Principal Electrical Engineer - RF

Helion; Everett (WA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, and Vision plans

31 Days of PTO (21 vacation days and

10 Paid holidays, plus company-wide冬休み

Job summary

Helion, based in Everett, WA, seeks a Principal Electrical Engineer to lead RF and plasma diagnostics design and operation for fusion generators. This onsite role reports to the Director of Plasma and Nuclear Science and requires extensive hands-on experience with high‑voltage systems and instrumentation.

You will mentor engineers, drive cross‑functional projects, and align diagnostic capabilities with experimental needs to advance Helion's fusion research and device development.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. preferred with significant hands-on experimental experience.
• Extensive background in RF systems and high-voltage measurement hardware.
• Ability to lead cross-disciplinary technical efforts and mentor others.
• Strong collaboration and communication skills for multi-team work.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end design, deployment, calibration, and operation of RF and plasma systems.
• Design, test, and troubleshoot high-voltage electrical systems for pulsed operation.
• Develop and integrate measurement hardware into diagnostic platforms.
• Collaborate with physicists, engineers, controls, and data scientists.
• Own assembly, installation, and commissioning across test campaigns.
• Analyze real-time and post-shot data to drive improvements.
• Guide scalable experimental workflows and instrumentation architecture.
• Provide technical leadership in strategic planning and roadmaps.
• Mentor junior scientists and engineers with strong engineering practices.

Skills

RF system design

High-voltage measurement

Cross-disciplinary leadership

Diagnostics instrumentation

Mentorship and guidance

Education

Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Physics, or Plasma Science (preferred)

Tools

RF test equipment

Diagnostic probes and coils

High-speed digitizers

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:

As a Principal Electrical Engineer at Helion, you will be at the forefront of designing, implementing, and operating advanced RF circuits and diagnostics systems for Helion’s fusion generators. You will integrate plasma science with high-power electrical engineering to deliver reliable, scalable, and high‑fidelity plasma and energy system measurements that directly inform performance optimization, generator commissioning, and future device development. You will work across physics, controls, machine operations, and engineering disciplines to ensure instrumentation, diagnostics, and electrical subsystems meet stringent experimental and operational requirements. This is an onsite role that reports directly to our Director of Plasma and Nuclear Science at our Everett, WA office.

You Will:

• Lead the end-to-end design, deployment, calibration, and operation of RF and plasma systems, ensuring robust instrumentation that meets experimental and operational performance needs.

• Design, test, and troubleshoot high‑voltage electrical systems including power delivery to pulsed magnets, energy recovery circuits, and internal power networks used during pulsed generator operation.

• Develop and integrate electrical measurement hardware (e.g., probes, magnetic coils, high‑speed digitizers, sensor networks) into diagnostic platforms that capture key plasma and power system behaviors.

• Collaborate with plasma physicists, electrical engineers, controls engineers, and data scientists to align diagnostic capabilities with live experimental needs and long‑term scientific and engineering milestones.

• Own the assembly, installation, and commissioning of diagnostic and electrical subsystems across multiple test campaigns, ensuring high data fidelity and compliance with safety and operational standards.

• Analyze real‑time and post‑shot electrical and diagnostic data to extract actionable insights, driving performance improvement and design iteration for both hardware and diagnostics.

• Guide the development of high‑throughput experimental workflows, instrumentation architecture, and internal methodologies that scale with generator performance and facility growth.

• Provide technical leadership in strategic planning and cross‑functional roadmap discussions that shape the future of Helion’s fusion experimentation and electrical systems architecture.

• Mentor junior scientists and engineers, driving excellent engineering practices, documentation standards, and experimental rigor.

Required Skills:

• Advanced degree (Ph.D. preferred) in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Plasma Science, or a closely related discipline with significant hands‑on experimental experience.

• 10+ years of advanced laboratory and experimental engineering experience, including design and deployment of RF systems and high‑voltage measurement hardware in plasma, fusion, or comparable environments.

• Deep experience in high‑voltage electrical systems, including design, test, troubleshooting, and commissioning of pulsed systems and power electronics.

• Demonstrated subject matter expertise with the ability to operate independently, lead cross‑disciplinary technical efforts, and provide technical mentorship.

• Strong collaboration, communication, and leadership capability to drive work with engineers, scientists, and technical teams.

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.