SlipstreamJobs tracks this role from the company's public career site. Apply directly on the employer's site.
Helion is a fusion power company headquartered in Everett, WA, on a mission to build the world's first commercial fusion power plant. The company has raised $1.5 billion from leading investors including Sam Altman, SoftBank, and Thrive Capital. Helion's prototype, Polaris, has achieved record-breaking plasma temperatures of 150 million degrees Celsius, and the company is advancing toward Orion, its next-generation fusion power plant.
In this Senior Electrical Engineer role, you will lead the development, validation, and deployment of advanced ceramic and high-performance dielectric materials designed for extreme electrical, thermal, mechanical, and radiation environments. You will report to the Materials Science Manager, Metals and Dielectrics, and work onsite at the Everett facility.
Key responsibilities include:
- Lead multidisciplinary projects to develop and evaluate the electrical performance of advanced ceramic and dielectric materials for high-voltage operation under fusion-relevant conditions.
- Define electrical requirements, test methods, and acceptance criteria for insulating and resistive materials used in high-field magnet systems.
- Design and execute experiments to characterize properties such as dielectric strength, electrical resistivity, permittivity, dielectric loss, and performance under combined electrical, thermal, mechanical, and radiation loading.
- Translate material-level test results into actionable engineering requirements and design recommendations for Helion's next-generation fusion systems.
- Serve as Helion's subject-matter expert for dielectric materials and electrical insulation in high-voltage environments, providing technical guidance across engineering and R&D teams.
- Own projects from initial concept and material selection through prototyping, design reviews, and qualification for production.
- Work effectively amid evolving requirements and technical uncertainty, balancing risk, rigor, and schedule to maintain program delivery.
The role emphasizes urgency, rigor, ownership, and commitment to delivering hard truths in a pivotal moment for the company.
Benefits include medical, dental, and vision coverage; 31 days of PTO (21 vacation, 10 sick); 10 paid holidays plus company-wide winter break; up to 5% 401(k) match; disability and life insurance; paid parental leave (up to 16 weeks); and annual wellness stipend.
REQUIREMENTS:
- Advanced degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field
- 5+ years of hands-on experience with electrically insulating and dielectric materials
- Hands-on experience with electrical testing and materials characterization, including design, execution, and interpretation of experiments
- Demonstrated success developing or qualifying ceramic or dielectric materials for a commercial product or large integrated engineering system (e.g., engine, turbine, generator, magnet, high-voltage assembly)
- Experience planning and leading R&D programs governed by defined milestones, technical reviews, and delivery schedules
- Experience communicating material behavior and test results to multidisciplinary engineering teams and translating findings into design decisions
