Principal Instrumentation & Control 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 Team 

As part of the Engineering organization, Instrumentations & Controls designs the systems that monitor, automate, and protect Valar's facilities and reactor technologies. The team develops reliable control architectures that enable safe and efficient operations. 

The Role 

Valar Atomics is seeking Principal Instrumentation & Control Engineers to lead the design, specification, integration, and commissioning of process instrumentation for our advanced high-temperature gas reactor (HTGR) development program and associated thermal test facilities. 

This role owns the instrumentation architecture for high-temperature, high-pressure helium systems, electric heater systems, turbomachinery, cooling systems, and reactor support equipment. The successful candidate will work closely with mechanical, electrical, and nuclear engineers to develop reliable measurement systems from concept through commissioning. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Lead the specification, selection, and integration of process instrumentation including pressure, temperature, flow, level, position, vibration, and gas analysis.  

• Develop instrument datasheets, P&IDs, loop diagrams, wiring diagrams, and commissioning procedures.  

• Support reactor protection and process control system design.  

• Lead instrument calibration, loop checks, FAT, SAT, startup, and commissioning activities.  

• Establish instrumentation standards and mentor junior engineers.  

Basic Qualifications 

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related discipline.  

• 10+ years of experience with industrial process instrumentation.  

• Experience with complex thermal-fluid systems, power generation, chemical processing, nuclear, aerospace test facilities, or similar industries.  

• Strong understanding of instrumentation selection, calibration, and commissioning.  

Preferred Skills and Experience 

• Experience with high-temperature gas systems, helium systems, or advanced reactor technologies.  

• Experience with Allen-Bradley ControlLogix/GuardLogix. 

• Experience commissioning first-of-a-kind process facilities.  

• Familiarity with functional safety and industrial automation best practices.  

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).