Principal Nuclear Materials Engineer at Helion (Everett, WA)
Helion· Everett, WA· $264k–$317k·
Role details
Medical, Dental, And Vision Plans · 31 Days Of PTO · 10 Paid Holidays · Up To 5% Employer 401(K) Match · Short Term Disability · Long Term Disability · Life Insurance · Paid Parental Leave
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
The Principal Nuclear Materials Engineer develops designs and materials for high-radiation environments, advising engineering on radiation effects and partnering with cross-functional teams to advance Helion's fusion power mission. The role involves overseeing testing campaigns, leading strategic projects, and colla...
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:
You will play a key role in developing designs and materials suited for high-radiation environments, providing analysis and guidance to engineers on the behavior and performance of a wide range of materials under radiation exposure. In this onsite role, based at our Everett, WA office, you will report to the Director of Materials Science and collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to advance Helion’s mission.
You Will:
- Advise engineering design decisions based on radiation effects (due to neutrons) on materials used within the radiation shield vault, e.g., metals used in magnet coils, dielectrics used for structure, and ceramics
- Partner with neutronics engineers to predict dpa, analyze, model, and predict macroscopic effects on material properties including thermal conductivity, electrical resistivity, and mechanical strength. Assess system-level radiation risk
- Oversee testing campaigns to quantify impact of radiation on material properties
- Lead strategic projects to expand capabilities
- Perform literature reviews on radiation effects on materials of interest and distill the information into summaries for non-nuclear engineers
- Operate in an environment with obstacles and changing requirements. Balance risks without compromising the delivery
- Partner with other internal Helion teams, external vendors, national laboratories, and universities to gather the required capabilities. Develop your network and represent Helion at technical meetings and conferences
Required Skills:
- A professional understanding of radiation effects on materials, typically demonstrated by a degree in nuclear engineering, materials science, physics, or related discipline and 15+ years of hands-on work
- 15+ years of experience handling radioactive material
- 8+ years of experience working on non-aqueous corrosion and environmentally assisted degradation mechanisms (e.g., stress corrosion cracking, creep, accelerated fatigue)
- 8+ years of experience working on neutron interactions leading to e.g., material transmutation or helium bubble generation
- 8+ years of experience performing data analysis with a common coding language (Python, MATLAB, C++), data presentation, technical communication, and writing
- Data presentation should include rigorous consideration of uncertainty and statistics
#LI-TM1 #LI-Onsite
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.