Mechanical Engineer / Senior Mechanical Engineer, Opto-Mechanics

Xcimer Energy

• $106K — $182K *
Aerospace & Defense
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • B.S. in Mechanical Engineering or a related field.
  • 4+ years in mechanical design with practical hardware experience.
  • Strong grasp of mechanical design principles including statics and material strength.
  • Proficiency in 3D CAD (NX preferred); skilled in creating manufacturing drawings (GD&T).
  • Hands-on experience in precision opto-mechanical hardware design and testing.
  • Solid skills in FEA for design validation.
  • Strong communication skills and detail orientation.

Responsibilities

  • Design and build opto-mechanical hardware for deep-UV laser systems.
  • Collaborate with optical and systems engineers to refine design requirements.
  • Conduct design analyses using hand calculations and FEA.
  • Manage the creation and release of detailed engineering documents.
  • Specify materials and work with suppliers to ensure quality components.
  • Assemble and test hardware in lab settings, including alignment and bonding optical elements.
  • Lead design projects and mentor junior engineers at the senior level.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage.
  • Life insurance options and short- and long-term disability.
  • Paid parental leave for new parents.
  • 401(k) plan with up to 6% company match.
  • Flexible Paid Time Off (ATO) for work-life balance.
  • 13 paid holidays and an annual company shutdown.
  • Equity opportunities for eligible employees.
Full Job Description
This is a full-time, onsite role based at our headquarters in Denver, CO.

Every mirror, window, lens, and diagnostic in Xcimer's deep-UV laser system depends on mechanical hardware that holds it precisely, keeps it stable, and lets us align and maintain it. We are looking for mechanical engineers with sound design fundamentals and an interest in opto-mechanics to design, build, and test that hardware. You will work across the full lifecycle: requirements, concept, analysis, drawings, procurement, assembly, alignment, and test. This is a hands-on role where you will spend time in the optics labs, cleanrooms and manufacturing floors. We are hiring at multiple levels, from engineers with a few years of solid design experience who want to deepen their opto-mechanics expertise, to senior engineers who can lead subsystem designs and mentor others.

Qualifications

  • Design mirror mounts, window and lens mounts, opto-mechanical assemblies, optical benches, and structural supports for deep-UV, high-energy laser beam transport and diagnostics.
  • Develop requirements with optical, controls, and systems engineers; run trade studies and document design decisions.
  • Analyze designs with hand calculations and FEA (static, modal, thermal) to understand how mount stress, thermal gradients, gravity, and vibration affect optical surface figure and alignment.
  • Produce detailed models in NX, GD&T drawings per ASME Y14.5, and complete drawing packages; release and control them through engineering change.
  • Specify materials, finishes, and purchased components (stages, actuators, flexures, fasteners, vacuum hardware); work with machining and fabrication suppliers, and inspect and qualify hardware on receipt.
  • Build tolerance stack-ups and connect mechanical tolerances to optical sensitivity budgets.
  • Create and maintain interface control documents between optical mounts and adjacent mechanical structures.
  • Assemble, align, and test opto-mechanical hardware in the lab and cleanroom, including bonding of optics and implementation of alignment references; develop and execute test plans.
  • Support integration and troubleshooting on the laser system floor and feed lessons learned back into the design.
  • Present work at design reviews and maintain clear technical documentation.
  • At the senior level: lead the design of subsystems end to end, own interfaces with other disciplines, and mentor junior engineers.


Qualifications

  • Education: B.S. in Mechanical Engineering or a related field.
  • Experience: 4+ years of professional mechanical design experience with hardware you have designed built and put into use.
  • Sound mechanical design fundamentals: statics, strength of materials, stiffness and deflection, thermal expansion, and materials selection.
  • Proficiency in 3D CAD (NX preferred; SolidWorks or Creo acceptable) and in creating manufacturing drawings using GD&T per ASME Y14.5.
  • Ability to build tolerance stack-ups and to verify designs with hand calculations.
  • Familiarity with machining, sheet metal, and welding processes and with design for manufacturability and assembly.
  • Hands-on aptitude: comfortable assembling, measuring, and testing hardware, and eager to spend time in the lab.
  • Hands-on experience designing precision opto-mechanical hardware: kinematic or flexure mounts, optical benches, or alignment mechanisms.
  • Solid FEA skills (static, modal, thermal) and experience using analysis to drive design decisions and validate them against test.
  • Experience creating and maintaining interface control documents.
  • Experience specifying and managing hardware through suppliers, and guiding or mentoring other engineers.
  • Strong written and verbal communication, attention to detail, and the ability to work in a fast-paced, multidisciplinary team.


Desired

  • M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Optical Engineering, or a related field.
  • Experience with STOP (structural-thermal-optical performance) analysis and with modeling tools such as Ansys, Abaqus, or Nastran.
  • Experience with cleanroom procedures, high-vacuum hardware, or high-voltage environments.
  • Experience with active mount pointing and alignment recovery, including slow and fast steering mirrors.
  • Experience with high-energy laser systems, particularly in the deep UV.
  • Familiarity with thermal management of optical assemblies.
  • Experience with laser, telescope, lithography, or precision instrument opto-mechanics.


$106,250 - $182,500 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.

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.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.

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