Project Manager, Experimental Science

About HelionWe 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:As the Project Manager for the Experimental Science team at Helion, you will play a critical role in enabling our science, research, and engineering teams to plan proactively, improve operations, and deliver transformative work to bring fusion energy to the world urgently. You will lead the development of scalable project and program management frameworks, drive alignment across diverse stakeholders, and ensure that critical milestones are achieved on time and within budget. You will bring discipline and clarity to planning and execution, while staying adaptable in a fast-paced, discovery-driven environment. This is an onsite role that reports directly to the Director of Science at our Everett, WA office.You Will:Drive the planning and execution of complex, cross-disciplinary initiatives in experimental science, including plasma, computational, and diagnostic researchOwn high-level program timelines and break them down into actionable project plans with defined milestones, deliverables, and interdependenciesTrack progress across teams, identify risks early, and implement mitigation plans for delivery schedulesRegularly communicate project status, risks, and outcomes to stakeholders at all levelsBuild dashboards, reports, and presentations to provide visibility into project health and resource needsDesign and implement cross-functional processes that enhance proactive planning, resource allocation, and timeline forecastingEstablish tools and workflows to improve budget tracking and predictability in a rapidly evolving research environmentAct as a central liaison between experimental science, research, engineering, operations, and executive leadershipDevelop a deep understanding of what various teams are planning and executing, enabling better forecasting, prioritization, and coordinationFacilitate decision-making and alignment across diverse technical and non-technical stakeholdersRequired Skills:Advanced degree in science or engineering3+ years of technical industry experience in a scientist or engineering role2+ years as a technical project or program manager, ideally with PMP certificationExperience managing complex scheduling, budgets, and cross-functional initiativesExperience organizing and planning projects that zoom out to big-picture programs while managing detailed executionExperience communicating with and managing cross-functional stakeholders including engineers, scientists, and executivesExperience creating and improving cross-functional processes, planning cycles, or budget forecasting toolsFamiliarity with scientific research lifecycles and the unique challenges of experimental development environments#LI-ONSITE #LI-AM1BenefitsOur 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% employ ... (truncated, view full listing at source)