---
title: 'Technical Lead, Laser Amplification (f/m/d) at Focused'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/technical-lead-laser-amplification-f-m-d-focused-darmstadt-fqxr1tje8n9j'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-12'
---

# Technical Lead, Laser Amplification (f/m/d) at Focused

- **Company:** Focused
- **Location:** Darmstadt, DE
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Posted:** 2026-09-10
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-12
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/focused/959239f3-a1a4-4920-aece-fc312feb5578

## Job description

## About Focused Energy

Focused Energy is an international deep-tech company based in Germany and the US, working to commercialize laser-driven nuclear fusion. Our mission is to provide clean, safe, and virtually unlimited energy to the world. We are rapidly scaling and looking for talented individuals who thrive in building clarity and structure within fast-growing environments.

## Your Role

As Technical Lead, Laser Amplification, you will own the end-to-end technical delivery of the laser amplification subsystem. The amplification chain is the primary energy-scaling element of the laser system, so this role is central to translating ICF system requirements into an integrated, high-performing function. You will define the subsystem architecture, establish the technical roadmap, lead design and test activities, manage interfaces and risks, and develop the team and capabilities needed to take the amplification chain from concept through hardware delivery and integration.

## What you’ll do

- Define and own the technical architecture for Main Amplifier systems from concept through design freeze, including topology, gain media, pump geometry, thermal management, ASE control, and interface specifications.
- Ensure that the amplification architecture and development activities remain traceable to ICF system-level laser requirements.
- Build and maintain the technical roadmap for Light Amplification, aligning development sequence, capability gaps, technology maturity, and program milestones.
- Lead the design, build, characterization, and integration of the amplification chain.
- Deliver subsystem performance to agreed specifications for energy, gain, beam quality, pulse contrast, and reliability.
- Own the technical risk register, define mitigations and owners, and escalate risks early—before they become schedule or performance issues.
- Define maturity gates for key amplification subsystems and technologies, and drive focused development activities to close demonstration gaps.
- Own technical interfaces with adjacent functions, including Light Generation, Light Conditioning, Beam Transport, and Focusing.
- Represent Light Amplification in system-level design reviews and communicate decisions, progress, dependencies, and risks clearly to technical and leadership audiences.
- Build and develop the Amplification team by hiring engineers and scientists, setting clear expectations, providing feedback, and growing technical and leadership capability.

## Who You Are

- A PhD or equivalent experience in laser physics, photonics, or a closely related field.
- Demonstrated experience leading a technical team by setting direction, developing people, and maintaining effective communication across organizational boundaries.
- Hands-on experience with high-energy or high-power laser amplification systems, including solid-state, fiber, or diode-pumped architectures.
- Strong understanding of gain media physics, thermal effects, wavefront distortion, ASE, pulse contrast, and beam quality in amplifier chains.
- Experience taking a laser subsystem from concept through hardware delivery, characterization, and integration.
- The ability to own a technical scope, make decisions under uncertainty, and communicate clearly with both technical and leadership audiences.
- Experience working in a matrix organization with shared resources and cross-functional dependencies.
- A structured approach to requirements definition, traceability, risk management, root-cause analysis, and technical decision-making.

## Nice to have

- Experience in an ICF, high-power laser facility, or defense laser program.
- Familiarity with amplification architectures.
- Experience with diode-pumped solid-state amplifiers at the joule scale or more.
- Experience with coaching, mentoring, performance management, hiring, onboarding, and team building.
- Experience applying systems engineering and design-for-cost or design-for-manufacturing methods in a complex hardware program.

Why work with Us?

- Innovative Technology & Mission: Be part of a cutting-edge company working on groundbreaking research in clean energy and scientific discovery.
- Career Development: We invest in our people. This is an opportunity to join an early, growing company at the forefront of new technology, where you’ll have the opportunity to develop and grow your career.
- Collaborative Culture: Work with great people in a dynamic, international environment with top-tier scientists, engineers, and professionals passionate about solving global challenges.
- Ownership: Take ownership from day 1 and drive impact by making decisions, solving challenges, and shaping the future of our company.
- Your Success is our Success: We offer a competitive salary and company ownership in the form of stock options, giving you a direct stake in our success and ownership in what we build together.
- Vacation Days: We support your work-life balance by granting you 30 days of vacation per year.
- Flexibility: Work should fit around your life, not the other way around. We offer the ability to work from our office, but some flexibility to work from home as well.
- Snacks and Drinks: Our office fridges are never empty. Enjoy our healthy snacks and drinks. Our Darmstadt office even offers a canteen with delicious lunch options daily.
- Retirement Plan: If you decide on a private pension plan, we will finance 20% on top of your monthly contributions, plus loyalty incentives.
- Events: We organize regular events to foster team bonding, encourage collaboration, and build a strong, supportive company culture. Connect with colleagues across departments, share ideas, and have fun together, both in and outside of the workplace.

