Senior Process Engineer, Helium Systems — Equity & Impact

valaratomics; Torrance (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Equity ownership

Medical benefits

Unlimited PTO

Free onsite meals

PPE stipend

Autonomy

High-impact startup

Job summary

Valar Atomics seeks a Senior Process Engineer for the reactor program. This role will own the helium process systems from concept through design, build, test, and commissioning on the first unit, then scale for repeatable production.

You will work hands-on with hardware-first rigor, collaborating with mechanical, safety, IC&E, quality, and supply chain teams to ensure the design basis is met and projects deliver on time.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical, Mechanical, Nuclear Engineering or related field.
• 5+ years designing industrial process and gas handling systems.
• Experience taking complex engineered systems from concept to commissioning.
• Strong foundation in thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and process engineering principles.
• Experience developing PFDs, P&IDs, process calculations, equipment specifications, and operating procedures.

Responsibilities

• Own the process architecture and design of helium systems from concept through design freeze.
• Lead analyses including mass and energy balances, pressure drop, heat transfer, equipment sizing, gas flow, and transient behavior.
• Develop PFDs, P&IDs, equipment specs, calculations, and operating procedures.
• Specify and integrate process equipment including pressure vessels, heat exchangers, adsorption systems, compressors, valves, piping, instrumentation, and gas analyzers.
• Present designs at design reviews and participate in HAZOPs, FMEAs, and system safety analyses.
• Take designs to hardware through requirements, vendor selection, and manufacturing documentation approval.
• Lead fabrication oversight, inspections, issue resolution, and acceptance testing with internal teams and suppliers.
• Lead system integration, installation, startup, commissioning, and troubleshooting through first operation.
• Design for manufacture and repeatability, ensuring units build faster over time.
• Collaborate with mechanical, systems, safety, IC&E, quality, and supply chain; mentor junior engineers.

Skills

Process design

Thermodynamics

Fluid mechanics

PFDs & P&IDs

Gas handling systems

System safety analyses

Instrumentation & controls

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering

Master’s degree

Tools

ASME codes (Section VIII)

Gas analyzers

Job description

Valar Atomics seeks a Senior Process Engineer for the reactor program. This role will own the helium process systems from concept through design, build, test, and commissioning on the first unit, then scale for repeatable production.

You will work hands-on with hardware-first rigor, collaborating with mechanical, safety, IC&E, quality, and supply chain teams to ensure the design basis is met and projects deliver on time.