Senior Materials Engineer — Fusion Diagnostics & SHM

Helion; Everett (WA); On-site; USD 164,000 - 236,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision

PTO 31 days (21 vacation, 10 sick)

401(k) match up to 5%

Parental leave

Wellness stipend

Job summary

Helion, based in Everett, WA, is developing the world’s first fusion power plant. We are seeking a Senior Materials Engineer to lead health monitoring of fusion generators.

You will design, qualify, and deploy diagnostics to detect materials degradation under thermomechanical stress, radiation, and high electric fields, translating failure modes into actionable signals. You will work cross-functionally with Materials, Research, and Engineering teams, report to the Lead Materials Scientist, and

Qualifications

• BS with 10+ years, or MS/PhD with 5+ years in Materials Science, Materials Engineering, Applied Physics, Nuclear Engineering, or related field.
• 5+ years (with PhD or MS) or 10+ years (with BS) of experience in at least one of: materials diagnostics / NDE / SHM, data analysis (Python).
• Experience designing and executing coupled-stimuli experiments.
• Experience embedding or integrating sensors into structural materials.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of materials health monitoring for fusion generators.
• Design and deploy in-situ and ex-situ diagnostics to detect degradation under multiple stimuli.
• Collaborate with Materials, Research, and Engineering teams to translate failure modes into measurable signals.
• Own the diagnostics roadmap and align with hardware constraints.
• Productize diagnostic methods for deployment in fusion environments.
• Document plans, procedures, and design guidance; report results and risks.

Skills

Materials diagnostics

NDE/SHM

Python data analysis

Thermomechanical stress

Radiation effects

Education

BS in Materials Science or related field

MS/PhD in related field

Tools

PIE (post-irradiation examination)

Diagnostics instrumentation

Job description

Helion, based in Everett, WA, is developing the world’s first fusion power plant. We are seeking a Senior Materials Engineer to lead health monitoring of fusion generators.

You will design, qualify, and deploy diagnostics to detect materials degradation under thermomechanical stress, radiation, and high electric fields, translating failure modes into actionable signals. You will work cross-functionally with Materials, Research, and Engineering teams, report to the Lead Materials Scientist, and