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Lead Electrical and Instrumentation Engineer

Torrance, California, United States

About Valar Atomics

At Valar Atomics, we're redefining what's possible in energy. Our mission is to make clean, high-temperature nuclear power scalable—unlocking abundant energy for industry, hydrogen, and next-generation manufacturing. We are a team of builders, engineers, and operators who believe nuclear energy should be fast to deploy, factory-made, and built for the real world. Our first pilot plant in Orangeville, Utah will demonstrate how advanced nuclear systems and fuel fabrication can power the future. Joining Valar Atomics means becoming part of a company where autonomy, ownership, and impact exist at every level.

 

The Team 

You will lead E&I engineering for Valar Atomics’ reactor program within the Instrumentation, Control & Electrical (IC&E) organization. E&I delivers the plant’s field layer: the process instrumentation that measures it and the low-voltage electrical systems that power its process and auxiliary equipment. You will work alongside I&C, electrical, mechanical, process, and nuclear safety engineers in a hands-on team that values technical depth, disciplined documentation, cost-conscious design, and safety. 

 

The Role 

Valar Atomics is seeking a Lead E&I Engineer to join our reactor program. This is a player-coach role. You will direct and develop E&I engineers, designers, and the contract engineering firms that extend the team, while remaining its most senior hands-on technical voice: specifying instruments, approving drawing packages, and commissioning equipment in the field. You will also write the standards that let a first-of-a-kind nuclear plant be built and maintained with the discipline of a well-run process facility. 

 

Key Responsibilities 

Technical Leadership 

  • Direct, review, and mentor engineers, designers, and contract engineering firms on E&I scope, holding deliverables to Valar standards. 
  • Own E&I scope, schedule, and budget for assigned systems. 
  • Support hiring and interview candidates. 
  • Drive cost-effective design: right-size specifications, standardize equipment, and challenge cost that doesn’t buy safety or reliability. 

Instrumentation 

  • Select and specify process instrumentation, analyzers, gas detection, and control and shutdown valves. 
  • Own the instrument index, data sheets, loop diagrams, and installation details. 
  • Write control narratives and define I/O requirements with I&C, who owns control system architecture and logic. 

Low-Voltage Electrical 

  • Design LV power distribution for process areas and facilities, including MCCs, VFDs, transformers, heat tracing, and lighting. Coordinate with Electrical Power at the MV/LV interface. 
  • Produce and approve one-lines, schematics, raceway and cable plans, and grounding plans. 
  • Own hazardous area classification and the equipment selection and installation practices that follow. 

Standards, Vendors, and Process Safety 

  • Develop E&I design standards, typical installation details, preferred equipment lists, and specification templates. 
  • Review vendor and skid E&I packages, support bid evaluation, and witness factory acceptance tests. 
  • Represent E&I in HAZOP, LOPA, and MOC reviews, and maintain records consistent with nuclear quality requirements. 

Construction and Commissioning 

  • Support construction through field walkdowns, inspections, and as-builts. 
  • Lead E&I commissioning in the field: loop checks, calibration verification, energization, and motor and VFD startup, troubleshooting issues through turnover to operations. 

 

Basic Qualifications 

  • Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a closely related discipline. 
  • 10+ years of E&I engineering experience in process industries, power generation, or comparable industrial facilities. 
  • Hands-on experience specifying process instrumentation and valves. 
  • LV electrical design experience for industrial facilities, including motor control, grounding, and hazardous area classification. 
  • E&I ownership of capital projects from design through field commissioning, including performing or directing loop checks, energization, and startup. 
  • Experience directing and reviewing the work of other engineers, designers, or contractors. 
  • Working knowledge of relevant NEC, ISA, API, and IEEE standards and of process safety reviews (HAZOP, LOPA, MOC). 
  • Working familiarity with DCS and PLC systems at the I/O and control narrative level. 

 

Preferred Skills and Experience 

  • Professional Engineer (P.E.) registration. 
  • Supervisory or people management experience. 
  • Experience at nuclear facilities (NQA-1 / 10 CFR 50 Appendix B) or other high-consequence regulated facilities, such as PSM-covered sites. 
  • Functional safety experience (IEC 61511 / ISA-84). 
  • A track record of reducing project cost through value engineering or standardization. 
  • Instrumentation experience in high-temperature or specialty gas service. 
  • Experience on first-of-a-kind or greenfield programs, including building E&I standards from scratch. 

 

 What We Offer  

  • Competitive base salary 
  • Equity ownership in a rapidly growing advanced energy company 
  • Comprehensive medical benefits 
  • Unlimited PTO
  • Free daily lunch and dinner provided onsite 
  • Generous PPE stipend
  • High-impact startup environment with significant ownership and autonomy 
  • Opportunities for rapid career growth and internal advancement 
  • Direct collaboration with experienced operators, engineers, and industry leaders 
  • The opportunity to help build and scale transformative energy technology from the ground up

 

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Valar Atomics is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable law.

We are committed to providing a workplace free of discrimination and harassment and will provide reasonable accommodation as required by law.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States as a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident (green card holder).

Salary

$196,000 - $240,000 USD

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