Lead Electrical Engineer

Valar Atomics•Torrance, CA

11d•$196,000 - $240,000

About The Position

Valar Atomics is seeking a Lead Electrical Engineer to build and lead its electrical engineering team and own electrical engineering delivery across its reactor, nuclear fuel manufacturing, power generation, and power distribution programs. This is a player-coach role: the Lead Electrical Engineer will hire, develop, direct, and grow electrical engineers while serving as the team's senior technical authority during its formation. The role owns the plant electrical architecture across low-, medium-, and high-voltage systems, from utility interconnection and the generation switchyard through distribution, process and facility systems, and emergency power. The scope includes generator integration, excitation and protection, step-up transformation, and grid interconnection. The Lead Electrical Engineer works closely with instrumentation and controls, mechanical, process, power conversion, and nuclear safety engineers in a hands-on, safety-first environment, establishing technical standards, disciplined documentation, and team practices.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or a closely related discipline.
At least 10 years of electrical engineering experience across power generation, utility, process, or industrial projects.
Demonstrated experience leading an electrical engineering team, including assigning and directing work, reviewing and approving engineers' output, and developing engineers.
Experience building an engineering team through direct hiring, including defining roles, recruiting, interviewing, and onboarding engineers.
Substantial power generation electrical experience, including generator integration, excitation, generator and interconnection protection, GSU transformers, switchyard or substation scope, and grid interconnection requirements. Cogeneration or combined heat and power facility experience satisfies this requirement.
Design proficiency across LV, MV, and HV systems, from utility or transmission-level interconnection and switchyards through MV distribution to LV process and facility systems, including associated studies, protection, and equipment specification.
Expert-level proficiency in power system analysis using SKM Power Tools, ETAP, PSS/E, or equivalent, including ownership or approval of load flow, short circuit, arc flash, and protection coordination studies.
End-to-end ownership of electrical scope on at least one major capital project, from front-end design through energization and commissioning.
Strong working knowledge of applicable codes and standards, including NEC/NFPA 70, IEEE (including the C37 protection series), NEMA, ANSI, and IEC, sufficient to set and defend discipline standards.
Experience representing an electrical discipline to external parties such as utilities, AHJs, regulators, or major vendors.
Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States as a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.

Nice To Haves

Professional Engineer (P.E./P.Eng.) registration or equivalent.
Experience leading utility interconnection from application through energization, including interconnection agreements and PPA technical interfaces.
Nuclear facility electrical experience, including nuclear classification and separation requirements (IEEE 384, Class 1E concepts) or work under NQA-1 / 10 CFR 50 Appendix B quality programs.
Generator protection expertise (IEEE C37.102) and experience with synchronization, black start, or islanded operation schemes.
Experience with IEC 61850 substation automation and protection communication.
Experience designing emergency and standby power systems, DC systems, and battery sizing (IEEE 485/1115).
Experience on first-of-a-kind, prototype, or early-stage plant programs where the electrical organization and its standards had to be built rather than inherited.

Responsibilities

Build the electrical engineering team by defining roles and requisitions, recruiting and interviewing candidates, making hiring recommendations, and onboarding new engineers.
Lead day-to-day team work by assigning and prioritizing work, directing and reviewing technical output, managing performance, and developing engineers.
Forecast workload across Reactor, Nuclear Fuel Manufacturing, Power Generation, and Power Distribution; determine internal versus contractor allocation; and direct and oversee subcontractors and consultants.
Establish electrical engineering practices, calculation and study bases, design standards, and documentation discipline.
Own the scope, quality, and schedule of electrical studies, designs, specifications, and construction and commissioning support across all four plant areas.
Own end-to-end plant electrical architecture, including utility interconnection and switchyard, generator and GSU transformer integration, MV and LV systems, emergency and standby power, and DC/UPS systems.
Own power generation electrical scope, including generator specification and integration, excitation and voltage regulation, protection, synchronization, auxiliary power, and grid code and interconnection requirements.
Approve power system studies, one-line development, protection philosophy and relay settings, and major equipment specifications; delegate approval authority as the team grows.
Manage technical relationships with utilities and AHJs, including interconnection studies and agreements, protection interfaces, code interpretation, compliance strategy, and inspection support.
Lead electrical participation in interdisciplinary design reviews, HAZOP studies, and licensing-support activities; represent the discipline and resolve cross-discipline conflicts.
Lead vendor engagement for major electrical packages, including pre-qualification, technical bid evaluation, award recommendations, factory acceptance activities, and escalation of systemic issues.
Coordinate electrical scope and interfaces across reactor, fuel manufacturing, power conversion, and site infrastructure programs, including load growth, energization sequencing, and shared distribution decisions.
Advise IC&E leadership on electrical technical risk, resourcing, and sequencing, providing independent technical judgment when schedule and cost pressures intersect with engineering integrity.
Maintain traceable engineering records for design decisions, analyses, and test results in accordance with nuclear quality requirements.

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