Director Instrumentation, Control, and Electrical – Power Conversion

Valar Atomics; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity ownership in a rapidly growing,

Unlimited PTO

Free daily lunch and dinner onsite

Generous PPE stipend

High-impact startup environment

Job summary

Valar Atomics is seeking a Director of Instrumentation, Controls & Electrical (IC&E) for Power Conversion to own the complete IC&E architecture across the HTGR power conversion system. You will guide instrumentation, controls, and electrical design from early R&D through test facility construction, commissioning, and operation.

The role combines hands-on technical authority with team leadership, shaping an IC&E organization and coordinating with turbomachinery, mechanical, and reactor teams to

Qualifications

• 15+ years of engineering experience in instrumentation, control systems, and/or electrical design for rotating machinery or industrial systems.
• Hands-on turbomachinery control systems experience including speed governing and trip logic.
• Experience leading IC&E scope on test facilities, rigs, or capital projects.

Responsibilities

• Own the IC&E design basis for the primary to secondary loop Brayton power conversion unit.
• Define instrumentation strategy for high-speed rotating machinery in helium environments.
• Lead IC&E scope for development test facilities and commissioning.
• Build and mentor the IC&E engineering team across disciplines.
• Manage scope, schedule, and budget within the power conversion program.

Skills

Turbomachinery control

IC&E leadership

Electrical design

Project management

Vendor management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

PE license (preferred)

Tools

Instrumentation design tools

Switchgear design tools

Job description

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, Instrumentations & Controls designs the systems that monitor, automate, and protect Valar's facilities and reactor technologies. The team develops reliable control architectures that enable safe and efficient operations.

The Role

Our HTGR power conversion systemwill bebuilt around asecondary loopBrayton cycle,high-speed turbomachineryoperatingon helium, sCO2, and even airat extreme temperatures and pressures, paired with development generator sets and a purpose-built test facility program. The Director of IC&E for Power Conversion owns the full instrumentation, control, and electrical architecture across this system: from early R&D and rig design through test facility construction, commissioning, andultimately integratedplant operation.

This role demands someone who can operate at two levels simultaneouslywitha hands-on technical authority who understands turbomachinery dynamics, high-speed generator control, and test system instrumentation at a deep level, and a team leader who builds and develops the IC&E organization around the power conversion program. Candidates from oil & gas, aerospacepropulsion, industrial turbomachinery, or power generation are stronglypreferred.Nuclearbackground is a plus, not a prerequisite.

Key Responsibilities

Technical Leadership — Turbomachinery & Power Conversion

• Own the IC&E design basis for theprimary to secondary coolant loopBrayton cycle power conversion unit (PCU), including compressor, turbine, recuperator, and intercooler control systems
• Define instrumentation strategy for high-speed rotating machinery — shaft dynamics, vibration monitoring, tip clearance, temperature, pressure, and flow measurement in helium environments
• Develop control system architecture for turbomachinery startup, shutdown, load following, trip logic, and speed/load governing
• Lead IC&E design for development generator sets — excitation systems, voltage regulation, synchronization, protection relays, and grid interface or islanded operation schemes
• Establish electrical power distribution design for the power conversion facility: MV/LV switchgear, variable frequency drives (VFDs), power electronics, and auxiliary systems

Test Facility Design, Construction & Commissioning

• Lead IC&E scope for the design and construction of turbomachinery development and test facilities — from instrumentation layout and data acquisition architecture through facility electrical design
• Own IC&E commissioning planning and execution
• Establish instrumentation calibration programs, measurement uncertainty budgets, and data quality standards for development testing
• Build, lead, and mentor the power conversion IC&E engineering team across disciplines,controls, instrumentation, electrical, and data systems
• Define team structure, staffing plans, and competency roadmap as the program scales from R&D through construction and commissioning phases
• Manage IC&E scope, schedule, and budget within the broader power conversion program
• Select and manage IC&E vendors, system integrators, and instrumentation suppliers; define qualification, calibration, and acceptance requirements
• Collaborate closely with turbomachinery, mechanical, thermal-hydraulics, systems engineering, and the reactor IC&E team to ensure integrated plant control architecture is coherent across the PCU–reactor interface

Phase Continuity

• Carry IC&E ownership across all power conversion program phases: conceptual design → detailed engineering → test facility procurement and construction → commissioning and integrated testing→reactorplant integration

You Will Be Successful in This Role If

• You enjoy solving first-of-a-kind engineering challenges where there is no existing playbook
• You communicate effectively with executives, regulators, customers, and engineering teams, translating complex technical concepts into clear decisions.
• You thrive in fast-moving environments where priorities evolve, but safety and engineering quality remain uncompromising.

Basic Qualifications

• 15+ years of engineering experience in instrumentation, control systems, and/or electrical design for rotating machinery, turbomachinery, or high-performance industrial systems
• Demonstrated hands-on experience with turbomachinery control systems — speed governing, surge protection, bearing monitoring, trip logic, or equivalent
• Experience leading IC&E scope on test facilities, development rigs, or capital construction projects
• Strong foundation in electrical systems design: switchgear, motor drives, protection and controls, and facility power distribution
• Experience managing IC&E teams and vendor relationships across multiple project phases

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Experience with high-speed generators, excitation systems, and power conversion electronics
• Background in Brayton cycle, gas turbine, or compressor-expander systems
• Familiarity with helium or other working fluid systems and associated instrumentation challenges (low viscosity, high thermal conductivity, leak detection)
• Experience with high-bandwidth data acquisition systems and dynamic measurement in rotating machinery applications
• Nuclear industry experience, commercial, defense, or national laboratory particularly in power conversion or balance-of-plant systems
• Knowledge of relevant standards: API 670 (machinery protection), IEEE 1023 (nuclear BOP control), IEC 61511 (functional safety), NFPA 70/79
• PE license (Instrumentation, Control, or Electrical) a plus

What We Offer

• Equity ownership in a rapidly growing advanced energy company
• 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).