IFE Program Director

Responsibilities:

• Oversee and accountable for the design, planning, and execution strategy of a large-scale, billion-dollar class program, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives.
• Provide day-to-day leadership to matrixed engineering, science and operations teams, maintaining technical integrity and quality standards.
• Lead IFE system architecture, from early-stage concept development through engineering design, technology maturation, construction readiness, commissioning, and operational demonstration.
• Manage project budgets, resource allocation, and schedules, implementing proactive risk mitigation and reporting on performance metrics.
• Collaborate with senior leadership and stakeholders, communicating program status, risks, critical path activities, key dependencies, and opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Lead resolution of cross-disciplinary technical issues and trade-offs involving performance, cost, reliability, maintainability, safety, and schedule.
• Ensure that design assumptions, technology development activities, and engineering analyses are consistent across the program.
• Work with element leads and technical authorities to establish appropriate design maturity, validation requirements, and evidence-based readiness assessments.
• Establish effective program governance, reporting, configuration management, change control, and decision-making processes.
• Ensure that near-term technical and engineering decisions support the long-term commercial deployment strategy.

Qualifications:

• Education: MS in physics, mechanical engineering, nuclear engineering or related technical field.
• Experience: 15+ years leading large, complex programs (billion-dollar scale preferred) within an engineering-intensive environment (semiconductor, laser, nuclear, space and defense, etc.).
• Proven track record of guiding large-scale technical teams through all phases of technical program delivery.
• Demonstrated success translating technical objectives into integrated program plans with measurable milestones, budgets, schedules, and accountable owners.
• Experience coordinating multiple technical disciplines and managing complex system interfaces and dependencies.
• Strong understanding of systems engineering, technology maturation, technical risk management, and engineering design reviews.
• Experience managing program budgets, resource allocation, external contracts, and executive-level reporting.
• Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence at all levels of the organization.
• 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:

Additional information

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.