Staff Instrumentation & Controls Engineer – Nuclear

The role

You will serve as a senior technical authority for nuclear instrumentation and controls systems. You will focus on neutron detection, detector signal processing electronics, and radiation monitoring equipment to support reactor design, test operations, and safety-significant monitoring systems.

What you will do

• Lead design, specification, selection, and integration of neutron detectors and signal conditioning electronics.
• Design and validate radiation monitoring systems including area, process, stack, and coolant activity monitors.
• Oversee detector placement, shielding design, and response characterization.
• Perform calibration strategies and uncertainty analyses for neutron flux power range instrumentation.
• Develop and maintain I&C architectures for safety-related and non-safety systems.
• Produce and review engineering deliverables including control logic, loop diagrams, and functional requirement specifications.
• Execute I&C system modeling, failure modes analysis, and SIL/Category/Level classification.
• Design interfaces to PLCs, safety-significant controllers, and digital platforms.
• Lead Factory Acceptance Tests, Site Acceptance Tests, environmental qualification, and seismic qualification.
• Mentor junior engineers and provide technical guidance across interdisciplinary teams.

Required qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Nuclear Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or related discipline.
• 8+ years of experience in nuclear I&C, radiation detection, reactor protection, or related areas.
• Hands-on experience with neutron detectors (fission chambers, B-10 proportional counters).
• Hands-on experience with signal processing electronics (wide-range, source range channels).
• Hands-on experience with area/process radiation monitors and environmental monitoring instrumentation.
• Strong understanding of nuclear standards: IEEE 603, ANSI/ANS-specific radiation monitoring standards.
• Experience with safety classification, SIL analysis, FMEA, and hazard analysis.
• Ability to lead technical projects and cross-functional engineering efforts.

Nice to have

• Master’s degree or Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering or related field.
• Experience with HTGR, sodium-cooled, or research reactor designs.
• Experience with data acquisition systems, digital I&C platforms, and PLCs (e.g., Allen-Bradley).
• Familiarity with radiation transport modeling and detector response simulations.
• Experience with environmental qualification per IEEE 323 and seismic qualification per IEEE 344.
• Prior regulatory engagement (NRC, DOE, INL, ORNL, etc.).
• Experience writing safety basis documents, technical reports, or licensing submittals.

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

Before you apply

• Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States as a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident (green card holder).

About the company

Valar Atomics is a company working to make clean, high-temperature nuclear power scalable. Their first pilot plant will be in Orangeville, Utah.