{"id":1555125,"url":"https://alion.io/job/helion-energy-senior-software-engineer-plant-control","title":"Senior Software Engineer, Plant Control","company":{"id":10265,"name":"Helion Energy","domain":"helionenergy.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/helionenergy","size_band":"501-1000","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Ashby","truth_index":{"grade":"A","score":91,"open_postings":39,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":0.154,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":104,"computed_at":"2026-10-19T05:45:15Z"}},"role":"Backend","role_family":"Backend","seniority":"senior","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Everett, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":240000,"max":255000,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":255000},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":5,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"C++","optional":false},{"name":"Linux","optional":false},{"name":"Python","optional":false},{"name":"Rust","optional":false},{"name":"CI/CD","optional":true},{"name":"Docker","optional":true},{"name":"Grafana","optional":true},{"name":"InfluxDB","optional":true},{"name":"Time Series Forecasting","optional":true}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-09-30T21:43:49Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-09-30","last_verified_at":"2026-10-19T07:27:48Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":18,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":18},"description":"About Helion\nWe 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.\nSince 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.\nThis 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.\nWhat You Will Be Doing\nAs a Senior Software Engineer on the Plant Control team, you will design, build, and scale the software systems that operate Helion’s fusion generators and the Orion fusion power plant. You will work across control systems, diagnostics, data infrastructure, operator interfaces, automation, and integration with electrical, mechanical, firmware, and science teams.\nThis is a generalist software role for someone who is comfortable moving between architecture and implementation, prototypes and production systems, and high-level plant design and hands-on machine operation. You will own software that interfaces with real hardware, supports rapid engineering iteration, and helps turn experimental fusion systems into reliable power plant infrastructure.\nYou will work onsite at our Everett, WA office.\nYou Will\nDesign, build, and maintain software for plant control, diagnostics, automation, and operator workflows\n\nOwn interfaces that connect distributed sensors, actuators, controllers, databases, and visualization tools\n\nDesign and build reliable tools for monitoring machine health, system performance, test execution, and plant operations\n\nCreate and improve graphical user interfaces for engineers, operators, and scientists working with fusion machines and testbeds\n\nArchitect and implement software that supports real-time control, data acquisition, and system coordination\n\nWork with Electrical Engineering, Firmware, Mechanical Engineering, IT, Operations, and Science teams to integrate software with complex hardware systems\n\nImprove the reliability, usability, and scalability of Helion’s internal control and diagnostic platforms\n\nInvestigate and introduce new tools, frameworks, and infrastructure that accelerate engineering development\n\nApply first-principles thinking to ambiguous technical problems where the right answer is not yet obvious\n\nRequired Skills\nBachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience\n\n5+ years of professional software engineering experience\n\nDemonstrated experience of end-to-end ownership of complex software projects\n\nStrong programming ability in a systems programming language such as C++, Rust, or similar\n\nExperience with Python or another high-level orchestration language\n\nExperience building software that interfaces with hardware, sensors, instruments, control systems, or other real-world systems\n\nComfortable working in Linux environments\n\nExperience designing maintainable software systems, including testing, version control, debugging, and deployment practices\n\nAbility to work across the full software lifecycle, from requirements gathering and prototyping through production support\n\nStrong systems-level problem-solving skills and ability to debug issues across software, hardware, networks, and data flows\n\nAbility to collaborate closely with engineers and scientists from multiple disciplines\n\nWillingness to work onsite and stay close to the hardware, operators, and users of the systems you build\n\nDesired Skills\nExperience with distributed control systems, industrial automation, SCADA, PLCs, or machine control\n\nExperience with the V-model of development, including requirements definition, verification, validation, and traceability\n\nExperience with precision timing, synchronization, PTP, or deterministic systems\n\nExperience with embedded Linux, real-time systems, or low-level systems programming\n\nExperience with time-series databases, data pipelines, and visualization tools such as InfluxDB, Grafana, or similar platforms\n\nExperience building operator interfaces, internal engineering tools, dashboards, or data-rich GUIs\n\nExperience with Docker, CI/CD, configuration management, or deployment automation\n\nExperience working in high-energy systems, aerospace, robotics, manufacturing, power systems, scientific instrumentation, or other complex hardware environments\n\n#LI-Onsite #LI-KL1\nBenefits\nOur total compensation package includes benefits, including but not limited to:\nMedical, Dental, and Vision plans for employees and their families\n\n31 Days of PTO (21 vacation days and 10 sick days)\n\n10 Paid holidays, plus company-wide winter break\n\nUp to 5% employer 401(k) match\n\nShort term disability, long term disability, and life insurance\n\nPaid parental leave and support (up to 16 weeks)\n\nAnnual wellness stipend\n\nHelion 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. 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