Principal Plasma Data Scientist

Helion; Everett (WA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, and Vision plans

31 days PTO

10 paid holidays

Up to 5% employer 401(k) match

Paid parental leave (up to 16 weeks)

Annual wellness stipend

Job summary

A fusion power company based in Everett, WA is seeking a Plasma Data Scientist to develop and validate machine learning frameworks for FRC plasma dynamics. This role involves integrating ML models with existing simulations and collaborating with experts in various fields. The ideal candidate must have a PhD and over 10 years of experience in machine learning within research or industry settings. They will communicate findings effectively and contribute significantly to advancing fusion electricity development.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of industry or research‑lab experience applying machine learning in experimental or simulation environments.
• Experience integrating ML models with scientific-computing workflows.
• Familiarity with magnetic diffusion and plasma-dynamics modeling.

Responsibilities

• Develop and validate machine-learning frameworks for plasma dynamics.
• Integrate ML models with simulation tools and experimental diagnostics.
• Generate analysis scripts for data visualization.

Skills

Machine learning

Physics-grounded modeling

Data parsing

MATLAB

Python

Technical communication

Education

PhD in Physics, Engineering or related field

Tools

MATLAB

Python

Job description

About Helion

Helion is 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.

What You Will Be Doing

Helion is hiring a Plasma Data Scientist specializing in physics‑grounded machine learning to accelerate experimental FRC plasma modeling. This role will focus on developing and validating advanced ML frameworks—such as differentiable physics models, PINNs, surrogate modeling, or hybrid physics+ML systems—while integrating these tools with simulation and diagnostics pipelines. You will support cross‑disciplinary fusion research and contribute to high‑impact modeling that informs experimental design and interpretation. This onsite position reports to the Experimental Science Manager at our Everett, WA office and plays a key role in advancing fusion electricity development.

You Will

• Develop and validate machine‑learning frameworks for FRC plasma dynamics, leveraging physics‑grounded ML approaches (e.g., differentiable physics, PINNs, surrogate modeling, or hybrid physics+ML systems)
• Integrate ML models with existing simulation tools and experimental‑diagnostic pipelines to enable hybrid physics + data‑driven validation workflows
• Reproduce experimental plasma conditions within ML modeling workflows to support interpretation of magnetic diffusion, circuit response, and diagnostic measurements
• Generate analysis scripts for post‑processing, parsing model outputs, and visualizing correlations between ML‑based predictions and experimental results
• Collaborate with plasma‑physics, pulsed‑power, and transient‑magnetics experts to expand the fidelity and fusion‑relevance of ML‑enabled modeling frameworks
• Communicate results with rigor and clarity through reports, presentations, and technical visualizations for research stakeholders

Required Skills

• PhD in Physics, Engineering, Applied Math, Computational Science, Machine Learning, or related field with emphasis on physics‑grounded modeling
• 10+ years of industry or research‑lab experience applying machine learning in experimental, simulation‑driven, or scientific R&D environments
• Expertise with physics‑informed or physics‑constrained ML methods, such as differentiable physics, PINNs, scientific ML, surrogate modeling, or reduced‑order models for complex physical systems
• Experience integrating ML models with scientific‑computing workflows, simulation tools, or experimental diagnostics
• Proficiency scripting for data parsing, model analysis, and visualization (MATLAB, Python, or similar; Fortran or HPC exposure valuable)
• Familiarity with magnetic diffusion, circuit coupling, or plasma‑dynamics modeling in pulsed‑power or electromagnetics systems

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.