Turbomachinery Mechanical Designer

Valar Atomics Inc.; Torrance (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 215,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity ownership

Unlimited PTO

Free daily lunch and dinner onsite

PPE stipend

High-impact startup environment

Career growth opportunities

Job summary

Valar Atomics is seeking a turbomachinery mechanical design engineer to join the turbomachinery team and advance power generation capability. You’ll design static and rotating components, aim for manufacturability, high efficiency, and robust designs, and influence system architecture as an early hire.

You’ll collaborate with cross-functional teams to bring components to test and production, using SolidWorks, Creo, or NX and applying GD&T and tolerance analysis.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering.
• Minimum 3 years of experience as a mechanical designer.
• Experience with high temperature components and materials.
• Excellent judgement in material selection for new components.

Responsibilities

• Lead mechanical design of assigned components across the power conversion discipline.
• Facilitate analyses to advance design and procurement of components.
• Own bringing assigned components to test and to full scale production.
• Develop detailed 3D CAD models, assemblies, and drawings (SolidWorks, Creo, or NX) with GD&T and tolerance analysis.
• Select materials balancing capability versus lead time and cost considerations.
• Interface with internal and external machine shops to develop a manufacturable design.

Skills

Turbomachinery design

CAD modeling

GD&T

Material selection

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Master's degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

Creo

NX

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, Power Conversion develops the technologies that efficiently transform reactor-generated heat into usable electrical power. The team focuses on maximizing system performance, reliability, and commercial viability.

The Role

Valar Atomics is seeking an turbomachinery mechanical design engineer to join the turbomachinery team and advance power generation capability. In this role, you’ll be responsible for the mechanical design of static and rotating components of Valar’s power generation turbomachinery. You’ll be working with cross-functional team members to define a manufacturable, high efficiency, robust design. As an early hire in turbomachinery, you will be able to directly influence design decisions on the system architecture.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead mechanical design of assigned components across the power conversion discipline
• Facilitate required analyses to further the design and procurement of your components.
• Own all aspects of bringing assigned components to test and to full scale production
• Develop detailed 3D CAD models, assemblies, and engineering drawings (SolidWorks, Creo, or NX), applying advanced GD&T and tolerance analysis.
• Select component materials that balance capability versus lead time and cost considerations
• Interface with internal and external machine shops to develop a manufacturable design

You Will Be Successful in This Role If

• You are excited to be a part of a complex turbomachinery product from the beginning
• You thrive in ambiguous environments without defined turbomachinery design best practices
• You want to be part of turbomachinery design beyond a singular siloed discipline

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering
• Excellent judgement in material selection for new components
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes and good judgement of when to use them
• Minimum 3 years of experience as a mechanical designer
• Experience with high temperature components and materials

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Master's degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering
• Experience with material selection of high temperature metals
• Experience with basic structural or thermal analysis for component sizing
• Experience with turbomachinery mechanical design
• Experience in gas turbines, gas compressors, turbopumps, or turboexpanders
• Experience with supercritical C02

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 - $215,000 USD