Facilities Operations Manager

Skills this role screens for

About the role

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.

The work

What You Will Be Doing

As our Facilities Operations Manager, you'll lead the planning and execution of facilities operations across our growing portfolio—bridging day-to-day reliability with long-term infrastructure strategy. You'll serve as a key partner to Facilities leadership, driving operational rigor, vendor performance, and capital planning support.

We are looking for an engaged leader who thrives in a high-growth environment and balances urgency with disciplined execution. You will bring strong people leadership, sound operational judgment, and high standards for accountability and follow-through. This is an onsite role reporting directly to our Director of Facilities in our Everett, WA headquarters.

The work

You Will

• Lead and develop the facilities operations team, setting clear expectations, balancing workloads, and strengthening performance through coaching and accountability
• Own day-to-day facilities operations across multiple sites, serving as the primary point of contact for operational issues; overseeing Maintenance and Environmental Services delivery, staffing coverage, vendor performance, stakeholder communication, and timely issue resolution through closeout
• Own and improve the CMMS, asset records, and preventive maintenance programs, using equipment condition and performance data to inform maintenance and replacement priorities
• Oversee inspections, servicing, and corrective actions for critical building systems and industrial equipment, partnering with EHS and Security to maintain safe, ready sites
• Build scalable operational processes and use performance metrics to identify recurring issues, remove roadblocks, and coordinate lasting improvements with technical experts and Facilities leadership
• Apply building-systems knowledge to assess issues and recommendations, and represent Facilities Operations in standups and executive discussions with clear updates on risks, trade-offs, and next steps

Who they want

Required Skills

• 8+ years of experience in facilities operations or related roles, including direct people management and demonstrated success coaching and developing teams
• Experience leading operations in a startup, high-growth, or similarly rigorous environment, with high standards for accountability and execution
• Working knowledge of building systems, including HVAC, electrical, mechanical, and fire/life safety systems, with the ability to assess issues, evaluate technical recommendations, and engage the appropriate expertise
• Experience with CMMS ownership and configuration, preventive maintenance program development, asset management, and vendor oversight
• Demonstrated ability to navigate changing priorities, make sound decisions with incomplete information, and resolve recurring problems without compromising safety or quality
• Strong written and verbal communication with frontline employees, technical partners, and executives, including the