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.

## About Focused

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Focused Energy is a laser-driven fusion company working to commercialize clean, limitless fusion power using technology proven at the National Ignition Facility (NIF).
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series A / Grant-funded)
- **Headquarters**: Darmstadt, Germany (global HQ) with major offices in San Francisco, CA, USA and Austin, TX, USA
- **Founded**: 2021
- **Founders**: Thomas Forner (CEO) and Prof. Dr. Markus Roth (CSO)

## Core Business
- Primary industry: Energy – nuclear fusion power generation
- Target customers: Utility companies, grid operators, governments
- Mission: To unleash the next chapter of economic growth and scientific innovation through the widespread adoption of clean, abundant fusion power.

## Products & Services
- **Laser-Driven Fusion Power Plant**: A commercial-scale fusion reactor designed to produce clean, limitless electricity. Currently in development with construction underway for an Integrated Test Facility and a Fusion Pilot Plant on a multi-stage Fusion Campus in Biblis, Germany.
- **Targetry & Laser Systems**: Proprietary fuel targets and high-power laser subsystems developed at the Darmstadt Targetry & Laser Laboratory (FELD) and the Austin Target Tracking & Engagement Facility.
- **R&D Collaborations**: Partnerships with U.S. national laboratories (LLNL, LLE) through the DOE INFUSE program, and with commercial partners such as Amplitude, ZEISS, and Fusioneering.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation**: Not disclosed
- **Key Metric**: Total funding of **$126.3M** (as of mid-2026), including a $50M grant from SPRIND, a $40M corporate round led by Amplitude Laser, an $11M Series A led by Prime Movers Lab, and ~$25M in additional grants from the U.S. DOE and German state governments.
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Prime Movers Lab (lead investor), Amplitude Laser, SPRIND (German Federal Agency for Disruptive Innovation), U.S. Department of Energy, State of Hesse, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, University of Rochester Laboratory for Laser Energetics.
- **Growth Signals**: Headcount grew 73.6% year-over-year to 84 employees (LinkedIn, mid-2026); selected as one of eight companies for the DOE’s milestone-based fusion development program; new U.S. facility opened in Austin (2026); Fusion Campus in Biblis under construction.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Proven Science**: Approach builds directly on the NIF ignition breakthrough (2021); key team members (including CSO Dr. Debbie Callahan) were co-leaders of the NIF ignition campaign.
- **Deep Public Support**: Among the largest single public investments in laser fusion globally (~€70M from German federal and state sources combined).
- **Full-Stack Approach**: Controls targetry, lasers, and reactor design in-house, enabling rapid iteration and integration.
- **World-Class Team**: Over 150 scientists and engineers with deep expertise from major fusion labs, laser companies, and commercial energy startups.

## Strategic Focus
- **Build Fusion Campus**: Construction of a multi-stage facility in Biblis, Germany, housing an Integrated Test Facility, a Fusion Pilot Plant, and a first-of-its-kind commercial fusion power plant.
- **Scale Technology**: Validate engineering for commercial energy production through integrated prototype testing.
- **Expand U.S. Footprint**: Leverage Austin facility for target tracking, engagement systems, and program execution with U.S. partners.

## Why Work Here
- **Mission-Driven**: Directly contribute to solving the world’s energy and climate challenges with a technology that has already achieved scientific ignition.
- **World-Class R&D**: Collaborate with leading scientists from NIF, TU Darmstadt, and U.S. national labs in state-of-the-art laser and targetry labs.
- **Hybrid Options**: Many roles offer hybrid work arrangements; offices in Darmstadt, San Francisco, and Austin.
- **Culture**: Described as “relentless and brilliant” – a startup environment focused on engineering a step-change for civilization.
- **Growth Trajectory**: Rapidly expanding team and facilities; opportunities to shape a nascent industry.

## Sources
1. [Focused Energy Company Page](https://www.focused-energy.co/company)
2. [Focused Energy Careers Page](https://www.focused-energy.co/careers)
3. [LinkedIn Company Profile](https://www.linkedin.com/company/focused-energy-inc)
4. [Built In Company Profile](https://builtin.com/company/focused-energy-focused-energyco)
5. [Ashby Job Board](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/focused)

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