Senior R&D Engineer

Senior R&D Engineer (Mechatronics & Hardware)

Location: Darmstadt Position Type: Full-time

About the Company & Role

Focused Energy is the leading laser-driven fusion company pursuing the most promising path to clean, limitless fusion power. The global company, based in Darmstadt, Germany and the San Francisco Bay Area, has brought together the top scientific and engineering minds using proven technologies to unlock fusion power at commercial scale.

At Focused Energy, we are not only aiming for long term game changing solutions but are

also solving near term challenges with global impact. We are developing SourceLight, a

breakthrough initiative that pioneers compact, laser-driven radiation sources (LDRS). These dual-mode sources combine MeV X-rays and fast neutrons in a single system, enabling real-time, non-destructive inspection of complex or shielded materials. Our technology addresses critical challenges across nuclear waste storage, contraband detection, infrastructure inspection, and medical isotope production.

We are a cross-disciplinary team of laser and plasma physicists, engineers, and AI experts

building our first pilot facility in Biblis (Germany). Be part of shaping this deep-tech venture

from the ground up!

Your mission is to design key parts of our laser-driven radiation source. You will take

ownership of a critical research and development area, bridging the gap between a scientific setup and an industrial product, making a direct impact on a technology that is going to redefine multiple industries.

What You Will Do

• System Ownership: Take full responsibility for the lifecycle of complex electro-

mechanical modules. You will translate high-level physics requirements into

concrete, manufacturable specifications for prototype building. You will ensure

transition of your prototype design into the product development organisation

• Engineering for Challenging Environments: Design and validate hardware capable of

operating continuously in high-vacuum (1e-5 mBar) , under high electromagnetic and

thermal loads, and in radiation environments.

• Rapid Prototyping: This is a hands-on role. You will build, test, troubleshoot, and

iterate on your hardware in the lab and during external beamtime campaigns.

• Design Authority: Act as the technical hardware lead for your module. You work with

other engineering competencies defining the necessary design solutions to conclude

architecture, thermal management strategies, and interfaces.

• Technical Feasibility: Create a scalable system with demonstrated feasibility ready

for production. Make sure that the technical risks are reduced and you walk the

component from concept design review over prototype to pilot readiness.

• Design Authority: Work with the mechanical design team on what to draw. You

define the architecture, thermal management strategies, and interfaces.

• Traceability & Documentation: You will produce high-quality technical

documentation that allows others to build, operate, and understand your work. This

includes detailed, design decision documentation, test reports and risk registers as

well as providing design reviews.

• Collaborative Integration: Collaborate closely with researchers to define test

procedures, interpret experimental data, and generate data-driven insights to

improve the design.

Who You Are

Required Qualifications:

• Education: B.Sc., M.Sc., or PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Physics

Engineering, or a related field.

• Experience: 5+ years in R&D hardware development, preferably in semiconductor,

aerospace, particle accelerator, or laser facilities.

• Core Competencies (Must Have):

o Structured R&D Approach: Be capable of formulating the research problem,

document the approach to find the solution, execute design reviews, define

test protocols and document and communicate the results and derive design

decisions from the outcome.

o Vacuum Compatible Design: Deep understanding of how vacuum changes

design rules, specifically regarding virtual leaks, cleanliness, outgassing, and

thermal management in vacuum

o Precision Mechatronics: Experience with mechanical design, motorized

stages, piezo actuators, and μm-level alignment in constrained environments.

o Industry Standard Processes: Understanding the workflows required to

move from a functional prototype to a reliable product through fast iteration

cycles.

o Thermal management: Experience with heating and cooling systems in

vacuum environments and the ability to simulate thermal flow.

• Preferred Qualifications:

o Coding experience: Experience setting up simple test benches (e.g., Python,

LabVIEW) and sensors for immediate hardware validation.

o Project leadership: Having worked as a technical project lead or product

owner in the scrum framework, where you needed to deliver into a system

environment

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.