Staff Controls Software Engineer

Valar Atomics • Orangeville, UT

1d

About The Position

Valar Atomics is redefining what's possible in energy with a mission to make clean, high-temperature nuclear power scalable. They aim to unlock abundant energy for industry, hydrogen, and next-generation manufacturing. Valar Atomics is a team of builders, engineers, and operators focused on making nuclear energy fast to deploy, factory-made, and built for the real world. Their first pilot plant in Orangeville, Utah will demonstrate advanced nuclear systems and fuel fabrication. Joining Valar Atomics offers autonomy, ownership, and impact at every level. The Instrumentation & Controls Engineering team within the Fuel Manufacturing group is looking for a Controls Software Engineer who will own the logic and data layer, PLC and DCS application code, ISA-88 batch sequences, SCADA and HMI applications, historian infrastructure, and enterprise integration. This role involves working with Instrumentation & Controls hardware, process, and nuclear safety engineers in an environment that combines traditional control systems with modern software and data integration practices. The team emphasizes operator-focused design, data integrity, disciplined documentation, and a safety-first culture.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Electronic, Computer, or Systems Engineering, Computer Science, or a related discipline.
• 8+ years of controls software, PLC programming, or SCADA development experience in process industries, with demonstrated ownership of complex control system software projects from design through commissioning.
• Hands-on PLC programming experience with at least one major platform (Rockwell, Siemens, Emerson, or equivalent) using IEC 61131-3 languages, including development of reusable code libraries and standards.
• Hands-on experience developing or maintaining SCADA applications on at least one major platform (Ignition, FactoryTalk, AVEVA, WinCC, or equivalent).
• Demonstrated experience establishing HMI design standards to ISA-101 or HPHMI principles.
• Experience developing batch control sequences in accordance with ISA-88.
• Experience configuring alarm management systems with 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 sufficient to develop, test, and commission control logic.
• Demonstrated experience applying software version control and change control practice to control system applications.
• Demonstrated experience developing and functionally testing safety logic under IEC 61511.
• Applicants 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

• 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 (SQL Server, PostgreSQL, or equivalent) 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 (LabWare, Uncountable, LabVantage, or equivalent).
• 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; program in ladder logic, function block, structured text, and sequential function chart per IEC 61131-3.
• Develop and configure SCADA applications on platforms such as Ignition, Rockwell FactoryTalk, AVEVA System Platform, Siemens WinCC, or equivalent; build and maintain tag databases, user-defined types, communication drivers, scripting, templates, and client and redundancy architecture.
• Design HMI displays at both the local panel level (Rockwell PanelView, Siemens WinCC, or equivalent) and the supervisory SCADA level in accordance with ISA-101 and High-Performance HMI (HPHMI) principles, including display hierarchy, navigation, and situational awareness graphics.
• Develop batch control software in accordance with ISA-88 including phase logic, equipment modules, unit procedures, recipe management, equipment arbitration, and material tracking; build the supervisory batch layer for batch execution monitoring, unit status, and recipe progress display 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 (Rockwell GuardLogix, Siemens F-CPU, Triconex, or equivalent) in accordance with IEC 61511.
• Configure plant historian systems (OSIsoft PI / AVEVA PI, Ignition Historian, Rockwell FactoryTalk Historian, or equivalent) 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 in software including OPC-UA, EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, Modbus TCP/RTU, and DeviceNet; configure server and client endpoints, tag mapping, and interfaces between SCADA and 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 practice including version control, change control, structured code review, controller and SCADA 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, including zone and conduit design, VLAN and switch configuration, role-based access control, authentication, secure protocol configuration, and coordination of patching and application allow-listing.
• Prepare and execute software FAT, SAT, and commissioning test plans; maintain engineering documentation including functional specifications, control narratives, cause-and-effect matrices, tag lists, alarm databases, and as-built software records.
• Diagnose and resolve control system software faults including PLC and SCADA communication failures, logic defects, sequence stalls, historian data gaps, and application performance issues; perform root cause analysis and document corrective actions.
• Coordinate with Instrumentation & Controls Hardware Engineers on I/O assignment, tag naming, signal scaling, and loop commissioning to ensure control logic and field hardware are consistent.
• Own control system software standards including programming conventions, reusable code and add-on instruction libraries, tag naming, HMI display templates, and alarm rationalisation standards; govern their application across projects and vendors.
• Own the software architecture for control system projects including controller and server topology, redundancy and failover strategy, data flow between control, historian, and enterprise layers, and platform selection recommendations.
• Provide technical direction to contractors and consultants on controls software scope; own programming and display standards, code library governance, and review of software deliverables to ensure compliance with project standards and nuclear quality requirements; mentor junior engineers on control system software practice.

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

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior