Staff Instrumentation and Controls Engineer

Valar Atomics•Torrance, CA

10d•$173,000 - $211,000

About The Position

Valar Atomics is seeking a Staff Instrumentation and Controls (I&C) Engineer to design, develop, commission, and maintain control systems for nuclear fuel manufacturing facilities. The position spans the full controls stack, including PLC and DCS programming, SCADA and HMI development, ISA-88 batch control, safety instrumented systems, historian and enterprise integration, and field commissioning. The engineer will provide senior technical leadership for complex projects, oversee contractors, and mentor junior engineers. The role is part of the I&C and Controls Engineering team within the Fuel Manufacturing group. The team owns controls from field-level PLC logic and batch sequences through supervisory SCADA displays, historian infrastructure, and enterprise integration. The engineer will collaborate with process, electrical, and nuclear safety engineers in a hands-on, safety-first environment emphasizing technical depth, disciplined documentation, production reliability, and nuclear safety.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Electronic, Computer, or Systems Engineering, or a related discipline.
Minimum 8 years of I&C or controls engineering experience in process industries, including ownership of complex control system projects from design through commissioning.
Hands-on PLC programming experience with at least one major platform, using IEC 61131-3 languages.
Experience developing or maintaining SCADA applications on at least one major platform.
Experience developing ISA-88 batch control sequences.
Familiarity with ISA-95 enterprise-control integration concepts.
Experience commissioning instrumentation and tuning regulatory control loops.
Working knowledge of OPC-UA, EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, or Modbus communication protocols.
Ability to read and interpret P&IDs, electrical drawings, and instrument data sheets.
Experience specifying and sizing field instruments, including transmitters, control valves, and flow elements.
Experience leading hazardous area classification and instrument index development for capital projects.
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 implementing ISA-88 batch control, including recipe management and material tracking.
Experience with SIS/SIL verification and IEC 61511 lifecycle documentation.
Experience with OSIsoft PI or AVEVA PI, including PI AF asset framework configuration and PI Web API.
Experience with LIMS integration, such as LabWare, Uncountable, or LabVantage.
Familiarity with GAMP 5, 21 CFR Part 11, or nuclear quality (NQA-1) requirements for control system validation.
Experience with SQL and Python scripting for data processing, report generation, or control system testing automation.
Exposure to IEC 62443 OT cybersecurity standards and secure industrial control system network architecture.
Experience developing or consuming REST APIs for system integration.

Responsibilities

Develop and maintain PLC and DCS programs using major platforms and IEC 61131-3 programming languages.
Develop and configure SCADA applications, including tag databases, communication drivers, scripting, and alarms.
Design local-panel and supervisory SCADA HMI displays in accordance with ISA-101 and High-Performance HMI principles.
Develop ISA-88 batch control sequences, configure phase logic, unit procedures, and recipes, and monitor batch execution and status.
Configure and manage alarm systems in accordance with ISA-18.2, including setpoints, priorities, suppression logic, and KPI monitoring.
Configure and commission safety instrumented functions on SIS platforms in accordance with IEC 61511.
Configure plant historian systems; build process data dashboards and reports; and support ISA-95 data exchange with MES, ERP, or LIMS systems.
Tune PID and advanced regulatory control loops; commission flow, pressure, temperature, and level instrumentation; and support loop calibration and documentation.
Own instrument engineering scope, including sizing and specifying field devices, developing instrument indexes and hook-up drawings, and performing hazardous area classification for new and modified installations.
Review instrument specifications prepared by junior engineers and contractors.
Implement industrial communication protocols and configure interfaces among PLCs, SCADA, historians, and third-party systems.
Support OT network cybersecurity hardening in accordance with IEC 62443 or NIST SP 800-82.
Prepare and execute FAT, SAT, and commissioning plans; perform loop checks, calibration verification, interlock testing, and control-loop tuning.
Maintain engineering documentation, including functional specifications, control narratives, I/O lists, cause-and-effect matrices, tag lists, and as-built records.
Diagnose and resolve control system faults, perform root cause analysis, and document corrective actions.
Provide technical direction to contractors and consultants, and review and redline I&C deliverables for project standards and nuclear quality compliance.
Provide technical leadership on complex projects and mentor junior engineers.

Benefits

Competitive base salary of $173,000–$211,000 USD.
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.