Senior Experimental Scientist Manager

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 $600 million from investors such as Sam Altman, Mithril, and Capricorn Investment Group 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).

Now we are working toward Polaris, which will be the first machine to demonstrate electricity from fusion, making this a great time to join Helion! Bring your skills, experiences, and determination to make a difference in the world. Together, we can make a future with unlimited clean electricity from fusion a reality.

We are looking for a Senior Experimental Scientist Manager to join our team of scientists and engineers in the design, implementation, and testing of devices and technologies aimed at enhancing fusion plasma performance. As the Senior Manager of Experimental Plasma Physics, you will manage a team of experimental plasma scientists. You will report directly to our Director of Research at our Everett, WA office.

You Will

• Lead our Experimental org: Develop and grow a team of scientists and engineers specialized in plasma physics to optimize Helion’s fusion devices. Collaborate with colleagues on experimental instrumentation and procedural development. Drive design, analysis, and process improvements to enhance throughput
• Own Research Team Infrastructure: Create the team roadmap, incorporating test plan development and execution, build time, and total device integration. Ensure team members own and optimize schedules to accelerate milestones
• Evolve our approach as we scale: Collaborate with Helion's leadership to establish an organizational roadmap and goals. Balance team risks while ensuring alignment with our strategy and taking full ownership of goal accomplishment
• Oversee projects specific to experimental plasma science such as E&M probes; plasma pre-ionization; plasma-material interaction; device design and requirements; full device data collection, analysis and interpretation in coordination with other teams
• Drive Polaris deliverables to completion in collaboration with Mechanical Engineers, Electrical Engineers, TestOps and Production teams
• Provide clear and concise summaries of experimental campaign results to enable stakeholders to make informed decisions and adjustments as needed

Required Skills

• Advanced degree in physics, or a related physical science discipline with a minimum of 10 years of scientific research experience and at least 5 years of experience managing a team of scientists or engineers in a research, development, or technology setting
• Demonstrated experience building and leading multidisciplinary teams
• Experience managing complex inter-departmental projects (including schedule ownership)
• Demonstrated experience in applied physics, building and designing hardware

Compensation and Benefits

At Helion, we are committed to fostering a fair and equitable environment in every aspect of our operations, including compensation. We ensure all our roles are competitively benchmarked and our total compensation package includes a base salary, comprehensive benefits, and equity grants, giving you a true stake in Helion's success. Final compensation is determined through a holistic evaluation of your experience, qualifications, and our commitment to maintaining internal equity, ensuring fairness and transparency across our teams.

This is an exempt salaried role.

Annual Base Pay

$160,000 - $215,000 USD

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

NOTE: Underrepresented people are less likely to apply unless they meet 100% of the job's requirements. We believe in hiring people, not checklists, and encourage you to apply even if you do not check all of the boxes. If this job isn't the one, we have many other openings that may be a fit.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information. If we reach out to you to begin an interview process, we will also ask if you require any reasonable accommodation at that time.