Health Physics Technician (HPT) Hardware

Front Door Defense; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive base salary

Equity ownership in a growing company

Comprehensive medical benefits

On-site lunch provided

Job summary

Valar Atomics is seeking a Health Physics Technician to establish and maintain radiological protection programs for a pilot nuclear facility in Utah. You will work closely with operations, maintenance, and engineering to ensure safe execution and regulatory compliance in a hands-on, field-driven role.

You will perform surveys, monitor instrumentation, and support ALARA implementations while traveling to Hawthorne, CA as needed and supporting the project with strong safety culture.

Qualifications

• Associate degree or higher in Health Physics, Radiation Protection, Nuclear Technology, or related field.
• NRRPT certification is required.
• Experience performing radiological surveys and contamination surveys.
• Proficiency operating health physics instrumentation and radiological monitoring equipment.
• Willingness to relocate to Utah and travel to Hawthorne, CA.

Responsibilities

• Perform radiological surveys to characterize facility and worksite conditions.
• Provide continuous/ intermittent radiological coverage for operations and maintenance.
• Verify RWPs and radiological protection requirements.
• Exercise stop-work authority when radiological conditions change.
• Maintain radiological postings, barriers, and access controls.
• Issue, track, and maintain dosimetry and monitoring equipment.
• Conduct contamination surveys and smear/swipe sampling.
• Operate and maintain health physics instrumentation including ion chambers and GM meters.
• Support ALARA planning and radiological work planning.
• Collaborate with operations, maintenance, engineering, and safety teams.

Skills

Radiological protection

Field work experience

ALARA principles

Communication skills

Attention to detail

Team collaboration

Education

Associate's degree or higher in Health Physics/ Radiation Protection/ Nuclear Technology

NRRPT certification

Formal HPT qualification program (ELT/ ANSI/ANS/ DOE-HDBK-1122)

Tools

Ion chambers

GM survey meters

Contamination monitors

Friskers

Air sampling equipment

Job description

Health Physics Technician (HPT)

Develop and implement radiological protection programs for the pilot nuclear facility

Location: Orangeville, Utah Hawthorne, California

About The Role

Health Physics Technician (HPT)

Orangeville, Utah, United States

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.

Valar Atomics is seeking a Health Physics Technician (HPT) to help establish and maintain world-class radiological protection programs supporting the development, commissioning, and operation of advanced nuclear facilities. This is not a role where you simply perform surveys and complete paperwork—you will be an active partner to operations, maintenance, engineering, and radiation protection teams to ensure work is executed safely, efficiently, and in compliance with regulatory requirements.

As a Health Physics Technician, you will be responsible for identifying radiological hazards, implementing effective controls, supporting work execution in the field, and maintaining the high standards required for nuclear operations. You will play a critical role in protecting personnel, facilities, and the environment while helping advance technology that has the potential to reshape the future of energy.

This role is ideal for someone who enjoys working in the field, thrives in a hands-on operational environment, and possesses the judgment and integrity required to maintain a strong nuclear safety culture.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform radiological surveys including radiation, contamination, and airborne radioactivity assessments to characterize facility and worksite conditions.
• Provide continuous or intermittent radiological coverage for operations, maintenance, construction, and testing activities.
• Verify compliance with Radiological Work Permits (RWPs), work controls, and radiological protection requirements.
• Exercise stop-work authority when radiological conditions change or personnel safety may be compromised.
• Establish and maintain radiological postings, barriers, access controls, and contamination control boundaries.
• Issue, track, and maintain personnel dosimetry, radiological monitoring equipment, and protective equipment.
• Conduct contamination surveys, smear/swipe surveys, and personnel monitoring activities.
• Perform daily operability checks, source checks, and routine maintenance of portable and fixed radiation detection instrumentation.
• Operate and maintain health physics instrumentation including ion chambers, GM survey meters, contamination monitors, friskers, and air sampling equipment.
• Support implementation of ALARA principles and radiological work planning activities.
• Serve as a member of the emergency response organization, providing radiological assessment and support during abnormal or emergency conditions.
• Generate accurate, complete, and technically defensible survey records, logs, and documentation.
• Support audits, inspections, procedure development, and regulatory compliance activities.
• Collaborate closely with operations, maintenance, engineering, and safety teams to execute work safely and efficiently.
• Help build and continuously improve radiological protection processes, procedures, and standards as Valar scales its operations.

Basic Qualifications

• Associate's degree or higher in Health Physics, Radiation Protection, Nuclear Technology, or a related scientific discipline; OR
• High School Diploma (or equivalent) and completion of a formal Health Physics Technician qualification program, including:
  • U.S. Navy Engineering Laboratory Technician (ELT)
  • ANSI/ANS commercial nuclear qualification program
  • DOE-HDBK-1122 qualification program
  • Equivalent recognized HPT qualification program; OR
• Current National Registry of Radiation Protection Technologists (NRRPT) certification.
• Experience performing radiological surveys involving alpha, beta, gamma, and neutron radiation.
• Experience conducting contamination surveys and smear/swipe sampling.
• Proficiency operating portable health physics instrumentation and radiological monitoring equipment.
• Working knowledge of contamination control, radiological postings, RWPs, personnel monitoring, and ALARA principles.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to identify changing radiological conditions in the field.
• Ability to communicate effectively with technicians, engineers, operators, and management personnel.
• Willingness to relocate to Utah to support facility operations.
• Ability to travel periodically to Valar headquarters in Hawthorne, California.
• Ability to work in industrial environments while wearing required PPE and radiological protection equipment.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Previous experience supporting Department of Energy (DOE) facilities, national laboratories, or DOE contractors.
• Commercial nuclear power experience.
• Experience supporting reactor operations, startup, commissioning, maintenance, or refueling activities.
• Familiarity with reactor systems and associated radiological hazards.
• Current NRRPT certification.
• Experience working in highly regulated nuclear or industrial environments.
• Strong understanding of 10 CFR 835 requirements and radiological protection best practices.
• Experience supporting emergency preparedness and response organizations.
• Demonstrated ability to identify hazards, challenge unsafe conditions, and uphold a strong safety culture.
• Experience helping develop or improve radiological protection programs, procedures, or work controls.

What We Offer

• Competitive base salary
• Equity ownership in a rapidly growing advanced energy company
• Comprehensive medical benefits
• Free daily lunch provided on-site
• 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).