Director of Mechanical Engineering — Nuclear Reactor

Valar Atomics Inc.; Torrance (CA); On-site; USD 240,000 - 325,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity ownership

Unlimited PTO

Free daily lunch and dinner onsite

PPE stipend

Growth opportunities

Direct collaboration with leaders

Job summary

Valar Atomics seeks a Director of Mechanical for the reactor program. You will build and lead the mechanical engineering organization, covering the reactor, helium boundary, HVAC, and Citadel while ensuring design integrity and rigorous controls.

You will manage engineering managers and REs, drive scope and budget, and collaborate with systems, safety, and quality teams to deliver units as production scales.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of mechanical engineering on complex hardware such as pressure systems, heat transfer equipment, mechanisms or large structures.
• Hands-on technical authority who signs off designs and sets margins.

Responsibilities

• Own the mechanical design basis for the reactor and primary helium loop.
• Lead design reviews and gate decisions from concept through design freeze.
• Oversee hardware qualification from procurement to testing and commissioning.

Skills

Mechanical engineering

Technical authority

Leadership

Stress analysis

Thermal design

Tools

ASME codes (VIII, B31.3)

Pressure vessel codes

FEM/analysis tools

Job description

Valar Atomics seeks a Director of Mechanical for the reactor program. You will build and lead the mechanical engineering organization, covering the reactor, helium boundary, HVAC, and Citadel while ensuring design integrity and rigorous controls.

You will manage engineering managers and REs, drive scope and budget, and collaborate with systems, safety, and quality teams to deliver units as production scales.