Project Manager - Laser-Driven Radiation Source

About the role

You will own the end-to-end planning and execution of the first laser-driven radiation source prototype, translating complex technical concepts into a coherent, trackable project plan. You will act as the central integration point, ensuring that subsystem teams coordinate seamlessly and that decisions are documented for traceability. This role requires you to drive recovery actions when timelines slip and to maintain clear visibility into progress, blockers, and next steps for all stakeholders. You will establish and maintain strict control over requirements, interfaces, and changes to keep the system aligned with the technical roadmap. Your work will ensure that the prototype reaches a research-operable state with defined safety, readiness, and documentation standards. You will continuously improve delivery efficiency in collaboration with the Project Management Office while safeguarding quality and safety. This position is ideal for someone who thrives on turning intricate hardware development into structured, executable plans that enable on-time delivery.

Key facts

What you'll do

Orchestrate the integrated project plan by managing master schedules, subsystem dependencies, and critical path tracking while driving recovery plans for missed milestones.

Establish and lead project governance cadence, running core meetings, maintaining decision logs, and ensuring crisp status reporting that highlights progress, blockers, and next steps.

Align subsystem plans and milestones to the central technical roadmap, surfacing deviations early and driving timely resolution to maintain program direction.

Own requirements and interface management by tracking system-level requirements, ensuring consistent implementation, and enforcing change control across all subsystems.

Implement decision traceability practices that enable the team to efficiently document progress and link decisions to their rationale and outcomes.

Maintain a single, actionable risk register with clear mitigation ownership, regular review cadence, and defined escalation paths, steering risk reduction efforts to meet project goals.

Coordinate budget and procurement activities by tracking forecasts, changes, and long-lead items in collaboration with engineering and system owners.

Plan and guide verification and readiness activities, including design reviews, integration readiness, and commissioning readiness, ensuring evidence, test plans, and acceptance criteria are captured.

Champion safety and operational readiness by implementing hazard reviews, procedures, training, and operational envelopes so the system is safe for research use.

Drive continuous improvement of delivery flow and documentation efficiency with the Project Management Office to reduce redundancy and increase execution speed without compromising safety or quality.

Requirements

Bring a minimum of 7 years of project or program management experience in complex R&D environments, with preference for hardware-heavy systems such as laser facilities, accelerators, aerospace, semiconductor tools, scientific infrastructure, robotics, or similar fields.

Possess a technical background that enables you to understand how system components interact and to grasp the technical problems the team faces, supported by at least 3 years of hands-on technical execution alongside your management experience.

Demonstrate strong planning discipline with the ability to build and maintain integrated plans that include milestones, work packages, dependencies, and critical path management while keeping multiple teams aligned.

Show proven experience running risk registers, issue management, and practical change control in dynamic R&D settings where requirements and constraints evolve.

Communicate clearly and concisely, leading meetings, writing crisp status updates, and driving action closure with senior stakeholders across disciplines.

Operate with operational rigor, supporting readiness and commissioning planning and ensuring that documentation and evidence are produced at a level that enables repeatable and safe operation.

Have the ability to work within a regulated, safety-conscious environment where research-operable standards must be met for lasers, radiation sources, vacuum, and high-voltage systems.

Commit to following defined processes for verification, validation, and documentation integrity as part of a cross-functional team responsible for prototype delivery.

Nice to have

Gain experience managing first-of-a-kind builds, prototypes, or pilot facilities that require innovative approaches and iterative learning.

Bring familiarity with review gates such as PDR, CDR, TRR or equivalent verification and stage-gate planning practices.

Have exposure to safety-critical environments including high voltage, radiation-adjacent facilities, vacuum and laser labs, and interlock systems.

Possess experience working with cross-site teams and external suppliers to coordinate schedules, interfaces, and deliverables.

Practical notes

This is a full-time position based in Darmstadt, Germany, with role-dependent flexibility in working models and modern equipment provided by the company.

Engage in mission-driven work at the intersection of physics, engineering, and real-world impact, developing a laser-driven radiation source for non-destructive testing and advanced inspection.

Exercise high ownership and visibility within a fast-moving, cross-disciplinary team that values initiative and clear execution.

Access competitive compensation and participation in the company's success, with equity or ownership opportunities that may vary by role and location.

Thrive in a collaborative, international environment rich with learning and growth opportunities designed to accelerate your career.

Benefit from a flexible working model and modern equipment and benefits that support focus, efficiency, and well-being.

What We Offer

Innovative Technology & Mission: You will contribute to a technology stack at the intersection of laser physics, high-energy particle interactions, and advanced manufacturing inspection, enabling compact sources for MeV X-rays and fast neutrons.

Integrated Prototype Delivery: You will guide the delivery of a research-operable prototype that combines multiple subsystem teams, ensuring interfaces, verification, and safety are rigorously managed from concept to commissioning.

Cross-Functional Collaboration: You will work closely with system engineers, hardware engineers, laser specialists, safety officers, and verification experts to align plans, resolve issues, and drive decisions.

Visibility and Impact: You will have direct visibility into program health, schedule integrity, and technical decisions, allowing you to influence outcomes across the project lifecycle.

Ownership and Accountability: You will own the project plan, risk register, requirements traceability, and readiness processes, ensuring that the prototype is developed with clear accountability and controlled changes.

Continuous Improvement: You will partner with the Project Management Office to refine delivery processes, remove bottlenecks, and improve documentation efficiency without compromising safety or quality.

Safety and Compliance Focus: You will ensure that safety reviews, hazard analyses, and operational envelopes are implemented so that the system is suitable for research use in a controlled environment.

Professional Growth: You will have opportunities to develop leadership, program management, and systems engineering skills while working with cutting-edge laser-driven technology in a high-impact setting.

Team Collaboration: You will join a team that values transparency, timely decisions, and clear communication, working across disciplines to solve challenging integration problems.

Long-Term Contribution: You will help establish the foundation for future laser-driven radiation source products, supporting the evolution from prototype to potential future commercial systems.

If you are motivated by complex technical programs, have a strong background in project management for hardware R&D, and are excited by the prospect of delivering a pioneering laser-driven radiation source, we invite you to apply through our portal with a detailed resume and relevant project examples.

Focus on demonstrating your experience with integrated planning, risk and change control, requirements traceability, and readiness activities in demanding development environments.

We look forward to reviewing your application and exploring how your skills and experience align with the needs of this critical project role.