Senior Laser Engineer / Scientist

We are seeking a Senior Laser Engineer / Scientist to join our dynamic laser development team. In this pivotal role, you will spearhead the research, conceptualization, design, analysis, construction, and characterization of advanced high-energy laser systems and their sub-systems.

Key Responsibilities:

• Research and Development: Conduct thorough research and develop innovative concepts for high-energy and/or high-average power laser systems and/or sub-systems.

• System Design: Design and analyze laser systems and sub-systems, ensuring they meet the highest standards of performance and reliability. Program, model, and calculate laser system performance, efficiency, and cost. Define specifications of equipment or optical components.

• Construction and Characterization: Construction of laser systems and perform detailed characterization to assess their performance and identify areas for improvement.

Technical Focus Areas:

As a Senior Laser Engineer / Scientist, you will work with a wide range of laser systems and technologies, including:

• Pumping Technologies: Develop systems utilizing both flash-lamp and diode pumping methods.

• Pulse Duration: Work with lasers across a spectrum of pulse durations, from nanoseconds (ns) to sub-picoseconds (ps).

• Energy, Power and Peak Power: Design and optimize systems from low-energy, low-average power, low peak-power sub-systems to multi-kilojoule (kJ), multi-kilowatt (kW) average-power, petawatt (PW) peak power laser systems.

Core Technologies:

You will have the opportunity to explore and innovate across multiple facets of laser technology and laser business, including:

• Laser Amplification: Enhance the power and quality of laser outputs through advanced amplification techniques.

• Optical Parametric Amplification: Utilize nonlinear optical processes to amplify light and achieve desired wavelengths.

• Frequency Conversion: Develop systems for converting laser frequencies to meet specific application requirements.

• Chirp Pulse Amplification (CPA): Design CPA systems including temporal pulse shape management.

• Thermal Management: Implement effective thermal management strategies for high average power laser systems.

• Productization, Commercialization, and Mass Production: Transition scientific prototypes to industry-grade systems suitable for commercial applications and ramp up mass production.

Cutting-Edge Development:

In this role, you will be at the forefront of developing state-of-the-art laser technologies that deliver unprecedented performance. Your contributions will be integral to advancing the capabilities of our high-energy laser systems for inertial fusion energy (IFE), but also including side applications such as laser-driven radiation sources and other groundbreaking applications.

Qualifications:

• Experience:

• Master's or PhD degree in optics or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience, with advanced knowledge of complex physics, optics, or laser systems.

• Over 10 years of experience in developing, modeling, designing, analyzing, constructing, and characterizing laser systems.

• Technical Expertise:

• Deep understanding of laser physics and engineering, especially in high-energy and high-power systems.

• Proven experience in designing, building, and testing laser systems.

• Capability to work independently and collaboratively within a team.

• Innovation: Proven track record of innovative problem-solving and system optimization.

• Communication Skills: Advanced written and verbal communication skills in English are necessary to deliver presentations, prepare written reports, explain technical information, and provide advice to project sponsors and external collaborators.

Personality:

• You are a team player and have a strong social sensitivity and emotional intelligence.

• With your structured and proactive personality, you like to take responsibility and always take the initiative even in challenging situations.

• With your strong hands-on mentality, you enjoy helping shape the success in a dynamic, innovative company.

Why us?

This is a full-time, hybrid, mid-to-senior level position at our office in Darmstadt, Germany. We are a diverse, multi-cultural, multi-lingual team of highly skilled professionals working towards a common goal: Making fusion energy a reality. Join us and become a key player in driving the future of laser technology, where your expertise will directly impact the development of groundbreaking systems and applications. Become Part of the Solution!

Work Visa For Germany Required (EU-citizens Exempt): This position is not eligible for a visa sponsorship.

Equal Opportunity Employer: Focused Energy is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive environment. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender perception or identity, national origin, age, marital status, protected veteran status, or disability status.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, Focused Energy will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Compensation offered will be determined by factors such as location, level, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Certain roles may be eligible for incentive compensation, equity, benefits.