Strategic Sourcing, Director

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 lean, high-impact sourcing team, setting supplier strategy across the supply chain.  
• Drive Total Cost of Ownership reduction and optimum value creation through market analysis, should-cost modeling, RFx processes, and negotiations.  
• Develop and enforce strategic partnerships and suppliers agreements that protect functional relationships and ensure compliance.  
• Partners cross-functionally with internal and external stakeholders to improve policies and processes for efficiency and scalability. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Own cross-functional supplier selection and lead negotiations for critical components and services. 
• Design and drive sourcing policies and procedures that maximize efficiency and scalability. 
• Implement and deploy cost modeling to identify and prioritize high-impact sourcing opportunities. 
• Present sourcing strategy and results to executive leadership. 
• Build and maintain deep partnerships with best-in-class suppliers. 
• Track industry and market trends, integrating new data into sourcing strategy. 
• Proactively identify, monitor and mitigate supply base risks. 

Basic Qualifications 

• Bachelor's degree in Supply chain, Operations or related field.  
• 15+ years of experience in Strategic Sourcing or Supply chain Management 
• 5 years in People Leadership roles, managing Sourcing | Procurement teams 
• Proven track record negotiating large, complex, high value contracts in safety critical industries. 
• Experience across multiple commodities categories (Raw material, Direct Materials, Indirect, Services) 
• Experience operating in fast growth and highly regulated environment. 
• Experience building or scaling a Strategic Sourcing team function from the ground up. 

Preferred Skills and Experience 

 

• MBA or Master's degree in Supply chain, Operations or related field.  
• Nuclear industry experience 
• Strong negotiation and business acumen (Contract, pricing structures, Total Cost of Ownership, should cost modeling) 
• Strong cross-functional leadership 
• Start-up | Fast growth company experience a plus. 
• CPIM, CPSM certification 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).