Senior Software Engineer, Plant Control

Helion•Everett, WA

4d•Onsite

About The Position

As a Senior Software Engineer on the Plant Control team, you will design, build, and scale the software systems that operate Helion’s fusion generators and the Orion fusion power plant. You will work across control systems, diagnostics, data infrastructure, operator interfaces, automation, and integration with electrical, mechanical, firmware, and science teams. This is a generalist software role for someone who is comfortable moving between architecture and implementation, prototypes and production systems, and high-level plant design and hands-on machine operation. You will own software that interfaces with real hardware, supports rapid engineering iteration, and helps turn experimental fusion systems into reliable power plant infrastructure. You will work onsite at our Everett, WA office.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience
5+ years of professional software engineering experience
Demonstrated experience of end-to-end ownership of complex software projects
Strong programming ability in a systems programming language such as C++, Rust, or similar
Experience with Python or another high-level orchestration language
Experience building software that interfaces with hardware, sensors, instruments, control systems, or other real-world systems
Comfortable working in Linux environments
Experience designing maintainable software systems, including testing, version control, debugging, and deployment practices
Ability to work across the full software lifecycle, from requirements gathering and prototyping through production support
Strong systems-level problem-solving skills and ability to debug issues across software, hardware, networks, and data flows
Ability to collaborate closely with engineers and scientists from multiple disciplines
Willingness to work onsite and stay close to the hardware, operators, and users of the systems you build

Nice To Haves

Experience with distributed control systems, industrial automation, SCADA, PLCs, or machine control
Experience with the V-model of development, including requirements definition, verification, validation, and traceability
Experience with precision timing, synchronization, PTP, or deterministic systems
Experience with embedded Linux, real-time systems, or low-level systems programming
Experience with time-series databases, data pipelines, and visualization tools such as InfluxDB, Grafana, or similar platforms
Experience building operator interfaces, internal engineering tools, dashboards, or data-rich GUIs
Experience with Docker, CI/CD, configuration management, or deployment automation
Experience working in high-energy systems, aerospace, robotics, manufacturing, power systems, scientific instrumentation, or other complex hardware environments

Responsibilities

Design, build, and maintain software for plant control, diagnostics, automation, and operator workflows
Own interfaces that connect distributed sensors, actuators, controllers, databases, and visualization tools
Design and build reliable tools for monitoring machine health, system performance, test execution, and plant operations
Create and improve graphical user interfaces for engineers, operators, and scientists working with fusion machines and testbeds
Architect and implement software that supports real-time control, data acquisition, and system coordination
Work with Electrical Engineering, Firmware, Mechanical Engineering, IT, Operations, and Science teams to integrate software with complex hardware systems
Improve the reliability, usability, and scalability of Helion’s internal control and diagnostic platforms
Investigate and introduce new tools, frameworks, and infrastructure that accelerate engineering development
Apply first-principles thinking to ambiguous technical problems where the right answer is not yet obvious