Senior Materials Engineer, Electrical Performance
About The Position
Helion is 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. The company has raised $1.5 billion and its current prototype, Polaris, has reached record-breaking plasma temperatures. Helion is continuing to iterate and is on the path to the world's first fusion power plant, Orion. This is a pivotal time to join Helion, where you will tackle real-world challenges with a team that prizes urgency, rigor, ownership, and a commitment to delivering hard truths. The company values achieving what no one has before and aims to change the future of energy.
Requirements
- An advanced degree and/or extensive understanding of electrically insulating and dielectric materials, typically demonstrated by a degree in materials science, electrical engineering, physics, nuclear engineering, or related disciplines.
- 8+ years of industry-related experience, including proven results executing R&D and development projects (including design reviews) for a commercial product.
- Capability to plan and lead R&D efforts guided by a milestone schedule.
- A bias for action, know how to execute with urgency and favor learning through rapid prototyping.
Nice To Haves
- Experience with radiation effects testing and characterization.
- Proven results with the new product introduction from seed concepts to commercial deployment.
- Practical knowledge of multi-physics modeling for simulating microstructures and properties based on processing approaches and relevant operating environments.
Responsibilities
- Develop and evaluate novel dielectric materials suited for high voltage components that maximize efficiency in the extreme environment of a nuclear fusion reactor.
- Assess and vet a wide range of emerging materials with a focus on their extended performance under radiation exposure.
- Lead high impact and multi-disciplinary projects to develop new high-voltage dielectric insulating materials that can perform under applied high-voltage conditions in an advanced fusion generator.
- Lead testing campaigns to quantify the electrical properties and behavioral response limits of materials exposed to demanding conditions of heat, stress, and accumulated radiation damage.
- Perform comprehensive reviews of published research and development efforts in advanced high-voltage dielectric materials and distill the information into summaries for non-nuclear engineers.
- Operate in an environment with obstacles and changing requirements, balancing risks with rapid delivery requirements.
- Partner with other internal Helion teams, external vendors, national laboratories, and universities to establish pathways to extended capabilities.
- Develop a broad collaborative network and represent Helion at technical meetings and conferences.
Benefits
- 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
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
