Laser Engineer - Montreal
Job description
About the role
This role advances fusion energy through high-power laser development. The position operates in an early-stage environment with broad ownership. The work supports the TITAN pulsed power generator program.
Software engineers turn product ideas into working code. Engineers work in small teams, review each other's work, and ship in small batches. Most teams follow agile practices such as sprints and daily standups. Engineers also write tests, fix bugs, and improve performance. The field values clear communication as much as technical skill. Engineers spend part of every week on planning, code review, and debugging, not just writing new code. The ability to explain a technical decision in plain words separates strong engineers from the rest.
Key facts
What you'll do
Short-duration, high-energy laser pulses are designed and developed to support fusion energy research.
Laser cavity, mirrors, and amplifiers are tested and developed so that components survive high-energy pulses.
Optical, electrical, and mechanical engineering inputs are combined to integrate laser systems into larger pulsed power platforms.
New technologies and techniques are explored and evaluated to enhance high-energy laser system performance.
Manufacturing, installation, and operation activities are planned and overseen to support project execution.
Project schedules are maintained through cost analysis and timeline development to stay on schedule and within budget.
Requirements
A Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD degree in optics, optoelectronics, laser physics, electrical engineering, photonics, or a related field is mandatory.
Experience of 2 or more years in High Energy Laser design, analysis, and testing is required.
Experience of 2 or more years with laser amplification techniques is required.
Experience of 2 or more years with laser modeling and simulation software and other design and simulation tools is required.
Strong communication and problem-solving skills are required.
Willingness to travel to Montreal occasionally is required.
The ability to travel and work extended hours or weekends as needed is required.
Practical notes
Typical interview steps
Hiring for engineering roles usually starts with a recruiter screen, followed by one or two technical rounds. Candidates often solve a coding problem, discuss past projects, and answer system design questions. Some loops include a take-home task. Final rounds typically cover team fit and give candidates a chance to ask questions. Interviewers look for how you break down an unfamiliar problem, not just whether you reach the answer. Practicing a few problems aloud and reviewing your own past projects are the best preparation.
Good to know
High-power laser systems drive inertial confinement experiments in fusion energy research. Research and development continuously improve laser efficiency and reliability. Collaboration across optical, electrical, and mechanical domains is common in advanced laser projects.
Questions to ask
Useful questions for the interview: what a typical week looks like, how work is assigned, what tools the team uses, and how feedback works. Asking how the role has changed recently and what the team wishes it had known when joining is also reasonable. Questions about the manager's priorities are especially valued.
Career growth
Engineering careers usually progress from individual contributor to senior, staff, and principal levels. Some engineers move into management and lead teams of five to twenty people. Others stay on the technical track. Growth follows demonstrated impact, not tenure alone. A typical engineering ladder has clear levels with defined expectations for scope, quality, and mentorship. Moving up usually requires owning outcomes end to end rather than completing assigned tickets.
About the company
Fuse is on a mission to accelerate the world's transition to fusion energy. Our core product is TITAN: an Impedance Matched Marx Generator (IMG). TITAN is the most efficient and powerful (TW) machine of its kind.