Senior R&D Engineer

About Helion

We are a fusion power company based in Everett, WA, with the mission to build the world's first fusion power plant, enabling a future with unlimited clean electricity. Our vision is a world with clean, reliable, and affordable energy for everyone.

Since Helion's founding in 2013, we have raised over $600 million from investors such as Sam Altman, Mithril, and Capricorn Investment Group to propel us forward. Our last prototype, Trenta, completed 10,000 high-power pulses and reached plasma temperatures of 100 million degrees Celsius (9 keV).

Now we are working toward Polaris, which will be the first machine to demonstrate electricity from fusion, making this a great time to join Helion! Bring your skills, experiences, and determination to make a difference in the world. Together, we can make a future with unlimited clean electricity from fusion a reality.

What You Will Be Doing:

We are looking for a Senior R&D Engineer to help bring the most powerful, controlled pulsed-fusion device ever constructed online with the goal of generating electrical power. We know this hasn't been done before, so we are looking for individuals who have translatable experience that can help us accomplish our goals. As an engineer on the Test Ops team, you will report to our Fusion Test Lead at our Everett, WA office.

You Will:

• Contribute to the development of technology and knowledge of how to optimally design, build, and measure FRC fusion devices
• Control pulsed power, high-energy systems, including mega-joule capacitor systems
• Design and build or support design and build of plasma and high-energy experiments and tests
• Work with large scale vacuum systems, including vacuum cycling quartz vacuum chambers that are 1 meters in diameter, and handle modifications
• Understand plasma physics, including how to create FRC's and how to design, build, and interpret magnetic, fusion product, and plasma diagnostics
• Control Fusion generators using LabView-based control systems and PXIe-NI chassis-based systems, and solve data collection problems in a fast-pulse EMI environment
• Use critical reasoning to identify strengths and weaknesses of different technical solutions
• Work collaboratively with members of other teams to develop technical solutions
  
  

Key Qualifications and Skills:

• Ph.D. in aerospace, electrical, or mechanical engineering, physics, or a related field, with 2 years of relevant experience.
• Extensive experience in leading the design, building, modification, and optimization of high vacuum chamber systems or high-voltage pulse power systems.
• Proven track record in designing, building, and managing complex experiments, consistently meeting and exceeding project timelines.
• In-depth experience with building, testing, and operating advanced plasma systems, including but not limited to fusion plasmas or electric propulsion.
• Significant experience with large-scale experiments or testing on devices such as pinch devices, accelerators, stellarators, tokamaks, power plants, or rocket launches.
• Demonstrated capability to quickly master and take full ownership of new systems and technologies spanning multiple fields.
• Strong problem-solving skills, with a history of defining and achieving challenging objectives with minimal supervision.
• Excellent collaborative and communication skills, with a proven ability to work effectively as a team leader and mentor.
  
  

The pay range for this position is $115k-175k. This pay range may be inclusive of several career levels and will be narrowed based on several factors, including the candidate's experience and qualifications.

Benefits And Compensation

Our total compensation package includes generous equity and benefits, including but not limited to:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision plans for employees and their families
• 31 Days of PTO (21 vacation days and 10 sick days)
• 13 Paid holidays, plus company-wide winter break
• Up to 5% employer 401(k) match
• Short term disability, long term disability, and life insurance
• Paid parental leave and support (up to 16 weeks)
• Annual wellness stipend
  
  

NOTE: Underrepresented people are less likely to apply unless they meet 100% of the job's requirements. We believe in hiring people, not checklists, and encourage you to apply even if you do not check all of the boxes. If this job isn't the one, we have many other openings that may be a fit.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information. If we reach out to you to begin an interview process, we will also ask if you require any reasonable accommodation at that time.