Senior Mechanical Design Engineer — High-Impact Energy (Equity)

Valar Atomics Inc.; Hawthorne (CA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity ownership

Unlimited PTO

Free daily lunch and dinner onsite

PPE stipend

High-autonomy startup environment

Job summary

Valar Atomics is building the next generation of high-temperature nuclear power. We seek a Senior Mechanical Design Engineer to design, develop, and validate mechanical systems for production-ready hardware, mentor peers, and drive cross-functional collaboration.

You will lead subsystems, run FEA/CFD analyses, create detailed CAD models, and ensure designs meet performance, manufacturability, and cost targets. Join a fast-moving startup with equity and ownership opportunities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field is required.
• 5–10 years of mechanical design and product development experience.
• Proven track record delivering production-ready hardware.
• Proficiency in CAD and drafting standards.
• Experience with FEA/CFD analyses.

Responsibilities

• Lead mechanical design efforts for major subsystems balancing performance, manufacturability, and cost.
• Mentor junior engineers and review designs for engineering rigor.
• Develop detailed 3D CAD models and drawings and perform tolerance analysis.
• Perform structural, thermal, and fluid analyses (FEA/CFD).
• Oversee prototype fabrication, assembly, and testing; iterate designs as needed.
• Collaborate with electrical, manufacturing, and systems engineers for integration.
• Coordinate with vendors on DFM feedback and process selection.
• Contribute to best practices and design documentation standards.

Skills

CAD software

Mechanical design

Leadership

Documentation

FEA/CFD analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

Creo

NX

PLM/PDM tools

Job description

Valar Atomics is building the next generation of high-temperature nuclear power. We seek a Senior Mechanical Design Engineer to design, develop, and validate mechanical systems for production-ready hardware, mentor peers, and drive cross-functional collaboration.

You will lead subsystems, run FEA/CFD analyses, create detailed CAD models, and ensure designs meet performance, manufacturability, and cost targets. Join a fast-moving startup with equity and ownership opportunities.