Senior Process 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, Mechanical Engineering designs and develops the mechanical systems, components, and equipment that power Valar's advanced nuclear technologies. The team ensures designs are robust, manufacturable, and optimized for long-term performance. 

The Role 

Valar Atomics is seeking an experienced Senior Process Engineer to lead the design, development, testing, and operation of helium systems supporting next-generation high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) technology. This engineer will own process system architecture from early concept and design through manufacturing and commissioning.

Key Responsibilities 

• Own the design, procurement, fabrication, assembly, and commissioning of helium process systems from concept through operation.
• Lead manufacturing execution for assigned systems, including vendor selection, fabrication oversight, inspections, issue resolution, and acceptance testing.
• Develop process system documentation including PFDs, P&IDs, equipment specifications, piping specifications, operating procedures, and engineering calculations.
• Perform process engineering analyses including mass and energy balances, pressure drop, heat transfer, equipment sizing, gas flow, and transient system behavior.
• Specify and integrate process equipment including pressure vessels, heat exchangers, adsorption systems, compressors, valves, piping, instrumentation, and gas analyzers.
• Work directly with internal manufacturing, suppliers, and contract manufacturers to resolve fabrication issues, improve manufacturability, and ensure hardware meets design intent.
• Support equipment procurement by developing technical requirements, reviewing vendor proposals, and approving manufacturing documentation.
• Lead system integration, installation, startup, commissioning, and troubleshooting of helium process systems.

Basic Qualifications  

• Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
• 5+ years of experience designing industrial process systems, gas handling systems, thermal-fluid systems, or related energy systems.
• Proven experience developing and delivering complex engineered systems from concept through commissioning or operational deployment.
• Strong foundation in thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and process engineering principles.
• Experience developing PFDs, P&IDs, process calculations, equipment specifications, and system operating procedures.
• Familiarity with industrial instrumentation, process controls, and gas analysis systems.
• Excellent technical communication, documentation, and cross-functional leadership skills.

Preferred Skills and Experience  

• Master's degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, or a related field.
• Experience with helium systems, cryogenic systems, high-pressure gas systems, gas purification, vacuum systems, or high-temperature process equipment.
• Experience with high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs), advanced reactor technologies, or other nuclear energy systems.
• Familiarity with helium coolant chemistry, impurity control, moisture management, graphite compatibility, and gas sampling systems.
• Working knowledge of ASME B31.3 Process Piping, ASME Section VIII Pressure Vessels, and applicable industrial gas handling standards.
• Hands-on experience supporting commissioning, startup, troubleshooting, and performance optimization of first-of-a-kind process systems.
• Experience participating in design reviews, HAZOPs, FMEAs, and system safety analyses.

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).