Senior Process Engineer: Helium Systems for HTGR

Valar Atomics; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity ownership

Unlimited PTO

Free daily meals onsite

PPE stipend

Career growth

Job summary

Valar Atomics seeks a Senior Process Engineer to design, develop, test and operate helium process systems for HTGR technology. You will own the process architecture from concept through commissioning, delivering robust, manufacturable solutions.

You will lead cross-functional teams, develop PFDs, P&IDs, and specifications, and coordinate with manufacturing, suppliers, and contractors to ensure quality and on-time execution in a high-impact startup environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical, Mechanical, Nuclear, or related engineering field.
• 5+ years designing industrial process systems, gas handling, thermal-fluid or related energy systems.
• Proven experience delivering complex engineered systems from concept through commissioning.
• Strong foundation in thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and process engineering.
• Experience developing PFDs, P&IDs, process calculations, equipment specs, and operating procedures.
• Familiarity with industrial instrumentation, process controls, and gas analysis systems.
• Excellent technical communication, documentation, and cross-functional leadership skills.

Responsibilities

• Own the design, procurement, fabrication, assembly, and commissioning of helium process systems from concept through operation.
• Lead manufacturing execution for assigned systems, including vendor selection, fabrication oversight, inspections, issue resolution, and acceptance testing.
• Develop process system documentation including PFDs, P&IDs, equipment specifications, piping specifications, operating procedures, and engineering calculations.
• Perform process engineering analyses including mass and energy balances, pressure drop, heat transfer, equipment sizing, gas flow, and transient system behavior.
• Specify and integrate process equipment including pressure vessels, heat exchangers, adsorption systems, compressors, valves, piping, instrumentation, and gas analyzers.
• Work directly with internal manufacturing, suppliers, and contract manufacturers to resolve fabrication issues, improve manufacturability, and ensure hardware meets design intent.
• Support equipment procurement by developing technical requirements, reviewing vendor proposals, and approving manufacturing documentation.
• Lead system integration, installation, startup, commissioning, and troubleshooting of helium process systems.

Skills

Process engineering

Thermodynamics

Fluid mechanics

PFDs/P&IDs

Gas analysis

Documentation

Cross-functional leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Chemical/Mechanical/Nuclear Eng

Job description

Valar Atomics seeks a Senior Process Engineer to design, develop, test and operate helium process systems for HTGR technology. You will own the process architecture from concept through commissioning, delivering robust, manufacturable solutions.

You will lead cross-functional teams, develop PFDs, P&IDs, and specifications, and coordinate with manufacturing, suppliers, and contractors to ensure quality and on-time execution in a high-impact startup environment.