About this role
Responsibilities
Technical Leadership and System Architecture
- Serve as the technical lead for the adaptive optics system, from requirements definition through integration and commissioning
- Define system level requirements and performance budgets for fast adaptive optics, including wavefront sensors, deformable mirrors, real time controllers, and diagnostics
- Lead trade studies and architecture decisions for high bandwidth, low latency correction systems integrated into laser or photon beamlines
- Ensure system designs meet performance, reliability, and operability requirements
Vendor Engagement and Procurement
- Lead technical engagement with commercial and research vendors delivering adaptive optics components and subsystems
- Develop technical specifications, statements of work, and acceptance criteria for externally supplied hardware and software
- Oversee vendor design reviews, factory acceptance tests, and delivery milestones
- Act as the primary technical interface for resolving performance, schedule, and integration issues with suppliers
Integration, Test, and Commissioning
- Lead assembly, integration, and test of the adaptive optics system within the beamline environment
- Define laboratory and in situ test plans to validate performance and closed loop operation
- Work closely with beamline, controls, and laser system teams to ensure seamless system integration
- Support commissioning activities and transition to reliable operations
Department Growth and Future Management
- Establish technical standards, documentation practices, and development workflows for the Adaptive Optics group
- Mentor and guide engineers and scientists working on adaptive optics and wavefront control topics
- Participate in hiring and onboarding as the group expands
- Gradually assume formal people management responsibilities, including goal setting, performance feedback, and resource planning, if desired.
Qualifications
- Education: Advanced degree in optics, physics, electrical engineering, or a closely related field
- Experience: 8+ years of experience in adaptive optics, wavefront sensing and control, or closely related high speed optical control systems
- Demonstrated hands on experience working with laser beams, including propagation, beam quality, wavefront control, and interaction with real optical hardware
- Experience developing or integrating adaptive optics specifically for laser-based systems
- Proven experience specifying, integrating, and testing fast adaptive optics hardware and real time control systems in laboratory or operational environments
- Hands-on experience with deformable mirrors, wavefront sensors, and high bandwidth feedback control
- Proven ability to work directly with external vendors on custom optical and electro optical systems
- Strong written and verbal communication skills for technical reviews, requirements definition, and cross team coordination
- 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
- Highly preferred: experience with directed energy systems, including high power or high intensity laser platforms
- Experience delivering custom adaptive optics systems from concept through commissioning
- Prior experience mentoring engineers or leading technical teams
- Familiarity with real time software, FPGA based control, or low latency computing architectures
- Experience in laboratory and operational environments requiring high reliability and uptime
Candidates may be considered for other positions at Xcimer Energy, and our actual base salary will be determined on an individual basis and may vary based on job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience. The range is published in accordance with Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act and California Equal Pay Act.