Controls Development Engineer

While Helion Energy has not yet completed any fully commercial projects, it has made significant strides with its prototypes, Trenta and Polaris, the latter of which is operational and aims to demonstrate net electricity generation from fusion (source: tsginvest.com). The company is currently focused on the Orion fusion power plant, a 50 MW facility under construction in Chelan County, Washington, which is expected to connect to the grid by 2028. This plant will supply power to Microsoft data centers through the state's primary power networks after a one-year ramp-up period (source: nucnet.org). Helion's client base includes Microsoft, with whom they announced the world's first fusion PPA in May 2023, and they have expressed interest from other major players like OpenAI's Sam Altman for large power purchases (source: equityzen.com). The company’s geographic presence is primarily in Washington state, with future expansion linked to the Orion project and potential data center grids (source: tsginvest.com).

In the past two years, Helion Energy has made notable advancements, including the announcement of a 50 MW power purchase agreement with Microsoft in May 2023 (source: equityzen.com). The company began site work on the Orion plant in Chelan County in 2025, marking a significant step towards its goal of commercial fusion energy (source: nucnet.org). Additionally, Helion raised $425 million in a Series F funding round in January 2025, achieving a valuation of $5.4 billion and bringing its total funding to over $1 billion (source: tsginvest.com). Recent milestones also include a behind-the-scenes tour of the Polaris prototype and progress towards manufacturing fusion power at scale, with the fusion market projected to reach $572.75 billion by 2032 (source: equityzen.com).

Helion Energy offers a variety of roles across research and development, engineering, plasma physics, manufacturing, and leadership positions, including scientists and executives. Departments focus on critical areas such as accelerator development, E-BEAM optics, and laboratory operations (source: vizologi.com). The company is headquartered in Everett, WA, where open positions are listed, although no current jobs were shown on Y Combinator as of the latest data. The culture at Helion emphasizes rapid iteration and a transition from academic research to commercialization, fostering a team of experts in a high-stakes environment as they work towards the 2028 deployment of their fusion technology (source: tsginvest.com). While specific employee benefits are not detailed in available sources, the private nature of the company and its substantial funding suggest competitive perks typical of tech-sector startups in Washington's innovation ecosystem (source: aceventurefunds.com).