Senior Mechanical Engineer

Valar Atomics Inc.; Torrance (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity ownership

Unlimited PTO

Free daily lunch and dinner onsite

PPE stipend

Autonomy and ownership

Rapid career growth

Direct collaboration with industry лид

The opportunity to build and scale new

Job summary

Valar Atomics is seeking a Senior Mechanical Design Engineer to drive the design and validation of complex mechanical systems for next-generation energy technologies. You will own subsystem design, mentor engineers, and ensure designs meet performance, manufacturability, and cost targets.

You will create 3D models and drawings (SolidWorks, Creo, NX), apply GD&T, and perform FEA/CFD analyses to validate performance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering.
• 5+ years of mechanical design and product development experience.
• Proven track record with production-ready hardware.
• Expert CAD proficiency in SolidWorks, Creo, NX (or similar).
• Experience performing or supervising FEA and CFD analyses.
• Excellent communication, technical documentation, and leadership skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead mechanical design efforts for major subsystems while balancing performance, manufacturability, and cost.
• Mentor junior engineers and review designs for engineering rigor.
• Develop 3D CAD models, assemblies, and drawings with GD&T.
• Perform structural, thermal, or fluid analyses to validate performance.
• Oversee prototype fabrication, assembly, testing, and results interpretation.
• Collaborate with electrical, manufacturing, and systems engineers for integration.
• Engage with vendors to manage DFM feedback and process selection.
• Contribute to design documentation and configuration management.

Skills

Engineering leadership

Technical judgment

Communication

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

Creo

NX

FEA software

CFD software

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 Engineering organization, Mechanical Engineering designs and develops the mechanical systems, components, and equipment that power Valar's advanced nuclear technologies. The team ensures designs are robust, manufacturable, and optimized for long-term performance.

The Role

We're seeking a highly skilled Senior Mechanical Design Engineer to join our engineering team and accelerate the frontier of advanced power generation. In this role, you'll be responsible for designing, developing, and validating mechanical systems and components that meet performance, manufacturability, and cost requirements. You'll work closely with cross-functional teams to bring innovative products from concept to production, and serve as a technical leader and mentor for less experienced engineers.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead mechanical design efforts for major subsystems, ensuring alignment between performance targets, manufacturability, and cost.
• Mentor junior engineers and review mechanical designs to ensure consistency with company standards and engineering rigor.
• Develop detailed 3D CAD models, assemblies, and engineering drawings (SolidWorks, Creo, or NX), applying advanced GD&T and tolerance analysis.
• Perform structural, thermal, or fluid analyses (FEA and CFD) to validate system performance and reliability.
• Oversee prototype fabrication, assembly, and testing, and interpret results to refine designs and improve system performance.
• Partner with electrical, manufacturing, and systems engineers to drive integration and design optimization.
• Work closely with vendors to manage DFM feedback, manufacturing process selection, and quality control.
• Contribute to internal best practices for mechanical design, documentation, and configuration management.

You Will Be Successful in This Role If

• You take true ownership of major subsystems, balancing performance, manufacturability, and cost in every design decision.
• You bring strong technical judgment to design trade-offs and know when to dig deeper versus when to keep moving.
• You apply analysis (FEA, CFD, hand calculations) appropriately, treating it as a tool for design decisions rather than a deliverable.
• You partner effectively with manufacturing and supplier teams, designing for what can actually be built and inspected.
• You mentor and develop other engineers, raising the technical capability of the team over time.
• You communicate and document clearly, leaving designs and design intent that other engineers can build on.
• You approach problems with a root-cause mindset, treating failures as opportunities to understand the system better.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in mechanical design and product development.
• Proven track record of designing and delivering production-ready hardware.
• Expertise in CAD (SolidWorks, Creo, NX, or similar) and mechanical drafting standards.
• Strong knowledge of materials, manufacturing processes, and mechanical systems.
• Experience performing or overseeing FEA and CFD analyses.
• Excellent communication, technical documentation, and leadership skills.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field.
• Experience in high-performance or safety-critical systems (aerospace, energy, or defense).
• Deep understanding of DFM/DFA and reliability engineering.
• Familiarity with PLM/PDM tools and design control processes.
• Hands-on prototyping, testing, and validation experience.
• Strong analytical mindset with the ability to lead root cause investigations.

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).

$140,000 - $180,000 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.