Mechanical Design Engineer, Power Conversion

Valar Atomics Inc.; Torrance (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 215,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive base salary

Equity ownership

Medical benefits

Unlimited PTO

Lunch provided onsite

PPE stipend

Autonomy

Career growth

Collaboration with leaders

Ground-up energy tech

Job summary

Valar Atomics is seeking a Power Conversion Mechanical Design Engineer to join the turbomachinery team and advance power generation capability. You will design static and rotating components of Valar’s turbomachinery and define manufacturable, high-efficiency solutions, collaborating with cross-functional teams to shape system architecture.

As an early hire, you will influence design decisions, own components through testing and production, and apply CAD tools (SolidWorks, Creo, or NX) with GD&T

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering.
• Excellent judgement in material selection for new components.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes and good judgement of when to use them.
• Minimum 3 years of experience as a mechanical designer.
• Experience with high temperature components and materials.

Responsibilities

• Lead mechanical design of assigned components across the power conversion discipline.
• Facilitate required analyses to further the design and procurement of your components.
• Own all aspects of bringing assigned components to test and to full scale production.
• Develop detailed 3D CAD models, assemblies, and engineering drawings (SolidWorks, Creo, or NX), applying advanced GD&T and tolerance analysis.
• Select component materials that balance capability versus lead time and cost considerations.
• Interface with internal and external machine shops to develop a manufacturable design.

Skills

3+ years mechanical designer

High-temperature components

Material selection judgement

Manufacturing processes understanding

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Master's degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

Creo

NX

GD&T proficiency

Job description

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, PowerConverse 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 Power Conversion Mechanical Design Engineer to join the turbomachinery team and advance power generation capability. In this role, you’ll be responsible for the mechanical design of static and rotating components of Valar’s power generation turbomachinery. 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

• Lead mechanical design of assigned components across the power conversion discipline
• Facilitate required analyses to further the design and procurement of your components.
• Own all aspects of bringing assigned components to test and to full scale production
• Develop detailed 3D CAD models, assemblies, and engineering drawings (SolidWorks, Creo, or NX), applying advanced GD&T and tolerance analysis.
• Select component materials that balance capability versus lead time and cost considerations
• Interface with internal and external machine shops to develop a manufacturable design

You Will Be Successful in This Role If

• You are excited to be a part of a complex turbomachinery product from the beginning
• You thrive in ambiguous environments without defined turbomachinery design best practices
• You want to be part of turbomachinery design beyond a singular siloed discipline

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering
• Excellent judgement in material selection for new components
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes and good judgement of when to use them
• Minimum 3 years of experience as a mechanical designer
• Experience with high temperature components and materials

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Master's degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering
• Experience with material selection of high temperature metals
• Experience with basic structural or thermal analysis for component sizing
• Experience with turbomachinery mechanical design
• Experience in gas turbines, gas compressors, turbopumps, or turboexpanders
• Experience with supercritical C02

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).

Salary

$140,000 — $215,000 USD