Systems Engineer - Product

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

The Systems Engineer will participate in research for the Department of Energy (DOE) Genesis Mission demonstrating the value of Artificial Intelligence (AI) applied to the design and licensing of a Nuclear Reactor System and optionally for an associated fuel line. The Systems Engineer will prepare architecture models of systems both with and without an AI Model Assistant then produce appropriate licensing documents for delivery to regulators. This project will help define how Valar Atomics achieves its strategic plan to build giga sites and future projects. This position will be located in Torrance, California. Occasional travel (<10%) to other company sites.

Key Responsibilities 

• Develop and manage system requirements
• Support system architecture development and design
• Apply systems engineering lifecycle processes
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams
• Perform trade studies and risk assessments
• Create and maintain technical documentation
• Support integration, testing, and validation
• Assess AI assisted architecture design and author reports for the DOE

You Will Be Successful in This Role If

• Enjoy building first-of-a-kind systems and tackling problems with no established playbook
• Collaborate effectively with engineers across multiple disciplines
• Take ownership, work independently, and are comfortable operating in a fast-paced, first-of-a-kind development environment.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant engineering field
• 3+ years of systems engineering experience
• Strong understanding of systems engineering principles
• Experience working in multidisciplinary environments
• Strong analytical and communication skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with MBSE methodologies
• Experience with IBM Rhapsody 10.0 (SysML 1.x)
• Familiarity with SysML/UML
• Experience with requirements tools (DOORS, Jama, etc.)
• Experience in relevant industry
• Familiarity with use and checking of work items generated by AI Agents like Claude

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).