Technical Project Manager - Implosion

About the role

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!

As a Technical Project Manager - Implosion, you will play a critical role driving execution of the Inertial Fusion Energy Program's Implosion System - the target design, target physics, and ICF implosion systems that enable fusion ignition.

You will work closely with the Head of Target Design, the Head of Target Physics Experiments, Program Director, and Project Controls & Planning, as well as the target fabrication, metrology, diagnostics, and chamber-interface teams, to ensure seamless coordination, tracking, and reporting of Implosion System project activities.

Your ability to manage schedules, maintain project documentation, design- and experiment-review artifacts and facilitate communication across the Implosion System's and sub-systems will be key to driving efficiency and meeting critical design-review and experimental-campaign milestones.

We are looking for a highly organized individual with strong problem-solving skills, technical fluency in target physics, ICF implosion, or high-energy-density hardware systems, and experience in all aspects of engineering and research project delivery.

The ideal candidate would have demonstrated experience leading engineering or experimental project execution from cradle to grave in the disciplines of inertial confinement fusion, target design, target fabrication, and/or high-energy-density physics.

Responsibilities

• Maintain and analyze the integrated schedule set by the Heads and technical leaders - milestones, dependencies, risks, issues, resource commitments, and deliverables - incorporating their updates and decisions.
• Plan, schedule, and track project progress for Implosion systems and sub-systems using Jira, Flow, and other program planning tools, in coordination with Project Controls & Planning. Assess schedule changes, budget variances, and emerging issues for impact across workstreams, partner commitments, and resources. Surface gaps or conflicts to the relevant Heads and leaders for resolution.
• Monitor target design, experiment planning, and design-review efforts to assess progress toward Implosion System milestones, identify risks, and escalate issues to the Implosion System leaders and Program Management as needed.
• Manage project documentation, including project plans, requirements/design-review packages, meeting minutes, and action items, ensuring clear communication and record-keeping across target design, target physics, and fabrication sub-teams.
• Coordinate activities and staffing resource allocation across target design, target physics, fabrication, metrology, procurement, and external partner teams (national labs, universities, consultants, and industry partners), facilitating issue resolution and ensuring smooth execution of Implosion System design loops, builds, and experimental campaigns - including tracking each partnership's scope, milestones, deliverables, budget, and points of contact.
• Assist in tracking System cost and accounting, develop execution spend plans, and coordinate the development and administration of partner contracts and statements of work with technical leads and the Contracts, Procurement, Finance, and Legal offices.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's degree in engineering, physics, project management, or a related field.
• Experience: 5+ years in project engineering, project coordination, project planning and controls, administration, or a similar role supporting target design, target physics, ICF implosion, or other complex scientific/engineering R&D in a national-lab, aerospace, defense, or research environment.
• Problem-solving mindset with a proactive approach to identifying and addressing technical and schedule challenges across target and implosion sub-systems.
• Demonstrated ability with build and sequencing of critical path schedules.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across engineering, scientific, and indirect support teams.
• Experience coordinating contracts, statements of work, purchase orders, or other commitments through internal approval workflows.
• 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 complex target design, target physics, or ICF implosion projects, ideally in nuclear fusion, high-energy density physics, directed energy, or aerospace.
• Strong technical acumen with an understanding of target design, target physics, or high-energy-density hardware development processes (e.g., design reviews, requirements flow-down, engineering change requests) and product/experiment lifecycles.
• Working familiarity with the design, assembly, integration, and test of target systems or ICF implosion experiments.
• Proficiency in AI enabled workflows and data presentation.
• Familiarity with Agile & Waterfall project management methodologies.
• Proficiency with Jira, Confluence, Flow, and other requirements/program management tools.
• Experience with procurement, vendor management, or contract administration for national-lab, university, or industry partner agreements.
• Strong analytical skills with experience in program planning tools such as Primavera P6.

Benefits

Xcimer offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support employee health, well-being, and long-term success. Benefits include medical, dental, and vision coverage; basic and supplemental life insurance; short- and long-term disability; paid parental leave for employees at the time of birth or adoption; and a 401(k) with a company match of up to 6%. Eligible employees also receive equity, allowing them to share in the company's long-term success.

• Xcimer operates under a flexible Paid Time Off (ATO) approach.
• Rather than a fixed number of vacation days, employees are trusted to take the time they need to rest and recharge while meeting the expectations of their role and team.
• In addition, employees receive paid sick time, 13 company-paid holidays, and an annual paid company shutdown.
• Benefits are available to regular employees, including part-time and fixed-term roles, as well as interns, with eligibility varying by benefit.