Turbomachinery Aerodynamics 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, Power Conversion develops the technologies that efficiently transform reactor-generated heat into usable electrical power. The team focuses on maximizing system performance, reliability, and commercial viability.

The Role 

Valar Atomics is seeking a turbomachinery aerodynamics engineer to join the turbomachinery team and advance power generation capability. In this role, you’ll be responsible for the aerodynamic design of cutting-edge turbomachinery for power generation. You’ll be working with cross-functional team members to define a manufacturable, high efficiency, robust design. As an early hire in turbomachinery, you will be able to directly influence design decisions on the system architecture. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Conduct meanline and streamline analysis of turbomachinery designs 
• Analyze turbomachinery components using 3D CFD 
• Conduct trade studies of turbomachinery configurations including stage count, shrouded/unshrouded designs, axial/radial configurations 

Basic Qualifications 

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering 
• Experience analyzing turbomachinery (Turbines, Compressors, Turbochargers, Turboexpanders, Blowers, Turbopumps, etc.) 
• Experience with meanline and streamline analysis of turbomachinery 
• Experience with 3D CFD simulations of turbomachinery 

Preferred Skills and Experience 

• Master's degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering  
• Knowledge of manufacturing, postprocessing, assembly, inspection procedures for turbomachinery 
• Experience with supercritical C02 
• Experience with unsteady simulations of turbomachinery 
• Experience with thermodynamic cycle analysis 
• Experience with commercially available turbomachinery design packages (AxStream, Concepts NREC, NPSS OTAC) 

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).