Principal Power Electronics Packaging Engineer

Helion; Everett (WA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, and Vision plans

31 Days of PTO

401(k) match

Short and Long term disability insurance

Paid parental leave

Job summary

Helion in Everett, WA seeks a skilled engineer to design next-generation thermal management and packaging for high-current switching components in fusion power systems. The successful candidate will lead development efforts, collaborating closely with internal teams and industry partners to push performance boundaries.

We value innovative thinkers who can translate research into tangible hardware. Joining Helion means tackling real-world energy challenges to enable a cleaner, sustainable future.

Qualifications

• Hands-on experience with power electronics packaging for high-current or high-voltage applications.
• Strong thermal engineering fundamentals; comfortable with modeling and bench validation.
• Experience with SCRs, diodes, or similar power semiconductors in demanding environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of next-generation thermal management and packaging architectures for high-current switching components.
• Work across packaging geometry, materials selection, and cooling system design.
• Collaborate with internal teams and industry partners to accelerate development of packaging solutions.
• Build test setups to validate thermal and electrical performance.

Skills

Power electronics packaging

Thermal engineering fundamentals

SCRs and diodes experience

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 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:

The switching systems in a commercial fusion generator will need to handle extreme pulsed currents in mass‑manufacturable package. We are looking for someone to design what the next generation of packaging looks like, working ahead of where technology currently is and defining what it needs to become.

You Will

• Lead development of next‑generation thermal management and packaging architectures for high‑current switching components
• Work across packaging geometry, materials selection, and cooling system design to push the performance ceiling of pulsed power switch assemblies
• Collaborate with internal teams and industry partners to accelerate development of packaging solutions
• Build test setups to validate thermal and electrical performance under realistic pulsed conditions and use that data to drive iteration

Required Skills

• Hands‑on experience with power electronics packaging for high‑current or high‑voltage applications
• Strong thermal engineering fundamentals; comfortable with modeling and bench validation
• Experience with SCRs, diodes, or similar power semiconductors in demanding environments
• Proven experience translating research into tangible hardware and products

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.