R&D Engineer - Fusion Generator Operations
External
Helion · Everett, WAPrepare for this interview
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Responsibilities
- You Will:
- Operate and support the day-to-day execution of Field-Reversed Configuration (FRC) fusion experiments, ensuring safe and repeatable machine performance
- Control and monitor pulsed power systems, including mega-joule capacitor banks and high-energy infrastructure, with a focus on operational reliability and readiness
- Own system readiness for experiments, including pre-shot setup, system checks, troubleshooting, and analysis
- Identify, diagnose, and resolve issues in high-energy and large-scale vacuum systems to minimize downtime and improve operational efficiency
- Apply plasma physics concepts to support experiment execution and interpret diagnostics for magnetic fields, fusion products, and plasma characteristics
- Drive continuous improvement of machine operations, including refining procedures, improving system robustness, and reducing variability in experimental results
- Collaborate cross-functionally with engineering, science, and production teams to improve system performance and operational throughput
- Required Skills:
- B.S. with 4+ years of relevant experience, or M.S. with 2+ years of relevant experience in Aerospace, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, or a related field
- Extensive hands-on experience operating, maintaining, or improving high-vacuum chamber systems or high-voltage capacitor systems
- Experience owning system uptime, reliability, and performance, including troubleshooting and root cause analysis
- Proven experience executing complex experiments or operations with a focus on repeatability, safety, and continuous improvement
- Demonstrated ability to rapidly learn new technologies and take ownership of operational systems
- Strong problem-solving skills and ability to respond effectively to real-time issues with minimal supervision
- Proven ability to collaborate effectively within a team and contribute to a high-performance operational environment
- Experience mentoring or training others in system operation is a plus
- #LI-Onsite #LI-TM1
Benefits
Additional Information
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 $1 billion from long-time investors such as Sam Altman, Mithril, and Capricorn Investment Group as well as new investors SoftBank and Lightspeed 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). We are now operating Polaris, our next prototype on the path to the world's first fusion power plant. This is a pivotal time to join Helion. You will tackle real-world challenges with a team that prizes urgency, rigor, ownership, and a commitment to delivering hard truths - values essential to achieving what no one has before. Together, we will change the future of energy, because the world can't wait.
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