Helion · 3 days ago
Principal Capacitor Engineer
Everett, WA
Full-time
Onsite
Lead/Staff
$214K/yr - $255K/yr
15+ years expHelion is a fusion power company based in Everett, WA, with the mission to build the world's first fusion power plant. As a Principal Capacitor Engineer, you will lead the design and development of high-voltage capacitors essential for fusion generators, providing technical leadership and driving innovations in energy density and reliability.
EnergyEnvironmental EngineeringRenewable Energy
Responsibilities
Lead the full lifecycle of capacitor development—requirements definition, physics-based modeling, internal design, materials selection, prototyping, testing, and scaling into high-throughput manufacturing
Drive the development of low-inductance, high-reliability pulsed capacitors capable of <1 ms, multi-megampere operation, while optimizing for energy density, manufacturability, cost, and lifetime performance
Define critical material specifications, qualification criteria, manufacturing processes, and high-voltage pulsed-power test methods for Helion’s custom capacitor systems
Provide technical leadership and mentorship to engineers, technicians, and assemblers, guiding architecture decisions, test interpretation, and iterative design improvements
Lead failure analysis, lifetime modeling, thermal analysis, and root-cause investigations to strengthen capacitor reliability and production consistency
Partner closely with pulsed-power electrical engineers to align capacitor design with system-level circuit performance targets
Direct the testing, characterization, and evaluation of internally built and supplier-provided capacitors; analyze data and drive continuous improvement with internal teams and external vendors
Own long-term capacitor technology strategy, identifying opportunities to reduce risk, introduce advanced materials, and integrate emerging capacitor technologies
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering or Physics
15+ years of deep experience in pulsed-power capacitor design and manufacturing, including internal construction, low-inductance layout, simulation, materials processing, fabrication, high-voltage testing, and lifetime prediction
Demonstrated expertise in dielectric physics: electrical/thermal aging, breakdown behavior, complex permittivity, frequency and temperature dependence, and high-field effects
Proven ability to lead capacitor design from concept through high-volume production, including scaling throughput and establishing robust manufacturing processes
Hands-on experience with rapid prototyping, iterative testing, and high-energy pulsed-power qualification
Strong capability in failure analysis, thermal modeling, and performance evaluation under extreme electrical and thermal stress
Track record of effective cross-functional collaboration with electrical engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, and production teams
Ability to drive technical decision-making, mentor engineers, and set long-term architecture and process standards
Strong communication skills and ability to translate complex physical and engineering concepts into actionable design directions
Benefits
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
Company
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.
201-500 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Helion has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2024 (1)
2023 (2)
2022 (1)
2021 (1)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
$1.04BKey Investors
Nucor CorporationSam AltmanDustin Moskovitz
2025-01-28Series F· $425M
2023-09-27Corporate Round· $35M
2021-11-05Series E· $500M
Leadership Team
David Kirtley
Founder and CEO
Chris Pihl
Co-Founder, CTO
Recent News
2025-12-24
Crunchbase News
2025-12-18
Company data provided by crunchbase