Senior Supplier Development Engineer, Mechanical

U.S. Fusion Energy; Energy (IL); On-site; USD 182,000 - 214,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, and Vision plans

31 Days PTO (vacation & sick days)

Up to 5% 401(k) match

Disability & life insurance

Parental leave

Wellness stipend

Job summary

Helion in Everett, WA, is hiring a Senior Supplier Development Engineer to drive supplier quality and manufacturing readiness for fusion generator parts. On-site role focused on optimizing supplier processes and ramping to mass production.

The position requires hands-on collaboration with design, procurement, and production teams to ensure quality and timeline adherence across the supply chain.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of engineering, manufacturing, or supply chain experience
• Bachelor's degree or higher in an engineering discipline
• Experience managing external suppliers
• Knowledge of supplier quality processes (PPAP, APQP, FAI)
• Knowledge of statistical techniques (DOE, Six Sigma)
• Experience with ISO 9000 / TS quality systems
• Able to travel up to 50% of the time

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with design engineers to gain an in-depth knowledge of part design intent
• Assess suppliers' manufacturing processes and quality systems to source parts, in partnership with procurement team
• Support product ramp from new product introduction through to high-volume manufacturing
• Define supplier technical and quality specifications based on engineering and program requirements
• Implement and monitor the PPAP process with selected suppliers to promote high-rate production
• Ensure suppliers understand documentation requirements (First Article Inspection reports, quality docs)
• Develop and approve process controls for key characteristics
• Recommend technical product improvements to reduce risk and defects
• Analyze supplier quality and delivery metrics to identify trends and gaps
• Coordinate between suppliers, engineers, buyers, and production to resolve quality issues
• Guide supplier corrective actions for escapes or containments
• Help build the supplier quality program and team at Helion
• Help develop receiving inspection and quality standards

Skills

Supplier management

Engineering background

Quality systems

Six Sigma

DOE

ISO 9000

Travel 50%

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Tools

PPAP

APQP

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.

Location

Everett, WA

Employment Type

Full time

Location Type

On-site

Department

Mechanical Engineering

Compensation

• $182K – $214K

What You Will Be Doing

We are hiring a Senior Supplier Development Engineer to work with suppliers to make parts for fusion generators. You will solve technical problems, develop our supplier's quality systems, and accelerate Helion's transition from rapid prototyping to mass generator manufacturing, thus delivering on Helion's mission of providing clean electricity to the planet. This is an onsite role located at our Everett, WA office.

You Will

• Collaborate with design engineers to gain an in-depth knowledge of part, assembly, and sub-system design intent
• Assess suppliers' manufacturing processes and quality systems to source parts, in partnership with procurement team
• Support product ramp from new product introduction through to high-volume manufacturing
• Define supplier technical and quality specifications based on engineering and program requirements
• Implement and monitor the production part approval process (PPAP) with selected suppliers to promote rate production
• Ensure suppliers understand requirements for document submissions (e.g., first article inspection reports, quality documentation)
• Develop and approve process controls for important characteristics
• Recommend technical product improvements to reduce risk and potential defect opportunities
• Analyze supplier quality and delivery metrics to identify trends and systemic performance gaps to improve plans
• Coordinate between suppliers, engineers, buyers, and production to resolve supplier quality issues
• Guide supplier corrective actions associated with escapes or containments identified in production or the supply chain
• Improve the supply chain
• Help build the supplier quality program and team at Helion
• Help develop receiving inspection and quality standards

Required Skills

• 8+ years of engineering, manufacturing, or supply chain experience—including school projects, clubs, or internships—in mechanical or electrical systems
• Bachelor's degree or higher in an engineering discipline, or relevant field
• Experience managing external suppliers
• Knowledge of supplier quality processes (e.g., production part approval process, advanced product quality planning, first article inspection reports)
• Knowledge of statistical techniques and methods (e.g., design of experiments, Six Sigma)
• Experience with quality systems (ISO 9000 / TS)
• Able to travel up to 50% of the time

Benefits

Our total compensation package includes benefits, including but not limited to:

• 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.

Compensation Range: $182K - $214K