Project Manager, Experimental Science

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:

As the Project Manager for the Experimental Science team at Helion, you will play a critical role in enabling our science, research, and engineering teams to plan proactively, improve operations, and deliver transformative work to bring fusion energy to the world urgently. You will lead the development of scalable project and program management frameworks, drive alignment across diverse stakeholders, and ensure that critical milestones are achieved on time and within budget. You will bring discipline and clarity to planning and execution, while staying adaptable in a fast-paced, discovery-driven environment. This is an onsite role that reports directly to Director of Science at our Everett, WA office.

You Will:

• Drive the planning and execution of complex, cross-disciplinary initiatives in experimental science, including plasma, computational, and diagnostic research

• Own high-level program timelines and break them down into actionable project plans with defined milestones, deliverables, and interdependencies

• Track progress across teams, identify risks early, and implement mitigation plans for delivery schedules

• Regularly communicate project status, risks, and outcomes to stakeholders at all levels

• Build dashboards, reports, and presentations to provide visibility into project health and resource needs

• Design and implement cross-functional processes that enhance proactive planning, resource allocation, and timeline forecasting

• Establish tools and workflows to improve budget tracking and predictability in a rapidly evolving research environment

• Act as a central liaison between experimental science, research, engineering, operations, and executive leadership

• Develop a deep understanding of what various teams are planning and executing, enabling better forecasting, prioritization, and coordination

• Facilitate decision-making and alignment across diverse technical and non-technical stakeholders

Required Skills:

• Advanced degree in science or engineering

• 3+ years of technical industry experience in a scientist or engineering role

• 2+ years as a technical project or program manager, ideally with PMP certification

• Experience managing complex scheduling, budgets, and cross-functional initiatives

• Experience organizing and planning projects that zoom out to big-picture programs while managing detailed execution

• Experience communicating with and managing cross-functional stakeholders including engineers, scientists, and executives

• Experience creating and improving cross-functional processes, planning cycles, or budget forecasting tools

• Familiarity with scientific research lifecycles and the unique challenges of experimental development environments

#LI-ONSITE #LI-AM1

Total Compensation and Benefits

Helion's compensation package includes a competitively benchmarked base salary, meaningful equity grants, and comprehensive benefits. Final compensation is determined through a holistic evaluation of your experience, qualifications, and our commitment to internal equity - ensuring fairness and transparency across our teams. We are committed to fostering a fair and equitable environment in every aspect of our operations, including compensation.

This is an exempt salaried role.

Annual Base Pay

$123,000—$164,000 USD

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.