Senior Automation and Controls Engineer

Valar Atomics•Orangeville, UT

12d

About The Position

Valar Atomics is seeking a Senior Automation and Controls Engineer to develop, configure, test, and commission control system software for nuclear fuel manufacturing facilities. The role covers PLC and DCS programming, SCADA and HMI application development, ISA-88 batch control, alarm management, safety logic programming, historian configuration, and ISA-95 enterprise integration, supporting both capital projects and ongoing plant operations. The position is part of the IC&E Engineering team within the Fuel Manufacturing group. Automation and Controls Engineers own the logic and data layer, PLC and DCS application code, ISA-88 batch sequences, SCADA and HMI applications, historian infrastructure, and enterprise integration. The role involves working alongside I&C Hardware, process, and nuclear safety engineers in an environment combining traditional control systems with modern software and data integration practices. The team emphasizes operator-focused design, data integrity, disciplined documentation, and safety.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Electronic, Computer, or Systems Engineering, Computer Science, or a related discipline.
3 to 7 years of controls software, PLC programming, or SCADA development experience in process industries.
Hands-on PLC programming experience with at least one major platform using IEC 61131-3 languages.
Hands-on experience developing or maintaining SCADA applications on at least one major platform.
Experience designing HMI displays to ISA-101 or HPHMI principles.
Experience developing batch control sequences in accordance with ISA-88.
Experience configuring alarm management systems and working knowledge of ISA-18.2.
Experience configuring plant historian systems and building operational data dashboards.
Familiarity with ISA-95 enterprise-control integration concepts.
Working knowledge of OPC-UA, EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, or Modbus communication protocols.
Ability to read and interpret P&IDs, loop diagrams, and I/O lists sufficiently to develop, test, and commission control logic.
Working knowledge of software version control and change control practices for control system applications.
Working knowledge of safety logic programming and functional testing under IEC 61511.
Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States as a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.

Nice To Haves

Ignition Certified Designer, Rockwell Automation Certified Programmer, Siemens TIA Portal certification, or equivalent platform certification.
ISA Certified Automation Professional (CAP) or equivalent credentials.
Experience with ISA-88 batch control implementation, including recipe management and material genealogy tracking.
Experience developing safety logic to IEC 61511 under a formal software validation and functional test regime.
Experience with OSIsoft PI / AVEVA PI, including PI AF asset framework configuration and PI Web API.
Experience writing SQL queries and stored procedures for operational reporting and historian-to-database data feeds.
Experience with Python scripting for data processing, API integration, or control system test automation.
Experience with REST API development or consumption for system integration.
Experience with Git or equivalent version control applied to controller and SCADA application code.
Experience with LIMS integration.
Familiarity with GAMP 5, 21 CFR Part 11, or nuclear quality (NQA-1) requirements for control system software validation.
Exposure to IEC 62443 OT cybersecurity standards and secure network architecture for industrial control systems.
Experience with virtualised or containerised SCADA and historian infrastructure, including server and client redundancy.

Responsibilities

Develop and maintain PLC and DCS application programs using platforms such as Rockwell ControlLogix/CompactLogix, Siemens S7/TIA Portal, Emerson, or equivalent, using IEC 61131-3 languages.
Develop and configure SCADA applications, including tag databases, user-defined types, communication drivers, scripting, templates, and client and redundancy architecture.
Design local-panel and supervisory SCADA HMI displays in accordance with ISA-101 and High-Performance HMI principles.
Develop ISA-88 batch control software, including phase logic, equipment modules, unit procedures, recipe management, equipment arbitration, and material tracking; build supervisory batch monitoring and reporting.
Configure and manage alarm system software to ISA-18.2, including setpoints, priorities, deadbands, shelving and suppression logic, and alarm performance KPI reporting.
Program, configure, and functionally test safety logic on SIS platforms in accordance with IEC 61511.
Configure plant historian systems, including tag configuration, compression and exception settings, and asset framework modelling; build process data dashboards and operational reports.
Implement ISA-95 enterprise-control integration, including data exchange interfaces between control systems and MES, ERP, and LIMS; develop and consume REST APIs and database interfaces.
Configure and troubleshoot industrial communication protocols, endpoints, tag mappings, and interfaces among SCADA, PLC, DCS, SIS, historian, and third-party systems.
Write SQL queries and stored procedures and Python scripts for data processing, transaction handling, report generation, and control system test automation.
Apply software configuration management practices, including version control, change control, structured code review, application backup and restore, and disaster recovery testing.
Define OT network architecture and configure cybersecurity controls in accordance with IEC 62443 or NIST SP 800-82.
Prepare and execute software FAT, SAT, and commissioning test plans; maintain functional specifications, control narratives, cause-and-effect matrices, tag lists, alarm databases, and as-built software records.
Diagnose and resolve control system software faults, perform root cause analysis, and document corrective actions.
Coordinate with I&C Hardware Engineers on I/O assignment, tag naming, signal scaling, and loop commissioning.
Provide technical direction to contractors and consultants on controls software scope; review and redline software deliverables for compliance with project standards and nuclear quality requirements.

Benefits

Competitive base salary
Equity ownership in a rapidly growing advanced energy company
Comprehensive medical benefits
Unlimited PTO
Free daily lunch
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