Director of Plasma Physics at Helion (Everett, WA)
Helion· Everett, WA· $295k–$325k·
Role details
Medical, Dental, And Vision Plans · 31 Days Of PTO · 10 Paid Holidays · Company-Wide Winter Break · Up To 5% Employer 401(K) Match · Short Term Disability · Long Term Disability · Life Insurance
Helion at a glance
Helion is building the world's first fusion power plant to deliver clean, reliable baseload electricity straight from fusion, no steam turbine required.
Helion designs and builds pulsed, field-reversed-configuration fusion machines that fire and compress plasmas to fusion temperatures and then recover the energy directly as electricity, skipping the steam-turbine step used by most other fusion and nuclear designs. Its long-term fuel is deuterium plus helium-3, aimed at smaller, cheaper, factory-buildable plants that supply always-on carbon-free power to the grid.
$1.5B raised · latest: Series G · $465M · 2026 · backed by Thrive Capital, Sam Altman, Dustin Moskovitz (Good Ventures), Reid Hoffman
Summary
Leads a team of scientists and engineers to design, implement, and test devices for enhancing fusion plasma performance. Oversees experimental campaigns, manages complex projects, and drives strategic goals to accelerate fusion milestones.
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.
What You Will Be Doing: The Director of Plasma Physics will lead a multidisciplinary team of experimental and computational scientists, engineers, and technicians. The teams reporting into the Director of Plasma Physics are Experimental Physics, Diagnostics, MHD Simulations, Data Science, PIC/Kinetic Simulations, and Concept Prototyping. This team will drive simulations and experimental campaigns aimed at understanding plasma behavior and enhancing fusion performance in future systems. You will report directly to our Senior Director of Science in the organization housing Plasma Physics, Nuclear Science, Materials Science, Fuel Cycle, and Health Physics.
You Will:
- Build, grow, and lead a multidisciplinary team of experimental and computational scientists, engineers, and technicians focused on advancing plasma performance
- Develop organizational operating rhythms and systems
- Maintain a high talent bar via hiring, performance management, and developing managers
- Define and execute an integrated scientific roadmap that connects computational modeling, experimental campaigns, and the development of future fusion systems
- Partner with Helion’s leadership to establish organizational goals, prioritize resources, balance technical risks, and take ownership of delivering against the team’s commitments
- Oversee experimental and computational programs spanning plasma diagnostics, MHD and PIC simulations, plasma pre-ionization, machine design, data analysis, and model validation
- Synthesize simulation and experimental results into clear technical conclusions that guide research priorities, system design, and future device development
- Drive plasma physics deliverables to completion in collaboration with Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, R&D, and Production teams
Required Skills:
- Advanced degree in physics, engineering, or a related physical science discipline, with 10+ years of scientific research experience and 5+ years managing scientists or engineers in a research, development, or technology environment
- Demonstrated experience building and leading multidisciplinary teams spanning experimental science, computational modeling, engineering, and technical operations
- Experience using computational models and experimental data together to interpret plasma behavior, validate scientific hypotheses, and inform technical decisions
- Experience leading complex, cross-functional applied physics programs involving experimental
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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.
Why work at Helion
- Culture: “Urgency, rigor, ownership, and hard truths” – a mission‑driven environment focused on solving the hardest problems in fusion engineering.
- Work: Hands‑on with real hardware (capacitors, magnets, plasma diagnostics) across mechanical, electrical, and physics disciplines.
- Location: Based in the Pacific Northwest (Everett & Chelan County) with immediate access to skiing, hiking, and water sports.
- Benefits: Premier medical/vision/dental (fully employer‑paid options), HSA contributions, wellness stipend, 5% 401(k) match, stock options, up to 12 weeks paid parental leave + 4 weeks for birthing parents, 21 vacation days, 10 sick days, 11 holidays + winter break.
- Hybrid/Remote: Not explicitly stated; roles appear to be on‑site in Washington (given the hardware‑focused nature).
- Open Roles: Engineers (mechanical, electrical, simulation, controls), magnet analysts, experimental scientists, technicians, machinists – over 100 positions listed.