Head of Facilities

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 Role

We're seeking a Head of Facilities to own and scale the operations of our combined office and manufacturing site in Hawthorne. This role is responsible for ensuring that our physical environment enables world-class engineering and manufacturing—reliable, safe, compliant, and built to scale rapidly. You'll lead all aspects of facility operations, infrastructure, compliance, and expansion. The work is highly cross-functional and requires both strategic planning and hands-on execution.

Key Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end operations of our combined business office and manufacturing facility, ensuring safety, reliability, and operational excellence across all building systems.
• Oversee maintenance of critical infrastructure (HVAC, electrical, plumbing, fire and life safety) with strong preventive maintenance programs and rapid response.
• Manage HVAC and environmental systems to maintain required operating conditions for engineering and production while optimizing energy efficiency.
• Oversee utilities (power, water, gas), including uptime, redundancy planning, capacity forecasting, and cost control.
• Ensure proper storage systems and compliance for materials, equipment, and regulated items.
• Oversee physical security and access control systems, ensuring a safe and controlled environment.
• Manage parking, site traffic flow, and logistics for employees, visitors, and vendors.
• Ensure clean, well-maintained, and fully functional workspaces, including offices, restrooms, and common areas.
• Partner with external project management firms, contractors, and architects on construction, renovations, and site expansion.
• Lead facility build-outs from concept through execution, including budgeting, permitting, and timelines, ensuring all projects meet operational, safety, and compliance standards.
• Ensure full compliance with OSHA, building codes, fire regulations, and environmental standards, and own audit and inspection readiness across all regulatory bodies.
• Implement and maintain emergency preparedness plans and incident response protocols, and serve as the around-the-clock emergency point of contact for facility-related issues.
• Build and manage a high-performing, lean facilities team (technicians, custodial, and others) with clear accountability and performance standards.
• Manage third-party vendors (janitorial, maintenance, security, and others), establishing SLAs and ensuring high-quality, cost-effective service, and lead vendor selection, contract negotiation, and ongoing performance management.

You Will Be Successful in This Role If

• You operate with extreme ownership, seeing problems and fixing them rather than routing them.
• You move quickly and prioritize what matters most for the business.
• You're comfortable being both operator and builder, switching fluidly between hands-on execution and strategic planning.
• You hold a high bar for safety, reliability, and execution across every system you touch.
• You understand that facilities are a critical path to operations, not a support function, and you partner accordingly with engineering and manufacturing.
• You communicate clearly and bring a customer-service mindset to internal stakeholders and external vendors alike.

Basic Qualifications

• 8+ years operating facilities or infrastructure in high-performance environments (e.g., advanced manufacturing, aerospace, defense, energy).
• Proven track record of supporting hardware production, testing, or industrial operations.
• Deep understanding of building systems—power, HVAC, utilities—and their impact on production and manufacturing.
• Experience leading facility build-outs, expansions, or rapid reconfigurations.
• Strong working knowledge of OSHA, ADA, safety systems, and regulatory requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to operate hands-on in fast-paced, ambiguous environments.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with a customer-service mindset.
• High level of organization with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Comfortable working both independently and as part of a team.
• Based in or willing to relocate to Hawthorne, CA.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Experience standing up or scaling a manufacturing site from early stage.
• Experience with high-power or specialized infrastructure environments.
• Prior General Contractor license or experience.
• Familiarity with CMMS or reliability engineering practices.
• Experience in ITAR and export control environments.

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).