Pulsed Power Operations Engineer

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 a Pulsed Power Operations Engineer, you will apply your technical and operational skills to operating, troubleshooting, and maintaining the pulsed power components in a state-of-the-art laser system. You will learn from our pulsed power subject matter experts as you troubleshoot system anomalies, disposition non-conformances, and perform engineering work to implement system upgrades and improvements. You’ll author system operating procedures and build out other operational infrastructure for the experimental Phoenix system, such as: alarm setpoints, interlocks, preventive maintenance requirements, and data analysis tools. You will also be one of the first to formally qualify to operate the system. Once qualified, you will serve as Pulsed Power Controller – interacting with our control interface and working with the Shot Director to execute critical procedures in our laser experiment operations. During maintenance and upgrade operations, you will also perform hands on work on the system to troubleshoot, perform corrective and preventive maintenance, and execute system upgrades. We are looking for our pulsed power operations engineers to apply their technical expertise, problem solving skills, and dedication to quality to positively impact the future of energy! ### Responsibilities - Safely operate, maintain, troubleshoot, and improve high-voltage, high-current pulsed-power systems and experimental hardware. - Perform electrical diagnostics using oscilloscopes, probes, meters, and other test equipment to evaluate system performance and identify faults. - Analyze transient waveforms and test data to identify abnormal behavior, equipment degradation, and potential root causes. - Inspect, test, install, and replace electrical components including capacitors, resistors, inductors, switches, cables, connectors, and other high-voltage hardware. - Support preventive and corrective maintenance, component refurbishment, system commissioning, and equipment readiness activities. - Prepare systems for testing and support pre-shot, post-shot, and troubleshooting activities during experimental campaigns. - Read and interpret schematics, drawings, procedures, component datasheets, and technical documentation. - Develop and maintain operational procedures, checklists, test documentation, and equipment records. - Work closely with engineers, technicians, scientists, and subject matter experts to resolve technical issues and improve system reliability. - Participate in root-cause investigations, failure analysis, and continuous improvement efforts focused on safety, reliability, repeatability, and operational efficiency. - Maintain accurate records of system performance, maintenance activities, failures, and lessons learned. - Develop technical expertise in pulsed-power systems, high-voltage engineering, transient diagnostics, and laboratory operations. - Train and qualify as a Pulsed Power Controller for the Phoenix Laser System - Serve as a Pulsed Power Controller, executing procedures and working in support of the Shot Director, during laser experiment operations - Develop procedures and other shot operations infrastructure for the Phoenix pulsed power system - Perform hands-on integration and maintenance work with the Phoenix team during maintenance and upgrade windows ### Qualifications - Masters or Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering - Preferred: coursework and/or lab work in pulsed power applications - Preferred: 2+ years of experience in pulsed power or other high voltage test operations - Entry-level engineers and candidates with strong laboratory, test, or hands-on engineering experience are encouraged to apply. - Experience working on and operating complex, high risk systems. - Strong understanding of electrical circuit fundamentals, including Ohm’s Law, Kirchhoff’s Laws, voltage/current relationships, impedance, power, and energy. - Demonstrated ability to perform DC and AC circuit analysis and analyze series/parallel networks. - Understanding of first- and second-order electrical circuits, including RC, RL, and RLC circuits and their transient response. - Ability to understand and apply the fundamentals of energy storage and energy transfer in capacitors, inductors, and other energy-storage systems. - Highly proficient with oscilloscopes and electrical test equipment, including the ability to properly configure measurements, select appropriate probes, understand bandwidth and sampling considerations, identify measurement artifacts, and interpret waveforms. - Ability to read and interpret electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, circuit diagrams, and engineering drawings. - Ability to identify common electrical components, including resistors, capacitors, inductors, diodes, switches, relays, transformers, connectors, and high-voltage components, and understand their basic functions. - Ability to read and interpret component datasheets and technical specifications, including voltage, current, power, capacitance, inductance, tolerance, insulation ratings, temperature ratings, and other relevant operating limits. - Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot electrical systems using a systematic, data-driven approach, including identifying abnormal component behavior and determining likely root causes. - Ability to recognize common indicators of failed, degraded, or improperly operating electrical components through visual inspection, electrical measurements, waveform analysis, and comparison against expected performance. - Understanding of basic electrical safety and high-voltage laboratory practices, including appropriate use of PPE, grounding, discharge procedures, interlocks, and safe work practices around stored electrical energy. - Ability to work effectively with engineers, technicians, scientists, and other laboratory personnel in a hands-on test environment. - Strong technical communication skills, including the ability to document test results, anomalies, troubleshooting activities, and equipment status clearly and accurately. - Ability to work in a fast-paced laboratory environment where equipment configuration, test conditions, and priorities may change rapidly. - Must be willing to work on a set 8-hour shift with set start and stop times. Must also be willing to work over on non-shift hours during critical times. - Ability to follow optical layouts and drawings and translate them into physical setups. - Basic mobility - (ability to stand for extended periods, ability to lift up to 50 pounds, etc.) - 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 of granted asylum. ### Desired - Previous experience working in a laboratory, test, integration, commissioning, manufacturing, or experimental engineering environment. - Experience operating and troubleshooting high-voltage or high-current electrical systems. - Familiarity with pulsed-power systems, pulse-forming networks, Marx generators, capacitor banks, pulse generators, or other high-energy electrical systems. - Pulsed-power experience is desirable but not required. - Experience with high-bandwidth oscilloscopes, differential probes, current probes, Rogowski coils, B-dot/D-dot probes, voltage dividers, or other transient diagnostic equipment. - Experience analyzing fast transient electrical waveforms, including pulse amplitude, rise time, fall time, pulse width, ringing, overshoot, timing, jitter, and waveform-to-waveform variation. - Familiarity with high-voltage insulation, dielectric breakdown, surface tracking, arcing, corona, and electrical discharge phenomena. - Understanding of practical considerations associated with stored electrical energy, including energy calculations, charging systems, discharge paths, parasitic inductance/capacitance, and component stress. - Experience performing component inspection and acceptance testing, including electrical measurements, visual inspection, dimensional inspection, and comparison against specifications or previous baseline data. - Experience developing or following test procedures, operational procedures, checklists, and configuration-control documentation. - Experience participating in root-cause investigations, failure analysis, corrective actions, and equipment maintenance. - Ability to distinguish between instrumentation or measurement problems and actual hardware problems when troubleshooting experimental systems. - Experience working with technicians and contributing to the development of repeatable, reliable, and efficient laboratory operations. - Experience in environments requiring rigorous attention to configuration control, equipment readiness, preventive maintenance, and operational discipline.