Senior Safety Engineer

About Focused Energy Focused Energy is building the future of clean energy through laser-driven inertial fusion. Backed by our $240M Series A — the largest fully secured Series A in the global fusion industry — we are scaling rapidly across multiple geographies.

Based in Germany and the US, we have brought together the top scientific and engineering minds using proven technologies to unlock fusion power at commercial scale. Focused Energy is working to realize game-changing scientific innovation that promises to deliver a clean, sustainable and abundant source of power globally.

We are seeking a Senior Systems Safety Engineer to support Focused Energy's Austin facility as we advance the TTE project, laser project, and the transition toward operational readiness. This role is designed as an embedded engineering safety position rather than a standalone site-wide H&S management role. The Senior Systems Safety Engineer will work directly with engineering and operations teams to identify hazards, evaluate system risks, and develop practical mitigation strategies during system design, installation, validation, commissioning, and operation.

This role will partner closely with the central safety function, including safety system leadership defined in Germany, while providing strong local technical ownership for engineering safety execution in Austin. The position is especially well suited to a growing, technically complex site where risk must be assessed continuously as systems evolve.

• Embedded Project Safety Support:
  Act as the engineering safety partner for the Austin site, working closely with TTE, laser, facilities, and operations teams to assess and manage risk throughout design, installation, validation, commissioning, and routine operation.
• System Hazard Analysis:
  Lead or facilitate structured hazard analyses such as HAZID, FMEA, JHA, what-if reviews, and task-based risk assessments for laser systems, low-voltage electrical systems including facility mains-fed three-phase equipment, cryogenics, gases, mechanical assemblies, controls, and supporting infrastructure.
• Design-for-Safety Integration:
  Review system designs, changes, and experimental setups to ensure safety considerations are incorporated early and practically. Support engineering teams in translating hazard findings into design requirements, interlocks, procedures, and operational controls.
• Installation and Commissioning Support:
  Provide hands-on safety support during equipment installation, facility modifications, subsystem integration, validation, and commissioning activities. Ensure hazards are identified and controlled before work is performed and before systems are released for operation.
• Operational Readiness:
  Support the development of safe operating envelopes, startup/shutdown strategies, lockout-tagout boundaries, access controls, permits, and readiness reviews for new and modified systems.
• Risk Mitigation Implementation:
  Work with engineers, technicians, and operations personnel to define and track corrective actions, engineering controls, administrative controls, and procedural safeguards to closure.
• Technical Safety Documentation:
  Develop and maintain risk assessments, safety reviews, operating constraints, work instructions, and engineering safety documentation needed to support project execution and operational use.
• Interface with Central Safety Leadership:
  Coordinate with the broader company safety function and with safety system definition led from Germany to ensure consistency of approach, alignment of standards, and appropriate escalation of major risks.
• Incident and Near-Miss Learning:
  Participate in investigations of incidents, near misses, and abnormal events related to equipment or operations. Support root cause analysis and the development of practical corrective and preventive actions.
• Training and Technical Guidance:
  Provide technical safety guidance to engineers, technicians, and operators, and support the rollout of project-specific safety training tied to real system hazards and work activities.
• Compliance Partnership:
  Support compliance with applicable OSHA, NFPA, ANSI, and other relevant requirements as they relate to engineering systems and operational activities, in partnership with site operations and the central safety function rather than as sole owner of all site compliance programs.

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Safety Engineering, Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical…