Director, Nuclear Instrumentation & Electronics

Valar Atomics•Torrance, CA

11d

About The Position

Valar Atomics is seeking a Director of Nuclear Instrumentation & Electronics to build and lead a product organization within its Instrumentation, Control & Electrical organization. The team will supply hardware to the Reactor program across development, demonstration, and serial production, spanning detector design, analog and digital electronics, firmware, qualification and test, production engineering, and manufacturing operations. The role works closely with reactor I&C, automation and controls, reactor physics, nuclear safety, quality, supply chain, and licensing teams in a hands-on, safety-first environment where measurement integrity supports reactor safety and production throughput. The Director owns the full product lifecycle for neutron detectors, radiation monitors, signal-processing electronics, and related nuclear-grade hardware—from detector physics and circuit design through qualification, production engineering, manufacturing, and field support. The objective is to establish in-house capability that can deliver qualified hardware at production volume, on schedule, and to nuclear quality standards. The role also owns the product roadmap, organizational budget, headcount plan, and capital equipment plan for engineering, test, and manufacturing facilities. Valar Atomics is developing scalable, clean, high-temperature nuclear power for industry, hydrogen, and next-generation manufacturing. Its first pilot plant in Orangeville, Utah, is intended to demonstrate advanced nuclear systems and fuel fabrication. The company describes its environment as a high-impact startup offering autonomy, ownership, and opportunities to help build and scale energy technology.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Nuclear Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, Engineering Physics, or a related discipline.
12+ years of experience in radiation detection, nuclear instrumentation, or high-reliability electronics design and manufacturing, including 5+ years leading engineering or product teams.
Deep technical knowledge of radiation detection physics and detector design, including neutron detection, gamma discrimination, and detector behavior in high-radiation and high-temperature environments.
Hands-on background in analog and mixed-signal electronics for low-level signal measurement, including noise, grounding, shielding, and signal integrity in long cable runs.
Demonstrated experience taking hardware products from design through qualification and into production, including DFM/DFT, production test, and yield improvement.
Experience operating under a formal quality program in nuclear, aerospace, defense, medical device, or a comparably regulated industry.
Working knowledge of nuclear equipment qualification and safety system standards, including IEEE 323, IEEE 344, IEEE 603, and Reg Guide 1.180.
Proven ability to build teams from the ground up, hire and develop strong engineers, and deliver on aggressive schedules.
Must be eligible to access technology controlled under U.S. export control regulations, including 10 CFR Part 810.
Must be legally authorized to work in the United States as a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident (green card holder).

Nice To Haves

Master's or PhD in Nuclear Engineering, Physics, or Electrical Engineering with a focus on radiation detection or instrumentation.
Professional Engineer (PE) license or eligibility.
Direct experience designing or manufacturing fission chambers, ion chambers, self-powered neutron detectors, or radiation monitors at a nuclear instrumentation vendor, national laboratory, or reactor developer.
Experience with nuclear safety-related hardware development under 10 CFR 50 Appendix B and NQA-1, including commercial grade dedication and 10 CFR Part 21 programs.
Experience with FPGA-based or digital signal processing for nuclear instrumentation, including firmware V&V for safety-related applications.
Experience with NRC or Agreement State materials licensing for special nuclear material or byproduct material.
Experience scaling hardware manufacturing in a startup or rapid-growth environment, including establishing new production facilities.
Familiarity with HTGR or other advanced reactor instrumentation challenges, including high-temperature, helium-environment, and graphite-moderated core applications.
Experience with electronics manufacturing standards (IPC-A-610, J-STD-001) and radiation-tolerant component selection.

Responsibilities

Build and lead the Nuclear Instrumentation & Electronics organization, including hiring, organizational design, and development of engineering, test, and manufacturing teams; establish technical standards and a culture of ownership and execution.
Define and own the nuclear instrumentation and electronics product roadmap, including make-versus-buy decisions, platform strategy, and cost, volume, and schedule targets aligned with the reactor production ramp.
Own the design of neutron flux detection hardware for source, intermediate, and power ranges, including fission chambers, ion chambers, proportional counters, and in-core or high-temperature detectors suited to the HTGR environment.
Own the design of radiation monitoring instrumentation, including area, process, and effluent monitors and associated detector assemblies.
Own the design of nuclear signal-processing electronics, including high-voltage bias supplies, preamplifiers, pulse, current, and Campbell mode processing, digital pulse processing, FPGA and embedded firmware, and interfaces to protection and control systems.
Lead equipment qualification programs, including environmental qualification (IEEE 323), seismic qualification (IEEE 344), EMI/RFI compatibility (Reg Guide 1.180), radiation and thermal aging, and qualification test planning, execution, and reporting.
Ensure designs meet applicable nuclear safety system requirements, including IEEE 603, IEEE 7-4.3.2 for digital content, and software/firmware lifecycle and V&V requirements, coordinating with reactor I&C and licensing teams.
Establish and scale detector and electronics manufacturing operations, including production line design, assembly processes, cleanroom and contamination-controlled work areas, test fixtures and automated test equipment, yield management, and capacity planning.
Drive design for manufacturability, test, and cost; transition designs from prototype to low-rate initial production and serial production with controlled production documentation.
Establish and maintain the product line's nuclear quality program, including 10 CFR 50 Appendix B and NQA-1 compliance, 10 CFR Part 21 reporting, commercial grade dedication of components, configuration management, and supplier qualification.
Oversee licensing and material control requirements for detector production, including special nuclear material and byproduct material licensing under 10 CFR Parts 30 and 70 for fissile coatings, neutron-sensitive materials, and calibration sources, coordinating with health physics and licensing teams.
Own supply chain strategy for critical components and materials, including enriched uranium and boron-10 coatings, high-temperature ceramics and cabling, radiation-tolerant electronic components, and long-lead parts; develop second sources and manage obsolescence.
Support NRC and DOE regulatory interactions for instrumentation design and qualification, including technical reports, audits, and responses to requests for additional information.
Provide field support for installed hardware, including commissioning support, failure analysis, corrective action, and reliability data collection to inform design and manufacturing.
Own the organizational budget, headcount plan, and capital equipment plan for engineering, test, and manufacturing facilities.

Benefits

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
Opportunity to help build and scale transformative energy technology from the ground up