Director Instrumentation, Control, and Electrical – Power Conversion

Valar Atomics

Torrance, California

Full Time

Posted June 30, 2026

$225k - $300k

Nuclear Energy

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Listing evidence and provenance

Source: greenhouse View original listing
Freshness: Open in the current public read path; this is not an employer guarantee.Last observed September 29, 2026
Classification: Modern power-system classification not yet published for this listing.Legacy source industry field: Nuclear Energy
Pay provenance: Employer-provided pay

Job Description

As part of the Engineering organization, Instrumentations & Controls designs the systems that monitor, automate, and protect Valar's facilities and reactor technologies.

Key Responsibilities

Our HTGR power conversion system will be built around a secondary loop Brayton cycle, high-speed turbomachinery operating on helium, sCO2, and even air at extreme temperatures and pressures, paired with development generator sets and a purpose-built test facility program. The Director of IC&E for Power Conversion owns the full instrumentation, control, and electrical architecture across this system: from early R&D and rig design through test facility construction, commissioning, and ultimately integrated plant operation.
This role demands someone who can operate at two levels simultaneously with a hands-on technical authority who understands turbomachinery dynamics, high-speed generator control, and test system instrumentation at a deep level, and a team leader who builds and develops the IC&E organization around the power conversion program. Candidates from oil & gas, aerospace propulsion, industrial turbomachinery, or power generation are strongly preferred. Nuclear background is a plus, not a prerequisite.
You enjoy solving first-of-a-kind engineering challenges where there is no existing playbook
You communicate effectively with executives, regulators, customers, and engineering teams, translating complex technical concepts into clear decisions.
You thrive in fast-moving environments where priorities evolve, but safety and engineering quality remain uncompromising.

Requirements

15+ years of engineering experience in instrumentation, control systems, and/or electrical design for rotating machinery, turbomachinery, or high-performance industrial systems
Demonstrated hands-on experience with turbomachinery control systems — speed governing, surge protection, bearing monitoring, trip logic, or equivalent
Experience leading IC&E scope on test facilities, development rigs, or capital construction projects
Strong foundation in electrical systems design: switchgear, motor drives, protection and controls, and facility power distribution
Experience managing IC&E teams and vendor relationships across multiple project phases
Experience with high-speed generators, excitation systems, and power conversion electronics
Background in Brayton cycle, gas turbine, or compressor-expander systems
Familiarity with helium or other working fluid systems and associated instrumentation challenges (low viscosity, high thermal conductivity, leak detection)
Experience with high-bandwidth data acquisition systems and dynamic measurement in rotating machinery applications
Nuclear industry experience, commercial, defense, or national laboratory particularly in power conversion or balance-of-plant systems
Knowledge of relevant standards: API 670 (machinery protection), IEEE 1023 (nuclear BOP control), IEC 61511 (functional safety), NFPA 70/79
PE license (Instrumentation, Control, or Electrical) a plus

Benefits & Perks

Competitive base salary
Equity ownership in a rapidly growing advanced energy company
Comprehensive medical benefits
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