Head of Diagnostics Physics

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.** The **Head of Diagnostics Physics (Imaging and Spectroscopy)** department provides strategic, technical, and organizational leadership for all diagnostic systems supporting practical laser fusion power plants. This role oversees scientific and experimental efforts in optical, X‑ray, and neutron imaging and spectroscopy, including laser beam diagnostics, diagnostics of plasmas, imaging of highly turbulent gas media, backlighting of fusion targets, and advanced fusion‑relevant measurement technologies. This leader will own the execution and continuous improvement of diagnostic capabilities, ensuring that imaging and spectroscopy systems reliably support program objectives. Responsibilities include developing next generation imaging and spectroscopy concepts, validating technologies through experimental work, maturing promising approaches from academia and national laboratories, and ensuring that cutting edge diagnostics translate into accurate models, reliable measurements, and actionable design guidance for future fusion systems. The successful candidate will recruit, mentor, and develop multidisciplinary scientific teams; establish department wide best practices; and drive the maturation of diagnostics from concept to industrializable systems. This role partners closely with laser architects and scientists, target design teams, pulsed power and nuclear groups, manufacturing, operations, and other stakeholders. A key objective is to deeply understand program-defined diagnostic requirements across all subsystems of a fusion power plant: constraints, schedules, tradeoffs, alternative solutions, and derisking experiments, and to build and lead a world-class experimental science organization capable of meeting these needs while continuously evaluating emerging technologies for rapid integration. ### Responsibilities - Build, lead, and scale the Diagnostics Physics department, including hiring, onboarding, mentoring, and developing exceptional scientific talent. - Learn and maintain a system-wide understanding of program-defined diagnostic requirements across laser science and engineering, target design, pulsed power, nuclear science, manufacturing, operations, and systems architecture. - Build and maintain scientific models, analysis tools, simulation frameworks, and validation infrastructure supporting all imaging and spectroscopy activities. - Ensure all imaging and spectroscopy systems establish accurate calibration standards, verified response functions, and traceable performance metrics throughout their lifecycle. - Drive design requirements that guarantee diagnostic instruments can survive and operate reliably in expected environments, including high-radiation fields, electromagnetic interference, neutron bombardment, vacuum conditions, and mechanical/thermal loads. - Partner with Controls and DAQ teams to enable robust remote configuration, command, synchronization, and data readout for all diagnostic systems. - Maintain awareness of emerging opportunities in optical, X-ray, neutron, and plasma diagnostics; identify promising academic or laboratory technologies, and collaborate with program leads, maturing those selected for integration into program activities. - Contribute to technical collaborations with national labs, universities, external vendors, and testing facilities; oversee off-site validation campaigns prior to installation in Xcimer facilities. - Establish departmental scientific best practices, documentation standards, design review processes, and quality expectations appropriate for industrial diagnostic systems. - Own the organization’s validated knowledge and collaborate with engineering and manufacturing to deliver diagnostic systems that are scalable, repeatable, and suitable for next‑generation fusion operations. - Identify key scientific and technical risks associated with diagnostic equipment and drive mitigation strategies that ensure reliable operation and support long-term scalability. - Support troubleshooting, root‑cause investigations, and analyses of anomalies across experimental operations and development environments. ### Qualifications - **Education:** MS in Physics, Electrical Engineering, or a closely related field. - **Experience:** 10+ years of experimental experience in imaging, spectroscopy, laser experiments, plasma diagnostics, or development of complex optical/X‑ray/neutron diagnostic systems. - Deep experience with simulation tools for beam propagation, laser-matter interaction, radiation transport, nonlinear optics, and diagnostic performance modeling. - Experience designing, executing, and analyzing complex imaging, spectroscopic, or fusion experiments. - Demonstrated leadership of multidisciplinary scientific or R&D organizations. - Proven track record of mentoring, developing, and guiding high‑performing scientific teams. - Strong publication record and recognized scientific contributions. - Ability to thrive in a fast‑moving organization transitioning from startup to industrial scale. - Ability to balance hands‑on scientific leadership with high‑level strategic and organizational responsibilities. - Must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident, or lawfully admitted as a refugee or granted asylum. ### Desired - Ph.D. in Physics, Electrical Engineering, or a closely related field. - Experience in nonlinear optics. - Experience in X‑ray imaging and spectroscopy. - Experience in neutron diagnostics and detection systems. - Background in gas kinetics, plasma kinetics, and related simulations. - Experience building interferometric diagnostic systems. - Experience developing industrial optical/X‑ray/neutron diagnostic equipment. - Experience with research‑grade free‑space pulsed laser systems. - Experience with vacuum systems. - Familiarity with phase optics, precision optical manufacturing, and metrology.