Manager, Generator Operations

Helion Energy; Everett (WA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

PTO 31 days

Holidays 10

401(k) match 5%

Disability & life insurance

Parental leave

Wellness stipend

Job summary

Helion Energy in Everett, WA seeks a leader to grow a team of engineers and scientists advancing fusion technology. You will own experiments, control room operations, and diagnostics for plasma devices, mentoring staff and shaping project delivery in a fast-paced environment.

Strong emphasis on first-principles problem solving, cross-discipline collaboration, and hands-on testing of high-energy systems in onsite facilities.

Qualifications

• B.S. with 8+ years in engineering or M.S. with 4+ years in related field.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams with full project ownership.
• Mentor engineers and influence career progression.
• Experience designing, building, operating complex tests focusing on diagnostics.
• Hands-on across multiple engineering disciplines.
• Ability to apply first-principles thinking to complex problems.
• Demonstrated ability to rapidly learn new technologies and own project areas.

Responsibilities

• Grow and mentor a team of engineers and scientists.
• Drive schedule ownership and cross-team optimization.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Science, and Production to derive system requirements.
• Lead the team that operates fusion devices in the Control Room.
• Design and execute plasma and high-energy experiments.
• Educate and guide work on large vacuum systems (>1 m diameter).
• Apply expertise from plasma physics, diagnostics, and systems engineering.
• Mentor Operators to improve technical solutions.

Skills

Leadership

Mentoring

Multidisciplinary teams

Diagnostics design

First-principles thinking

Plasma physics

Systems engineering

Vacuum systems

Project ownership

Education

B.S. in Aerospace/Physics/Mechanical/Nuclear Engineering

M.S. in related field

Tools

Instrumentation & Diagnostics

Control room operations

Laboratory/test equipment

Job description

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 $1.5 billion from long-time investors such as Sam Altman, Mithril, and Capricorn Investment Group as well as new investors including Thrive Capital, LightSpeed Venture Capital, SoftBank, and others to propel us forward. Our current prototype, Polaris, has reached record-breaking plasma temperatures of 150 million degrees Celsius (13 keV). Helion is continuing to iterate and on the path to the world's first fusion power plant, Orion.

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.

What You Will Be Doing:

You will lead the development of engineers and scientists that will bring the most powerful, controlled pulsed-fusion device ever constructed online, to generate electrical power. As a leader within the Science, Research, and Development team, you will grow and lead a high-performance operating team in the research and development of fusion technology and experiments, control high-energy systems, and design diagnostics for advanced plasma devices. You will report to the Senior Manager of Generator Operations, and this is an onsite role located at our Everett, WA office.

You Will:

• Grow and mentor a team of multidisciplinary engineers and scientists
• Drive schedule ownership and optimization across the team to accelerate milestone achievement
• Collaborate with Engineering, Science, and Production teams to derive system requirements and meet program goals
• Lead the team that owns the Control Room and operates our fusion devices.
• Lead engineers and scientists in the design and execution of plasma and high-energy experiments
• Educate and facilitate work performed by the team on large-scale vacuum systems greater than one meter in diameter
• Apply expertise from some of the following fields to support your team’s operation of our plasma machines: plasma physics, integrated testing, or systems engineering.
• Mentoring Operators in using critical reasoning to evaluate and improve technical solutions

Required Skills:

• B.S. with 8+ years of engineering experience, or M.S. with 4+ years of relevant experience in Aerospace, Nuclear Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, or a related field
• 1+ years in a technical leadership or management role
• Proven ability to mentor engineers and positively impact their career progression
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams with full project ownership
• Proven experience designing, building, and operating complex tests with a focus on diagnostics and continuous improvement
• Hands-on experience across multiple engineering disciplines
• Ability to apply first-principles thinking to solve complex technical problems
• Demonstrated ability to rapidly learn new technologies and take ownership of project areas

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, and Vision plans for employees and their families
• 31 Days of PTO (21 vacation days and 10 sick days)
• 10 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

Helion is an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. If you need assistance or an accommodation during the interview process, please let us know.