Director of Enterprise Simulation & Synthesis

Job description

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 Simulation & Synthesis**, you will lead the development of Xcimer’s enterprise-wide modeling, simulation, and systems synthesis capability. You will be responsible for building the organization, tools, processes, and governance that enable high-confidence engineering decisions across complex, multi-physics fusion systems. This role will partner closely with Program leadership and peer engineering departments in a matrix organization to ensure simulation efforts are scalable, credible, and aligned to program execution needs. We are looking for a technical leader to apply their expertise in simulation, systems thinking, and organizational leadership to positively impact the future of energy! ### Responsibilities - Build, lead, and grow the Simulation & Synthesis organization, including hiring, mentoring, onboarding, and performance development of technical staff. - Establish enterprise simulation standards, governance, and best practices, including model credibility, verification and validation (V&V), uncertainty management, traceability, and configuration management. - Develop and maintain scalable analysis workflows, infrastructure, automation, and data governance practices that support reproducible and high-quality engineering analysis. - Lead integrated system-level synthesis activities, including trade studies, coupled-effects analysis, budgets, margins, and decision-support artifacts used by Program leadership. - Partner with Program Directors, Systems Engineering, and peer Department Heads to ensure simulation activities are appropriately scoped, prioritized, and aligned to program milestones and decision points. - Drive integration between simulation and testing activities, including test planning, correlation strategies, post-test model updates, and operational profile development. - Define and implement engineering processes and “definition of done” standards for simulation activities across concept development, design, testing, and operations. - Build external partnerships with national laboratories, universities, and industry collaborators to accelerate technical capability development and attract top talent. - Represent Xcimer within technical conferences and modeling communities to establish credibility and strengthen recruiting efforts. ### Qualifications - **Education:** Advanced degree in Engineering, Physics, Applied Mathematics, or related technical field; MS or PhD preferred. - **Experience:** 12+ years of experience in modeling, simulation, and technical leadership within complex engineered systems. - Demonstrated experience building and leading high-performing technical teams and establishing scalable engineering methods, tools, and processes. - Strong expertise in model credibility, assumptions management, uncertainty quantification, and engineering decision risk assessment. - Experience operating effectively within a matrix organization and collaborating across multidisciplinary engineering and program teams. - Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to translate complex technical analyses into clear recommendations for both technical and executive audiences. - 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 owning enterprise-level simulation tools, workflows, and standards across multiple technical domains. - Experience with structural analysis, loads and dynamics, vibroacoustics, multi-physics modeling, and model-to-test correlation. - Experience establishing data pedigree and governance practices for simulation inputs such as loads, material properties, environmental conditions, and test datasets. - Experience supporting external customer, regulatory, or government technical review processes. - Recognized technical leadership through publications, invited talks, or contributions to simulation, computational engineering, or applied physics communities.