Manufacturing Engineer

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 

As a Manufacturing Engineer, you will own the execution, improvement, and scalability of hardware builds across Valar's development and production programs. This role sits directly on the shop floor and serves as the bridge between engineering intent and manufacturing reality. 
 
You will work alongside technicians, machinists, welders, fabricators, and design engineers to ensure hardware can be built efficiently, repeatedly, and at the level of quality required for advanced nuclear systems. 
 
This is a highly hands-on position. You will spend significant time assembling hardware, troubleshooting production issues, validating manufacturing processes, improving work instructions, and developing fixtures, tooling, and assembly methods that enable reliable execution. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Own day-to-day manufacturing execution activities supporting prototype, development, and early production hardware builds. 
• Work directly with technicians, machinists, welders, and fabrication personnel to support assembly and manufacturing operations. 
• Diagnose and resolve fit-up, tolerance, alignment, assembly, and yield-related issues encountered during production. 
• Design and implement fixtures, jigs, gauges, tooling, and test setups that improve manufacturing efficiency and repeatability. 
• Develop and continuously improve manufacturing processes, assembly procedures, and work instructions. 
• Drive DFM and DFA improvements based on direct production feedback. 

You Will Be Successful in This Role If... 

• Hardware moves through the shop faster and with fewer surprises because of your involvement. 
• Technicians seek your input when manufacturing issues arise because you consistently provide practical solutions. 
• You can quickly identify the root cause of build, fit-up, tolerance, or assembly issues and drive them to resolution. 
• Manufacturing processes become more repeatable, efficient, and scalable through the fixtures, tooling, and work instructions you develop. 
• Engineering designs improve because of the feedback you provide from direct manufacturing experience. 
• You are equally comfortable reviewing CAD models, taking measurements on the shop floor, and jumping into a build when needed. 
• You thrive in fast-paced environments where priorities shift and execution matters more than perfect plans. 
• You take ownership of outcomes, not just tasks, and are motivated by seeing hardware successfully built and deployed. 

Basic Qualifications 

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent practical experience. 
• 3+ years of experience supporting manufacturing, assembly, fabrication, or production operations involving physical hardware. 
• Strong mechanical troubleshooting and root-cause analysis skills. 
• Proficiency with CAD software such as SolidWorks, Creo, NX, or similar. 

Preferred Qualifications 

• Experience transitioning products from prototype to production. 
• Knowledge of GD&T, tolerance stack-ups, and manufacturing process development. 
• Experience designing production tooling, fixtures, and assembly equipment. 

What We Offer  

• Competitive base salary 
• Equity ownership in a rapidly growing advanced energy company 
• Comprehensive medical benefits 
• Free daily lunch and dinner provided onsite 
• 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).