira, Flow, and other program planning tools, in coordination with the Project Controls & Planning.
Monitor engineering release, requirements (Flow), and design-review efforts to assess progress toward Laser Element milestones, identify risks, and escalate issues to the Laser Element Lead and Program Management as needed.
Manage project documentation, including project plans, architecture/requirements review packages, meeting minutes, and action items, ensuring clear communication and record-keeping across optics, pulsed power, and laser controls sub-teams.
Coordinate activities and staffing resource allocation across laser engineering, laser science, optics, pulsed power, procurement, and manufacturing teams, facilitating issue resolution and ensuring smooth execution of Laser Element design loops, builds, and test campaigns.
Assist in tracking element cost and accounting as well as develop execution spend plans.

Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree in engineering management, construction management, business management, engineering, physics, or a related field.
Experience: 5+ years in project engineering, project coordination, project planning and controls, administration, or a similar role supporting laser, optical, pulsed-power, or other complex hardware development in an engineering, national-lab, aerospace, defense, or manufacturing environment.
Problem-solving mindset with a proactive approach to identifying and addressing technical and schedule challenges across laser sub-systems.
Demonstrated ability with build and sequencing of critical path schedules.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across engineering, scientific and indirect support teams.
Strong technical acumen with an understanding of laser/optical or high-energy hardware development processes (e.g., design reviews, requirements flow-down, engineering change requests) and product lifecycles.
Experience managing and tracking Bills of Materials (BOMs) for complex hardware systems.
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 or granted asylum.

Desired

Experience with complex integrated laser, optical, or pulsed-power hardware projects, ideally in nuclear fusion, high-energy density physics, directed energy, or aerospace.
Working familiarity with the design, assembly, integration, and test of laser systems.
Proficiency in AI enabled workflows and data presentation.
Familiarity with Agile & Waterfall project management methodologies.
Proficiency with Jira, Confluence, Flow, and other requirements/program management tools.
Experience with procurement, vendor management, or contract administration for long-lead optics, lasers, or pulsed-power components.
Strong analytical skills with experience in program planning tools such as Primavera P6.