Production Quality Technician

Valar Atomics Inc.; Torrance (CA); On-site; USD 55,000 - 78,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity ownership in a rapidly growing,

Unlimited PTO

Free daily lunch and dinner onsite

PPE stipend

High-impact startup with ownership

Career growth opportunities

Job summary

Valar Atomics is seeking a Production Quality Technician to support quality execution on the production floor for HTGR reactor component and fuel-related manufacturing in Torrance, CA. You will perform inspections, maintain records, and collaborate with supervisors and engineers to ensure compliance and audit readiness.

This role is embedded in a fast-paced, high-stakes manufacturing environment with emphasis on traceability, CAPA, and operator verification certification activities.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required; technical certification or trade training a plus.
• Ability to read and interpret basic engineering drawings, specifications, work instructions, and controlled documentation.
• Familiarity with dimensional inspection equipment and standard measurement techniques, or willingness to learn.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to work accurately in fast-paced operational environments.
• Comfortable working within active manufacturing environments including exposure to industrial noise, fumes, and changing conditions while following safety protocols.

Responsibilities

• Perform in-process and final inspections of production components, assemblies, and materials.
• Support hold-point coordination and witness activities during production builds.
• Maintain and verify build records, material traceability documentation, and inspection/test records.
• Assist with setup and execution of inspection methods, gauges, and measurement equipment.
• Identify discrepancies or deviations and elevate promptly to supervisors or engineers.
• Support operator verification tasks under the OVC program as delegated by the Quality Department.
• Collaborate with operators, engineers, and supervisors to ensure on-floor quality requirements are understood.

Skills

Reading drawings

Dimensional inspection

Documentation

Attention to detail

Communication

Education

High school diploma

Technical certification

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 Regulations & Safety organization, Quality Assurance establishes the systems and standards that ensure products and processes consistently meet the highest levels of quality and compliance. The team promotes continuous improvement and operational excellence across the company.

The Role

As a Production Quality Technician, you will support quality execution directly on the production floor for HTGR reactor component and fuel-related manufacturing activities. This role sits within the Torrance manufacturing and fuel fabrication environment.

This role supports the execution of quality processes directly where production work occurs by assisting operators, technicians, and engineers in maintaining procedural compliance, traceability integrity, and execution discipline under real-world production conditions. You will work closely with Production Quality Supervisors and Engineers to perform in-process and final inspections, support hold points, and maintain the records that keep production quality traceable and audit-ready.

This is not a passive support role or inspection-only position. It is a hands-on operational quality role embedded directly within the production environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform in-process and final inspections of production components, assemblies, and materials in accordance with drawings, specifications, travelers, and work instructions.
• Support hold-point coordination and witness activities during production builds, ensuring verification steps are completed before work proceeds.
• Maintain and verify build records, material traceability documentation, and inspection/test records to ensure accuracy, completeness, legibility, and audit readiness.
• Support Production Quality Engineers with setup and execution of inspection methods, gauges, and measurement equipment.
• Identify discrepancies, missing documentation, workmanship concerns, or process deviations, and elevate clearly and promptly to Production Quality Supervisors or Engineers.
• Support operator verification activities under the Operator Verification Certification (OVC) program, including proctoring or assisting with certification tasks as delegated by the Quality Department.
• Work directly with operators, manufacturing engineers, and Production Quality Supervisors/Engineers to ensure quality requirements are understood and executed correctly on the floor.
• Support nonconformance documentation and provide objective evidence for CAPA activities tied to production execution.

You Will Be Successful in This Role If

• You are highly detail-oriented and take pride in disciplined execution and accurate documentation.
• You are comfortable learning technical requirements, engineering drawings, and controlled procedures within a fast-moving production environment.
• You communicate clearly and work effectively with operators, technicians, engineers, and supervisors.
• You thrive in operational environments where adaptability, urgency, and ownership are expected daily.
• You are willing to ask questions, learn from experienced personnel, and continuously develop technical capability.

Basic Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required; technical certification or trade training a plus.
• Ability to read and interpret basic engineering drawings, specifications, work instructions, and controlled documentation.
• Familiarity with dimensional inspection equipment and standard measurement techniques, or willingness to learn.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to work accurately in fast-paced operational environments.
• Comfortable working within active manufacturing environments including exposure to industrial noise, fabrication-related fumes, and changing operational conditions while following all safety protocols.
• Basic computer proficiency and ability to work within digital documentation and record management systems.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Prior experience supporting manufacturing, fabrication, or quality inspection in a production environment.
• Experience with nonconformance systems, build records, or material traceability systems.
• Experience in nuclear, aerospace, defense, semiconductor, or similarly regulated manufacturing environments.
• Familiarity with Operator Verification Certification (OVC) or similar delegated-verification programs.

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).

$55,000 - $78,000 USD

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey.Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiringprocess or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in aconfidential file.

As set forth in Valar Atomics’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection.As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measurethe effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categoriesis as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.