Nuclear Fabrication & Welding Lead - Equity & Autonomy

Valar Atomics; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity ownership in a rapidly growing,

Unlimited PTO

Free daily lunch and dinner onsite

Generous PPE stipend

Job summary

Valar Atomics is seeking a Fabrication/Welding Lead to run the weld shop floor, own production scheduling, weld quality, and safety standards for nuclear-grade components. You will mentor welders and fabricators, collaborating closely with engineering and quality to scale a growing team in a fast-paced startup environment.

You will lead from the ground up, build robust processes, and ensure compliance with ASME and related codes while driving continuous improvement and on-time builds in a

Qualifications

• 8+ years welding/fabrication experience, including 2+ years in a lead or supervisory role.
• AWS Certified Welder with strong GTAW (TIG) proficiency on stainless steel and exotic alloys.
• Ability to read and work from complex engineering drawings, weld symbols, and WPS documentation.
• Experience with pressure vessel or code welding (ASME Section IX, B31.3, and similar).
• Proven track record leading, training, or mentoring a team of welders or fabricators.
• Comfortable operating in a fast-paced startup manufacturing environment with evolving processes.
• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs, stand for extended periods, and work in a shop-floor setting with appropriate PPE.

Responsibilities

• Lead, schedule, and mentor a team of welders and fabricators across daily production.
• Own weld quality standards; review and approve WPS, and troubleshoot process or quality issues on the floor.
• Partner with Engineering and QC to translate drawings and specifications into repeatable, nuclear-grade fabrication processes.
• Coordinate production priorities and timelines with the Manufacturing Manager to hit build schedules.
• Champion shop safety, 5S, and continuous improvement initiatives on the floor.
• Hire, train, and develop welders as the team scales; conduct performance reviews and skills assessments.
• Maintain documentation for weld travelers, certifications, and non-conformances per quality procedures.

Skills

Welding leadership

Read engineering drawings

Quality compliance

Safety awareness

ERP/MES experience

Education

AWS Certified Welder

Tools

WPS documentation

ERP/MES systems

Job description

Valar Atomics is seeking a Fabrication/Welding Lead to run the weld shop floor, own production scheduling, weld quality, and safety standards for nuclear-grade components. You will mentor welders and fabricators, collaborating closely with engineering and quality to scale a growing team in a fast-paced startup environment.

You will lead from the ground up, build robust processes, and ensure compliance with ASME and related codes while driving continuous improvement and on-time builds in a