Test Automation Engineer, Manufacturing

Helion•Everett, WA

18h•Onsite

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. This role is crucial for supporting the transition from prototype builds to volume manufacturing by developing production test processes, integrating instrumentation, improving test software, troubleshooting equipment issues, and ensuring test stations are safe, repeatable, maintainable, and scalable. The position involves working closely with Design Engineering, Operations, Maintenance, and external vendors to improve test coverage, throughput, equipment readiness, and manufacturing traceability. This is an onsite role reporting directly to the Manager of Manufacturing Engineering.

Requirements

5+ years of experience developing, deploying, or sustaining automated manufacturing test systems, production equipment, or semi-/fully automated manufacturing processes in a hardware manufacturing environment.
Strong manufacturing engineering fundamentals, including process development, production ramp, equipment readiness, troubleshooting, root cause analysis, and continuous improvement.
Proficiency developing test automation software in Python or a comparable language for production equipment, instrumentation, data acquisition, or automated test execution.
Experience integrating programmable instrumentation or test equipment using SCPI, GPIB, Ethernet/LAN, serial communication, DAQ hardware, or similar interfaces.
Ability to translate product requirements, failure modes, and engineering assumptions into repeatable production test methods, limits, diagnostics, and acceptance criteria.
Experience working cross-functionally with Design Engineering, Operations, Production, Maintenance, technicians, supply chain, and external equipment vendors.
Experience using SQL or similar database tools for manufacturing data collection, analysis, traceability, reporting, or critical data management.
Working knowledge of high-voltage electrical circuits, stored-energy hazards, and safe test system design principles.

Responsibilities

Own and improve automated manufacturing test systems from prototype implementation through production release, ramp, and sustainment.
Develop production test processes for capacitor manufacturing, including in-line testing, end-of-line testing, accelerated qualification testing, and safe commissioning practices.
Translate product requirements, failure modes, and pulsed-power circuit requirements into repeatable test methods, limits, diagnostics, and acceptance criteria.
Develop and maintain test software, data collection systems, visualization tools, automated reporting, and analysis tools used to monitor test station performance, yield, throughput, process health, and KPIs.
Integrate programmable instrumentation, sensors, controls, and test equipment into safe, reliable, and maintainable automated test systems.
Design and improve automated test processes with appropriate controls for high-voltage and stored-energy hazards, including interlocks, fault handling, procedural controls, and equipment documentation.
Work cross-functionally with Design Engineering, Operations Engineering, Maintenance, technicians, and vendors to improve design for test, automation, manufacturability, maintainability, MES integration, traceability, and production ramp readiness.
Troubleshoot automated test equipment, establish root cause, and implement corrective actions that improve uptime, reliability, and recurrence prevention.