Purchasing Manager

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, Supply Chain secures the materials, equipment, and supplier partnerships required to support manufacturing and business operations. The team builds resilient supply chains while ensuring quality, cost, and delivery performance. 

The Role

• Build and lead a high-impact purchasing team, overseeing Buyers and Senior Buyers across direct and indirect spend categories.
• Drive on-time, on-quality, on-cost PO placement and delivery across the full purchasing organization.
• Develop and enforce purchasing policies, processes, controls and systems that scale with Valar's production ramp.
• Partner cross-functionally with Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Finance, and Sourcing to align purchasing execution with business priorities.

Key Responsibilities 

• Manage and develop a team of Buyers and Senior Buyers, setting priorities, workload, and performance goals across direct and indirect categories.
• Own team-wide KPIs and drive corrective action where needed.
• Escalate and resolve complex supplier issues, schedule risks, and cross-functional roadblocks beyond buyer | Senior buyers scopes.
• Develop, standardize, and continuously improve purchasing processes, procedures, controls and systems across the team.
• Ensure purchasing activities comply with nuclear industry regulatory requirements (10 CFR 830) and maintain accurate, audit-ready purchasing records.
• Partner with Sourcing, Engineering, and Quality to align purchasing execution with supplier strategy and program milestones.
• Hire and onboard Purchasing talents.  Build the purchasing capabilities and capacities as the purchasing team scales with production.
• Report purchasing performance, risks and risks mitigation plans to Supply Chain leadership.

Basic Qualifications 

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, or Operations.
• 8+ years of experience in purchasing or supply chain, including 3+ years leading a purchasing team.
• Experience managing both direct and indirect spend categories.
• Hands-on experience in an ERP/MRP-driven environment.
• Ability to operate in a fast-paced, highly regulated environment with a strong sense of urgency. Detail-oriented, results-driven, strong communicator, and team player.

Preferred Skills and Experience 

• Nuclear, aerospace, automotive or other highly regulated industry experience.
• Experience building or scaling a purchasing team from the ground up.
• APICS/CPIM certification.
• Start-up / fast-growth company experience a plus.

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).