Sr. Cost Engineer

Valar Atomics•Torrance, CA

About The Position

Valar Atomics is hiring a Sr. Cost Engineer within its Manufacturing organization’s Supply Chain team. The team secures the materials, equipment, and supplier partnerships needed for manufacturing and business operations while working to ensure quality, cost, and delivery performance. Valar Atomics is developing scalable, factory-made high-temperature nuclear power, with its first pilot plant planned for Orangeville, Utah. The Sr. Cost Engineer develops and maintains should-cost models for components, assemblies, and services to inform sourcing and negotiation strategy. The role analyzes supplier pricing, identifies cost drivers and savings opportunities, supports Make-vs-Buy and total-cost-of-ownership analyses, and works cross-functionally with Sourcing, Engineering, and Finance. The position also maintains and improves cost databases and tools, communicates recommendations to leadership, and mentors colleagues on cost drivers, supplier economics, and manufacturing trade-offs. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States as a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident (green card holder).

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Supply Chain, or a related technical field. (The posting repeats “Industrial Engineering” in its list of fields.)
At least 5 years of experience in cost engineering, should-cost modeling, or manufacturing cost analysis.
Strong understanding of BOM structures, specifications, engineering drawings, manufacturing processes, and cost drivers.
Hands-on experience with cost-modeling tools and ERP or sourcing systems.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate data into actionable recommendations.
Excellent communication skills and ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders.
Legally authorized to work in the United States as a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident (green card holder).

Nice To Haves

Experience in the nuclear, aerospace, or another highly regulated industry.
Experience building a should-cost or cost-engineering function from the ground up.
Familiarity with Design-to-Cost or Value Engineering methodologies.
Start-up or fast-growth company experience.

Responsibilities

Build and maintain should-cost models for materials, labor, overhead, and tooling across direct and indirect categories.
Analyze supplier quotes, RFx responses, and cost breakdowns to identify differences from should-cost models and benchmark data.
Partner with Sourcing and Engineering to support negotiation strategy using data-driven cost insights.
Support Make-vs-Buy analysis and evaluate total cost of ownership across sourcing options.
Track material, labor, and logistics cost trends and update models to reflect market conditions.
Identify and quantify cost-reduction opportunities through design, process, or sourcing changes.
Present cost analyses and recommendations to Sourcing and Engineering leadership.
Maintain cost databases and tools, improving their accuracy and scalability as the product portfolio grows.
Mentor colleagues in the supply chain organization on cost drivers, market indices, design and cost implications, supplier economics, and manufacturing trade-offs.