Director of Semiconductor Technology

Helion•Everett, WA

13h•Onsite

About The Position

Helion is a fusion power company based in Everett, Washington, working to build the world's first fusion power plant and enable clean, reliable, affordable electricity. The Director of Semiconductor Technology will lead development of semiconductor devices and packaging designed for Helion’s pulsed-power circuits, from device physics and development-scale fabrication through pilot module assembly, testing, and transfer to high-volume production with external fabrication partners. The role’s work will influence power-plant reliability, pulse frequency, and the ability to manufacture and deploy future plants. The position owns Helion’s semiconductor roadmap and leads a multidisciplinary team spanning semiconductor science, device R&D, technicians, and technical project management. It establishes development-scale fabrication, characterization, and reliability capabilities; directs device design and packaging and integration; develops fabrication partnerships; and manages a multi-million-dollar development program. The Director collaborates with electrical, mechanical, science, operations, and systems leaders to develop semiconductor capabilities alongside machine architecture.

Requirements

12+ years of experience in semiconductors, including 5+ years leading technical teams.
Track record of hiring and developing engineers and technical leaders and establishing a culture of high performance and delivery.
Deep expertise in power semiconductor device physics and design, including device modeling and design for reliability.
Hands-on expertise in high-power packaging and module integration, including die attach, interconnect, and thermal management.
Experience taking a custom semiconductor device from concept through fabrication, characterization, qualification, application integration, and high-volume production with external fabricators.
Experience owning a multi-year R&D program with a budget in the tens of millions, from planning and vendor contracting through executive-level reporting.
Ability to set technical direction across disciplines not directly practiced and make build-versus-buy tradeoffs considering performance, reliability, cost, schedule, and manufacturing scale.
Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, physics, materials science, or a related field.

Responsibilities

Own Helion’s semiconductor roadmap, define device requirements with technical leadership, make build-versus-buy decisions, and deliver capabilities for successive fusion-machine generations.
Build and lead a multidisciplinary team of semiconductor scientists, device R&D engineers, technicians, and a technical project manager.
Establish development-scale device fabrication, characterization, and reliability capabilities, including decisions about tooling, processes, and facilities.
Direct in-house device design, including alternative device topologies optimized for Helion’s pulsed-power circuits.
Drive packaging and integration of multi-die packages for gated devices used in series, thermal management for repetitive operation, and reliability qualification programs.
Establish and lead partnerships with high-volume fabrication facilities to transfer in-house-developed devices to production at scale, and continue developing existing vendor relationships.
Plan and run a multi-million-dollar development program, including work funded through external research partnerships, with appropriate reporting and risk management.
Work with electrical, mechanical, science, operations, and systems leadership to develop semiconductor capabilities and machine architecture together.