Systems Engineer, HPC

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 support advanced computational physics and engineering applications by delivering robust, high-performing infrastructure solutions. You'll manage our HPC systems across both on-premises and Azure Government environments. You will help shape the future of fusion technology while ensuring a best-in-class experience for engineering and research teams. This is an onsite role that reports directly to the System Security Manager at our Everett, WA office.  

You Will: 

• Manage the availability and performance of Linux-based HPC systems across on-premises and cloud environments (AWS, Azure, boutique GPU providers)

• Administer system software, including patching, updates, and OS upgrades; troubleshoot and resolve hardware, software, and third-party issues 

• Automate system configuration, monitoring, and updates using DevOps tools such as Ansible and GitHub 

• Install, configure, and maintain a wide range of COTS, open-source, and in-house applications; package and deploy software using environment modules 

• Plan and implement HPC infrastructure enhancements; communicate system issues and propose solutions to management 

• Collaborate with scientists and engineers on system roadmaps and feature requirements; support end users with HPC usage and performance inquiries 

Required Skills: 

• Bachelors degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or equivalent experience 

• 5+ years of experience managing and administering production HPC clusters, with hands-on expertise in job schedulers (preferably Slurm) 

• Proficient in scripting (Bash, Python) and experienced with programming languages such as Fortran, C++, or R 

• Familiar with GPU-aware MPI, high-speed interconnects (e.g., NVLink), and supporting NVIDIA GPU-accelerated computing and GPU Direct RDMA 

• Experienced with HPC storage and I/O technologies (e.g., Lustre, ZFS, Parallel HDF5, ADIOS) and containerization tools (e.g., Docker, Singularity, Apptainer) 

• Strong understanding of Linux systems, networking, and high-performance applications, with excellent collaboration skills and a team-oriented mindset 

#LI-Onsite #LI-MM1

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

$130,000—$165,000 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.