Lead Controls Development Engineer

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 over $1 billion from long-time investors such as Sam Altman, Mithril, and Capricorn Investment Group as well as new investors SoftBank and Lightspeed to propel us forward. Our last prototype, Trenta, completed 10,000 high-power pulses and reached plasma temperatures of 100 million degrees Celsius (9 keV). We are now operating Polaris, our next prototype on the path to the world's first fusion power plant.

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 lead and build a team of Manufacturing Controls Engineers to develop and implement automation and controls standards for Helion’s capacitor bank production. In this role, you’ll guide the transition from rapid prototyping to high-volume manufacturing, helping advance Helion’s mission to deliver clean, sustainable electricity to the world. This is an onsite role that reports directly to the Factory Development Manager at our Everett, WA office. 

You Will: 

• Lead and scale a team of Automation & Controls Engineers to design, scale, and launch first-of-a-kind products into production

• Develop and standardize manufacturing automation architectures for deployment across multiple production lines

• Collaborate with equipment suppliers on system design, functionality, design reviews, acceptance testing, and equipment buyoff

• Implement compliant safety and control systems (ANSI/ISO/OSHA) and produce electrical one-line diagrams and schematics for automated manufacturing equipment

• Optimize and maintain production performance by enabling equipment data reporting (OEE and machine-level metrics), troubleshooting downtime, identifying root causes, and implementing long-term solutions

Required Skills: 

• 7+ years of experience in manufacturing controls within a high-volume production environment

• 2+ years of leadership experience, managing, scaling, and developing engineering teams

• Demonstrated success in developing engineers and leaders, with an emphasis on career growth and team capability building

• Proven ability to lead complex engineering projects, own schedules and deliverables, and collaborate cross-functional

• Experience designing and implementing safety systems for automated manufacturing equipment

#LI-ONSITE #LI-SA1

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.