Staff Instrumentation & Controls Engineer - Nuclear
- Location
- Torrance, CA · On-site
- Job type
- Full-time
- Level
- Lead / Staff
- Education
- Bachelor's degree
- Listed
- 14 days ago
Skills & highlights for this role
- Nuclear instrumentation and controls design
- Neutron detection and detector signal processing electronics
- Radiation monitoring system design and validation
- IEEE 603 and IEC 61508 compliance
- I&C architecture development for safety-related systems
- Control logic, loop diagrams, and functional requirement specifications
- Factory and site acceptance testing
- Nuclear regulatory standards compliance (DOE, IEEE, IAEA SSG-39, ANS)
- Calibration strategy and uncertainty analysis
Also useful
- Reactor protection system integration
- Seismic qualification of sensitive instrumentation
- Flux mapping and reactor physics collaboration
- Mentoring junior engineers
- Licensing documentation support
- Deterministic safety analysis inputs
- High-reliability digital platform interfaces
The Team
As part of the Engineering organization, Instrumentations & Controls designs the systems that monitor, automate, and protect Valar's facilities and reactor technologies. The team develops reliable control architectures that enable safe and efficient operations.
The Role
You will serve as a senior technical authority for nuclear instrumentation and controls (I&C) systems with a focus on neutron detection, detector signal processing electronics, and radiation monitoring equipment. This role supports reactor design, test operations, and safety- significant monitoring systems, ensuring compliance with nuclear industry codes and standards. You will lead design efforts, system integration, vendor oversight, safety evaluations, and commissioning activities for reactor protection and radiation monitoring systems.
Key Responsibilities
Instrumentation & Detection Systems
- Lead design, specification, selection, and integration of neutron detectors (e.g., fission chambers, boron-lined detectors) and associated signal conditioning electronics (wide-range, source range channels).
- Design and validate radiation monitoring systems including area monitors, process radiation monitors, stack monitors, and coolant activity systems.
- Oversee detector placement, shielding design, and response characterization (in-core and ex-core).
- Perform calibration strategies and uncertainty analyses for neutron flux power range, intermediate range, and startup-range instrumentation.
I&C Engineering
- Develop and maintain I&C architectures for safety-related and non-safety systems in accordance with IEEE 603, IEC 61508, and DOE guidance.
- Produce and review engineering deliverables: control logic, loop diagrams, instrument datasheets, architecture drawings, control narratives, and functional requirement specifications.
- Execute I&C system modeling, failure modes analysis, response time calculations, and SIL/Category/Level classification (per IEC/ISA standards).
- Design interfaces to PLCs, safety-significant controllers, distributed I/O, and high-reliability digital platforms.
- Guide system integration with reactor protection, and radiation monitoring systems.
Testing, Validation, and Qualification
- Lead Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT), Site Acceptance Tests (SAT), environmental qualification (EQ), and seismic qualification for sensitive instrumentation.
- Develop calibration, maintenance, and surveillance procedures for neutron and radiation detectors.
- Support performance testing, flux mapping, channel operability checks, trip setpoint verification, and acceptance criteria development.
Regulatory & Standards Compliance
- Ensure system designs adhere to nuclear regulatory requirements, including DOE Reg Guides, IEEE standards, IAEA SSG-39, and ANS/ANS-related instrumentation standards.
- Prepare and review technical documentation for licensing, safety basis, and hazard analysis activities.
- Participate in I&C-related inputs and support for deterministic safety analyses.
Leadership & Collaboration
- Mentor junior engineers and provide technical guidance across interdisciplinary teams.
- Collaborate with reactor physics, thermal-hydraulics, electrical engineering, and operations teams to meet program requirements.
- Interface with vendors, labs, and regulatory bodies on detector procurement, radiation monitoring equipment, and safety systems.
Basic Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Nuclear Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or related discipline.
- 8+ years of experience in nuclear I&C, radiation detection, reactor protection, or related areas.
- Hands-on experience with:
- Neutron detectors (fission chambers, B-10 proportional counters)
- Signal processing electronics (wide-range, source range channels)
- Area/process radiation monitors and environmental monitoring instrumentation
- Strong understanding of nuclear standards: IEEE 603, ANSI/ANS-specific radiation monitoring standards
- Experience with safety classification, SIL analysis, FMEA, and hazard analysis.
- Ability to lead technical projects and cross-functional engineering efforts.
Preferred Skills and Experience
- Master's degree or Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering or related field.
- Experience with HTGR, sodium-cooled, or research reactor designs.
- Experience with data acquisition systems, digital I&C platforms, and PLCs (e.g., Allen-Bradley).
- Familiarity with radiation transport modeling and detector response simulations.
- Experience with environmental qualification per IEEE 323 and seismic qualification per IEEE 344.
- Prior regulatory engagement (NRC, DOE, INL, ORNL, etc.).
- Experience writing safety basis documents, technical reports, or licensing submittals.
What We Offer
- 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
About Valar Atomics
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.
Equal opportunity and legal notices
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).
Salary $173,000 - $211,000 USD
From Valar Atomics's careers page, first listed on Rolev.ai on October 26, 2026. Rolev.ai is not the employer.
How Rolev.ai helps with this application
Rolev.ai is a job search and application tool for US job seekers. For this Staff Instrumentation & Controls Engineer - Nuclear role at Valar Atomics, it shows how your resume fits, tailors your resume to the posting, and prepares the application for you to review.
See how you fit
Openings from employer career sites are ranked against your whole resume—and searchable inside Claude, ChatGPT, and Cursor via Rolev.ai MCP.
Tailor without inventing
Every change to your resume is checked against your original. New experience goes in only with your yes—zero fabricated claims.
Draft the full kit
Tailored and Full Match resumes, role-specific cover letters, and answers to employer screening questions are prepared in seconds.
1-Click Extension Autofill
The Chrome extension fills the employer's Greenhouse, Workday, Lever, or Ashby form in 1 click. You review it and press Submit.
Common questions
Where is the Staff Instrumentation & Controls Engineer - Nuclear job at Valar Atomics located?
This Staff Instrumentation & Controls Engineer - Nuclear position at Valar Atomics is located in Torrance, CA (On-site). Always check Valar Atomics's application page for specific state eligibility or relocation policies.
What qualifications are required for Staff Instrumentation & Controls Engineer - Nuclear at Valar Atomics?
For the Staff Instrumentation & Controls Engineer - Nuclear role, Valar Atomics highlights a bachelor's degree; experience with Nuclear instrumentation and controls design, Neutron detection and detector signal processing electronics, Radiation monitoring system design and validation, IEEE 603 and IEC 61508 compliance, I&C architecture development for safety-related systems, Control logic, loop diagrams, and functional requirement specifications. Rolev.ai can score your existing resume against these requirements and show any skill gaps before you apply.
How do I apply for the Staff Instrumentation & Controls Engineer - Nuclear position at Valar Atomics?
This listing links directly to Valar Atomics's Greenhouse application page. You can apply directly on Valar Atomics's site, or use Rolev.ai to check your resume fit, generate a zero-hallucination tailored resume and cover letter for this posting, and autofill the Greenhouse application form in 1 click with the Rolev.ai Chrome extension. You always review the form and press Submit yourself.