Director of Nuclear Engineering

Director of Nuclear Engineering

Denver, CO - Engineering – Nuclear Engineering / Full-Time / On Site

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.

• Build, lead, and grow the Nuclear Engineering Department, including hiring, onboarding, mentoring, and performance development of engineering staff.
• Develop career paths and technical leadership pipelines for nuclear engineers while fostering a culture of technical rigor, collaboration, safety, and continuous improvement.
• Establish, document, and maintain nuclear engineering standards, methods, and best practices across concept development, design, testing, and operations.
• Define and maintain the nuclear design basis for Xcimer facilities and programs, ensuring assumptions, analyses, and requirements support performance, safety, and regulatory objectives.
• Partner with Program Directors and Managers to ensure nuclear engineering activities are appropriately scoped, resourced, prioritized, and scheduled.
• Identify nuclear engineering risks early and collaborate cross-functionally to develop and implement mitigation strategies.
• Ensure disciplined execution of core nuclear engineering activities, including radiation transport and shielding analysis, activation analysis, source term definition, uncertainty analysis, and support for radiological safety and hazards analysis.
• Collaborate closely with Systems Engineering, Facilities, Test, Operations, ES&H, and peer engineering departments to integrate nuclear engineering considerations into system architectures, facility designs, and operational procedures.
• Define and execute a long-term roadmap for nuclear engineering capability growth, including external partnerships with national laboratories, academic institutions, and industry collaborators.
• Represent Xcimer in technical forums and within the broader nuclear engineering community to build technical credibility and attract top-tier talent.

• Education:
  
  Advanced degree in Nuclear Engineering or closely related technical field;
  PhD strongly preferred.
• Experience:
  
  15+ years of experience in nuclear engineering, including senior technical leadership responsibilities. Demonstrated experience building, mentoring, and leading high-performing technical teams.
• Strong foundation in radiation physics, nuclear engineering fundamentals, and analytical methods.
• Experience with deterministic and Monte Carlo neutron/photon transport methods.
• Experience using nuclear engineering analysis tools such as MCNP, OpenMC, or equivalent software.
• Experience planning and managing technical work, including schedules, budgets, and performance metrics.
• Experience operating effectively within matrix organizations and multidisciplinary technical environments.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical 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 with in fusion energy, high-radiation facilities, or other advanced energy systems. Experience collaborating with national laboratories, universities, or large multi-institution technical programs. Experience establishing engineering standards and improving technical rigor across organizations. Publication record or recognized technical leadership within the nuclear engineering community.

$190,000 - $220,000 a year. 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.

Xcimer Energy is proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and is committed to attracting, retaining, and developing a highly qualified, diverse, and dedicated workforce. We support the establishment and maintenance of a workplace that fosters trust, equality, and teamwork, in which all employees recognize and appreciate the diversity of individual team members. We provide all qualified applicants for employment and employees with equal opportunities for hire, promotion, and other terms and conditions of employment, regardless of their race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin/ethnicity, age,…