Capacitor R&D Supervisor

Job description

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 $1.5 billion from long-time investors such as Sam Altman, Mithril, and Capricorn Investment Group as well as new investors including Thrive Capital, LightSpeed Venture Capital, SoftBank, and others to propel us forward. Our current prototype, Polaris, has reached record-breaking plasma temperatures of 150 million degrees Celsius (13 keV). Helion is continuing to iterate and on the path to the world's first fusion power plant, Orion. 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 This is a newly created role driven by rapid growth and increasing R&D demand. It’s a unique opportunity to join at a pivotal moment, helping shape how capacitor technologies scale from development into manufacturing while building the systems, teams, and processes that will define future success. You will lead the execution of capacitor R&D builds and pilot manufacturing, translating evolving engineering concepts into safe, repeatable processes. In this role, you will serve as a critical bridge between R&D and production, identifying manufacturability risks early, driving process improvements, and ensuring new technologies are ready to scale. This role will provide leadership and operational oversight for a growing team of Engineering Technicians supporting first-shift manufacturing and R&D activities (Monday - Friday, 6:00 AM - 2:30 PM). You Will - Responsible for R&D builds, prototypes, and pilot runs to meet aggressive development timelines - Translate engineering intent into practical, high-quality manufacturing processes - Make real-time technical decisions in fast-paced, ambiguous development environments - Analyze data to identify process gaps, risks, and opportunities for improvement - Lead and develop a team of Engineering Technicians, building capability and accountability - Partner with engineering, production, and EHS to ensure aligned, safe, and effective execution - Drive readiness for manufacturing through documentation, process definition, and knowledge transfer Required Skills - 5+ years in manufacturing, R&D, or technical operations, including hands-on process development or NPI - 2+ years leading or supervising technical teams in fast-paced environments - Proven ability to troubleshoot and improve manufacturing processes under ambiguity - Strong data-driven mindset with the ability to translate results into actionable improvements - Experience working closely with engineering teams on early stage or rapidly evolving technologies - Ability to adapt schedule and onsite presence to support team leadership, cross-functional coordination, and critical development activities - Strong communication, organization, and execution skills #LI-Onsite #LI-TS1 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.