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Jobs · Management · Illinois

Principal Nuclear Materials Engineer

U.S. Fusion Energy · Energy, IL · 3 wk ago
On-siteManagement$264k–$317k/yrFull-time

Location: Everett, WA • Employment Type: Full time • Location Type: On-site • Department: Material Science

Overview

Helion is 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. Since its founding in 2013, Helion has raised $1.5 billion from investors including Sam Altman, Mithril, Capricorn Investment Group, Thrive Capital, LightSpeed Venture Capital, SoftBank, and others. Its current prototype, Polaris, has reached record‑breaking plasma temperatures of 150 million degrees Celsius (13 keV). The company is iterating toward the Orion fusion power plant. In this role you will develop designs and materials suited for high‑radiation environments, providing analysis and guidance to engineers on material behavior under radiation exposure.

Responsibilities

  • Advise engineering design decisions based on radiation effects (due to neutrons) on materials used within the radiation shield vault, e.g., metals used in magnet coils, dielectrics used for structure, and ceramics
  • Partner with neutronics engineers to predict dpa, analyze, model, and predict macroscopic effects on material properties including thermal conductivity, electrical resistivity, and mechanical strength
  • Assess system‑level radiation risk
  • Oversee testing campaigns to quantify impact of radiation on material properties
  • Lead strategic projects to expand capabilities
  • Perform literature reviews on radiation effects on materials of interest and distill the information into summaries for non‑nuclear engineers
  • Operate in an environment with obstacles and changing requirements; balance risks without compromising delivery
  • Partner with other internal Helion teams, external vendors, national laboratories, and universities to gather the required capabilities; develop your network and represent Helion at technical meetings and conferences

Requirements

  • Degree in nuclear engineering, materials science, physics, or related discipline
  • 15+ years of hands‑on work understanding radiation effects on materials
  • 15+ years of experience handling radioactive material
  • 8+ years of experience working on non‑aqueous corrosion and environmentally assisted degradation mechanisms (e.g., stress corrosion cracking, creep, accelerated fatigue)
  • 8+ years of experience working on neutron interactions leading to material transmutation or helium bubble generation
  • 8+ years of experience performing data analysis with a common coding language (Python, MATLAB, C++), including data presentation, technical communication, and writing
  • Data presentation must include rigorous consideration of uncertainty and statistics

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

Pay

$264K – $317K

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