Graphite Production Lead

Valar Atomics is a nuclear energy company focused on scaling high-temperature gas reactors (HTGRs) for grid-independent industrial applications. The company is developing what it calls gigasites, large-scale facilities housing hundreds of nuclear reactors intended to power heavy industry, data centers, hydrogen production, and clean hydrocarbon fuel synthesis. Their reactor design uses TRISO fuel, a graphite moderator, and helium coolant, a combination the company highlights for its strong safety profile and proliferation resistance. By operating outside the traditional electricity grid, Valar Atomics aims to unlock economies of scale that have historically eluded the nuclear industry. Valar Atomics' mission centers on making nuclear energy the cheapest and most reliable energy source in the world, with a particular emphasis on decarbonizing industrial processes and enabling clean fuel production. Their hydrogen output, generated via a sulfur-iodine thermochemical cycle, can be combined with captured CO2 to produce synthetic hydrocarbons through a modified Fischer-Tropsch process, offering a pathway to drop-in clean fuels. The company also targets the surging power demands of AI data centers, which are projected to require over 200 additional terawatt-hours of grid power by 2030. The company is currently advancing its Ward 250 project, a test reactor being developed in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy, the San Rafael Energy Research Center, and the State of Utah, with a target go-live date of July 4, 2026, America's 250th birthday. The reactor has already been physically transported to Emery County, Utah, with logistical support from the U.S. military. Four executive orders issued under the Trump administration provided a mandate supporting the project's accelerated deployment timeline.

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 

As part of the Manufacturing organization, the Machine Shop manufactures precision components that meet exacting engineering and quality standards. The team supports rapid development, prototyping, and production through advanced machining capabilities.

The Role 

Valar Atomics is looking for a Graphite Production Lead to run day-to-day operations for graphite machining and lead a growing team of CNC programmers and machinists. Graphite is a specialized, abrasive material central to our reactor components, and this role owns the production schedule, tooling strategy, and quality standards for graphite parts from CNC programming through final inspection, while mentoring the team and partnering closely with engineering and EHS on safe, efficient handling of abrasive material and dust.

Key Responsibilities 

• Lead, schedule, and mentor a team of CNC programmers and machinists focused on graphite production.
• Own tooling and consumable strategy for graphite machining, including managing rapid tool wear specific to abrasive materials.
• Review and refine CNC programs (ESPRIT EDGE, Fusion 360) and toolpaths for graphite parts, partnering with programmers to troubleshoot setups.
• Ensure dust collection, ventilation, and PPE protocols are followed to keep graphite machining operations safe and compliant.
• Coordinate production priorities and schedules with Management to hit build timelines.
• Partner with Engineering and QC on design-for-manufacturability feedback and first-article inspection for new graphite parts.
• 5S, continuous improvement, and quality standards on the graphite production floor.
• Hire, train, and develop team members as graphite production scales; conduct performance reviews.

Basic Qualifications  

• 5+ years of CNC machining or programming experience, including experience with graphite or other abrasive materials.
• 3+ years in a lead or supervisory role over a machining or production team.
• Proficiency with CAM software (ESPRIT EDGE, Fusion 360, or similar) for mills and/or lathes.
• Strong understanding of tooling wear, feeds/speeds, and work-holding strategies specific to graphite or other abrasive materials.
• Ability to read and work from complex engineering drawings, GD&T, and CAD models.
• Familiarity with dust collection, ventilation, and safety protocols for machining abrasive/particulate-generating materials.
• Comfortable operating in a fast-paced startup manufacturing environment with evolving processes.

Preferred Skills and Experience  

• Direct experience machining nuclear-grade or high-purity graphite.
• Experience with in-machine probing for part verification.
• Experience with automation or lights-out programming.
• 5-axis programming experience.
• Experience standing up new machining processes or a new production line 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).