Senior Manager, Materials Science

Fusion Energy Base; Everett (WA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision plans

31 days of PTO

10 paid holidays

Up to 5% employer 401(k) match

Paid parental leave

Job summary

Fusion Energy Base in Everett, WA, is looking for a leader for its Materials Interactions and Diagnostics team. This role requires overseeing the development of materials for extreme environments and managing R&D projects.

Candidates should have over 10 years of materials-related experience and hold a Master's or PhD. The position offers comprehensive benefits including medical plans, generous PTO, and 401(k) matching.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of materials-related industry experience and 3+ years of management experience.
• Proven experience leading R&D organizations delivering complex technologies.
• Ability to operate with high autonomy in ambiguous environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead Helion’s Materials Interactions and Diagnostics team.
• Oversee delivery of key R&D tools and guide subject-matter experts.
• Set strategic vision for Materials Interactions and Diagnostics.

Skills

Materials-related industry experience

Management experience

Deep expertise in materials characterization

Experience with multiphysics modeling

Expertise in NDT and in-situ diagnostics

Education

Master’s or PhD in Materials Science, Engineering, or related fields

Tools

Matlab

COMSOL

Python

Job description

About Helion

Helion is a fusion power company based in Everett, WA whose mission is to build the world’s first fusion power plant, enabling a future with unlimited clean electricity.

Since its founding in 2013, Helion has raised $1.5billion from investors such as Sam Altman, Mithril, Capricorn Investment Group, Thrive Capital, LightSpeed Venture Capital, SoftBank, and others, and has achieved record‑breaking plasma temperatures of 150million degrees Celsius (13keV) with its prototype Polaris. The company is moving toward 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.

What You Will Be Doing

• Lead Helion’s Materials Interactions and Diagnostics team, focusing on developing and deploying critical capabilities that enable the design, testing, and monitoring of materials for extreme environments.
• Oversee delivery of key R&D tools and guide subject‑matter experts to meet Helion’s materials innovation goals.
• Set the strategic vision for Materials Interactions and Diagnostics, establishing long‑term technical roadmaps covering characterization, modeling, monitoring, and lifetime prediction in fusion‑relevant environments.
• Drive the development and deployment of new lab infrastructure, advance materials monitoring technologies, and develop predictive models and simulations to extend material performance and reliability.
• Own end‑to‑end delivery of infrastructure and platforms, including advanced materials characterization systems, in‑situ monitoring technologies, and integrated modeling frameworks.
• Build and manage collaborative relationships, internally and externally, to develop new materials that can survive a fusion environment.
• Translate annual goals into objective tasks and manage month‑to‑month planning to complete goals and objectives.
• Drive schedule ownership to accelerate milestone completion.

Required Skills

• 10+ years of materials‑related industry experience and 3+ years of management experience.
• Master’s or PhD in Materials Science, Materials Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or related fields.
• Proven experience leading R&D organizations delivering complex, high‑impact technologies in demanding environments.
• Deep expertise in materials characterization, degradation mechanisms, and lifetime prediction, including high temperature and stress‑driven phenomena.
• Experience with multiphysics modeling (e.g., Matlab, COMSOL, Python) and integration into decision‑making frameworks.
• Expertise in NDT and in‑situ diagnostics, with a track record of advancing monitoring capabilities for critical systems.
• Demonstrated success in hiring, mentoring, and developing managers and senior technical talent.
• Ability to operate with high autonomy in ambiguous, fast‑paced environments, balancing rapid execution with long‑term strategic thinking.

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 values 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.