Senior Engineering Technician, Operations Support

Employer 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.

What You Will Be Doing

You’ll work alongside engineers and scientists to transform ideas into prototypes, prototypes into experiments, and experiments into the next generation of Helion fusion machines.

This isn’t a routine technician role. It’s a hands-on engineering role for people who enjoy solving complex technical challenges, building first-of-a-kind hardware, and working in a fast-paced R&D environment where every day presents new opportunities to build, test, troubleshoot, maintain, and improve cutting-edge fusion systems.

One day, you might be troubleshooting high-voltage pulsed power hardware or repairing machine subsystems. Next, you could be fabricating a prototype, integrating new diagnostics, supporting machine upgrades, or reconfiguring a test bay to enable the next phase of development for Helion fusion machines.

You Will:

Collaborate with engineers and scientists to fabricate, assemble, integrate, test, troubleshoot, operate, maintain, and repair complex mechanical, electrical, and electromechanical systems

Support the maintenance, repair, upgrade, and ongoing development of Polaris, Tiny Merge, and future generations of Helion fusion machines

Install, integrate, troubleshoot, and maintain high-voltage pulsed power, vacuum, fuel delivery, cooling, and associated support systems

Fabricate first-of-a-kind prototypes, custom assemblies, fixtures, tooling, and instrumentation enclosures that enable rapid engineering design iterations

Perform PCB assembly, soldering, rework, wiring harness fabrication, and custom cable builds

Install, integrate, calibrate, and maintain diagnostics, sensors, cameras, and scientific instrumentation used to characterize machine performance and support experimental development

Support upgrades, modifications, and reconfiguration of experimental test infrastructure to enable evolving research and development activities

Perform mechanical and electrical assembly using engineering drawings, electrical schematics, and work instructions

Safely operate scissor lifts, forklifts, overhead lifting equipment, and fall protection systems while working throughout Helion facilities

Communicate technical findings, project status, and troubleshooting results with engineers, scientists, and technical owners

Create and maintain technical documentation, build records, test logs, and inventory while maintaining the highest standards of safety, quality, and operational excellence

Support either our 6:00 AM – 2:30 PM or 11:00 AM – 7:30 PM Monday through Friday schedule at our Everett, WA facility

Required Skills:

5+ years of hands-on experience building, integrating, testing, operating, or maintaining complex electromechanical, industrial, or experimental hardware systems

Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot complex electrical, mechanical, and instrumentation systems where root causes are not immediately apparent

Experience developing, integrating, or supporting first-of-a-kind hardware in an R&D, advanced manufacturing, aerospace, semiconductor, robotics, or similar technical environment

Strong hands-on fabrication and prototyping skills, including mechanical assembly, machining, fixture design, and rapid hardware iteration

Proficiency with electrical assembly, wiring harnesses, cable fabrication, soldering, PCB assembly, and signal routing

Experience using electrical test equipment such as multimeters, oscilloscopes, power supplies, and data acquisition equipment

Ability to read and interpret electrical schematics, engineering drawings, wiring diagrams, and technical documentation

Experience working safely around high-energy electrical or industrial systems while following established safety procedures

Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced R&D environment where priorities evolve as hardware and experiments mature

Strong communication, organization, and documentation skills with the ability to clearly communicate technical issues and maintain accurate build and test records

Preferred Skills:

Experience supporting vacuum systems, including rough vacuum, high vacuum, or ultra-high vacuum (UHV) equipment, vacuum hardware, leak detection, and vacuum instrumentation

Experience with pulsed power systems, power electronics, or high-energy experimental equipment

Experience supporting experimental test infrastructure, laboratory environments, or prototype development programs

Experience working in semiconductor, aerospace, plasma physics, or other advanced technology development environments

#LI-Onsite #LI-TM1

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.