Principal Turbomachinery Engineer at Valar Atomics

Hawthorne Full-timeMechanical EngineeringPosted 23 days ago

About the Role

About Valar Atomics At Valar Atomics, we're redefining what's possible in energy. Our mission is to make clean, high-temperature nuclear power scalable—unlocking abundant energy for industry, hydrogen, and next-generation manufacturing. We are a team of builders, engineers, and operators who believe nuclear energy should be fast to deploy, factory-made, and built for the real world. Our first pilot plant in Orangeville, Utah will demonstrate how advanced nuclear systems and fuel fabrication can power the future. Joining Valar Atomics means becoming part of a company where autonomy, ownership, and impact exist at every level. The Role Valar Atomics is seeking a highly motivated Principal Turbomachinery Engineer to lead the design and development of the next generation of compressors and turbines for our Ward Series high-temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactors. You'll own critical turbomachinery components end-to-end—from hydrodynamic sizing and flowpath design through mechanical analysis, build, and test—and partner closely with manufacturing, assembly, and other engineering disciplines to deliver hardware that meets performance, life, and reliability targets. Key Responsibilities <ul class="[li_&]:mb-0 [li_&]:mt-1 [li_&]:gap-1 [&:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [&:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3"> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">Design, build, and test helium compressors and advanced turbines for high-temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactors.</li> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">Own critical turbomachinery components and every aspect of turbomachinery design, working in close collaboration with manufacturing and assembly partners.</li> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">Perform hydrodynamic sizing and flowpath design and analysis for impellers and diffusers in the helium compressor and other turbomachinery for the nuclear system.</li> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">Ensure detailed mechanical analysis is performed on all components and systems, reviewing drawings to confirm that selected designs meet required standards for life and reliability.</li> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">Develop accurate models, methodologies, and first-principles-based tools to determine turbomachinery performance and operability.</li> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">Work with teams developing other systems to ensure designs are optimally integrated and risks are well balanced across the system.</li> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">Own secondary flow analysis and design, ensuring current and future hardware meets performance targets.</li> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">Support both component and assembly testing, including defining the test configuration, executing the test process, and reviewing results.</li> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">Lead the resolution of issues encountered with turbomachinery during development and qualification testing.</li> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">Support ongoing design improvements to turbomachinery assemblies and subsystems, including manufacturing improvements to reduce cost and lead time of components.</li> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">Travel to vendors, partners, and Valar Atomics' nuclear site in Utah as needed.</li> </ul> You Will Be Successful in This Role If <ul class="[li_&]:mb-0 [li_&]:mt-1 [li_&]:gap-1 [&:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [&:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3"> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">You take true end-to-end ownership of turbomachinery components, from first-principles analysis through hardware that runs.</li> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">You bring deep technical judgment to design trade-offs across thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, mechanical design, and materials.</li> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">You build first-principles models and quick estimates rather than relying solely on tools, and you know when each is appropriate.</li> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">You partner effectively with manufacturing and assembly teams, designing for what can actually be built and inspected.</li> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">You communicate clearly across disciplines, ensuring your component fits cleanly into the broader system.</li> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">You stay scrappy and entrepreneurial under tight time and budget constraints.</li> </ul> Basic Qualifications <ul class="[li_&]:mb-0 [li_&]:mt-1 [li_&]:gap-1 [&:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [&:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3"> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline.</li> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">10+ years of experience in the design of turbomachinery.</li> </ul> Preferred Skills and Experience <ul class="[li_&]:mb-0 [li_&]:mt-1 [li_&]:gap-1 [&:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [&:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3"> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">Master's degree or higher in Mechanical Engineering or a similar field.</li> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">Power or process plant turbomachinery design experience.</li> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">Strong understanding of pump hydrodynamic and aerodynamic design and turbomachinery fundamentals, including mechanical design and hands-on experience with turbomachinery hardware builds.</li> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">Strong understanding of thermodynamics, compressible and incompressible flow, thermochemistry, mechanics, and materials.</li> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">Experience with turbomachinery manufacturing and design for manufacturability.</li> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">Professional experience using Siemens NX (Unigraphics) or other CAD packages.</li> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">Experience with Ansys (CFX, Mechanical, Thermal).</li> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">Strong engineering fundamentals and the ability to develop first-principles-based models and quick estimates.</li> <li class="whitespace-normal break-words pl-2">Experience at a nimble engineering organization or in a highly technical position requiring a scrappy, entrepreneurial approach under tight time or budget constraints.</li> </ul> What We Offer   <ul> <li>Competitive base salary </li> <li>Equity ownership in a rapidly growing advanced energy company </li> <li>Comprehensive medical benefits </li> <li>Free daily lunch and dinner provided onsite </li> <li>High-impact startup environment with significant ownership and autonomy </li> <li>Opportunities for rapid career growth and internal advancement </li> <li>Direct collaboration with experienced operators, engineers, and industry leaders </li> <li>The opportunity to help build and scale transformative energy technology from the ground up</li> </ul> Equal Employment Opportunity Statement Valar Atomics is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable law. We are committed to providing a workplace free of discrimination and harassment and will provide reasonable accommodation as required by law. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States as a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident (green card holder).<div class="content-pay-transparency"><div class="pay-input"><div class="title">Salary</div><div class="pay-range">$250,000—$340,000 USD</div></div></div>

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