Staff Mechanical Engineer – Reactor Systems (Equity, Unlimited PTO)

Valar Atomics Inc.; Torrance (CA); On-site; USD 175,000 - 225,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity ownership

Unlimited PTO

Free meals onsite

PPE stipend

Job summary

Valar Atomics seeks a Staff Mechanical Engineer for the reactor program, owning major mechanical systems from concept through build and commissioning. The role combines hands-on authority with a rigorous design process to ensure safety, performance, and manufacturability across the plant.

The candidate will mentor engineers, lead root cause investigations, and collaborate with safety, quality, IC&E, and supply chain to keep the plant design integrated and scalable for production.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field.
• 8+ years of mechanical engineering on complex hardware such as pressure systems, heat transfer equipment, mechanisms, or large structures.
• Experience as the technical owner of a major system and leading design decisions.

Responsibilities

• Own the mechanical design basis for assigned systems, including requirements, interfaces, margins, materials, and code selection.
• Lead design reviews and drive systems through gate decisions from concept to design freeze.
• Define test and qualification plans with the V&V team and support commissioning through first operation.

Skills

CAD proficiency

Stress analysis

Thermal design

Pressure vessels

Piping codes

Design reviews

Root cause investigations

Mentor engineers

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering

Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

Creo

NX

Job description

Valar Atomics seeks a Staff Mechanical Engineer for the reactor program, owning major mechanical systems from concept through build and commissioning. The role combines hands-on authority with a rigorous design process to ensure safety, performance, and manufacturability across the plant.

The candidate will mentor engineers, lead root cause investigations, and collaborate with safety, quality, IC&E, and supply chain to keep the plant design integrated and scalable for production.