Senior Instrumentation & Controls Engineer - Hardware

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 Team

You will be joining Valar Atomics' I&C and Controls Engineering team within the Fuel Manufacturing group. I&C Hardware Engineers own the physical measurement and control layer - field instrumentation and final elements, control panels and I/O architecture, field wiring and network infrastructure, and safety instrumented system hardware. You will work alongside I&C Software, process, electrical, mechanical, and nuclear safety engineers in a hands-on environment where measurement quality and installation integrity directly support production reliability and nuclear safety. The team values technical depth, disciplined documentation, and a safety-first culture.

The Role

Valar Atomics is seeking an I&C Hardware Engineer to specify, design, install, commission, and maintain the instrumentation and control hardware for nuclear fuel manufacturing facilities. The role covers field instrument and final element selection, control panel and I/O architecture design, hazardous area classification, safety instrumented system hardware, field wiring and network infrastructure, calibration, loop commissioning, and control loop tuning supporting both capital projects and ongoing plant operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Select, size, and specify field instrumentation including flow, pressure, differential pressure, temperature, level, and analytical devices; produce instrument data sheets, specifications, and requisitions.
• Size and specify final control elements including control valves, actuators, positioners, regulators, on-off valves, and flow elements; perform valve sizing, noise and cavitation checks, and actuator thrust verification.
• Design control panels and remote I/O architecture including enclosure layout and rating, I/O module and channel allocation, terminal and marshalling arrangement, power distribution, UPS sizing, isolators, and intrinsic safety barriers.
• Perform hazardous area classification and select equipment for classified areas in accordance with NEC Article 500/505 or IEC 60079; prepare intrinsic safety loop calculations and verify entity parameters.
• Develop and maintain instrumentation engineering documentation including the instrument index, loop diagrams, hook-up drawings, I/O lists, instrument location plans, cable schedules, and P&ID instrumentation mark-ups.
• Support safety instrumented system hardware scope including SIL determination input, safety sensor and final element selection, redundancy and voting architecture, proof test interval and procedure development, and SIL verification calculations in accordance with IEC 61511 and IEC 61508.
• Tune PID and advanced regulatory control loops; commission field instrumentation; diagnose and resolve loop deviations, valve response problems, and measurement quality issues.
• Establish and execute the instrument calibration program including calibration procedures, ranges, tolerances, traceability to NIST-referenced standards, calibration records, and recall scheduling.
• Specify and oversee installation of field wiring and physical OT network infrastructure including cable schedules, tray and conduit routing, media selection, signal and power segregation, grounding and shielding practice, and field switch and cabinet placement.
• Prepare and execute hardware FAT, SAT, and commissioning plans; perform point-to-point continuity checks, loop checks, calibration verification, and end-to-end interlock testing from sensor through final element; produce turnover and as-built documentation.
• Diagnose and resolve field faults including I/O channel failures, transmitter drift, positioner and actuator faults, and wiring, grounding, or noise-induced signal problems; perform root cause analysis and document corrective actions.
• Support instrument reliability engineering including criticality and spares analysis, failure rate data collection, preventive and predictive maintenance strategy, and obsolescence planning.
• Coordinate with process, mechanical, and piping engineers on instrument installation details including process connections, tapping point location, impulse lines, manifolds, heat tracing, and material compatibility for wetted parts.
• Coordinate with I&C Software Engineers on I/O assignment, tag naming, signal scaling, loop commissioning, and control of tuning parameter changes to ensure field hardware and control logic remain consistent.
• Provide technical direction to contractors, vendors, and installation crews on I&C hardware scope; review and redline vendor packages and installation deliverables to ensure compliance with project standards and nuclear quality requirements.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Electronic, Mechanical, Chemical, or Systems Engineering, or a related discipline.
• 5+ years of instrumentation or I&C engineering experience in process industries.
• Hands-on experience specifying and sizing field instruments and control valves, and producing instrument data sheets.
• Experience developing instrumentation deliverables including loop diagrams, hook-up drawings, I/O lists, and cable schedules.
• Working knowledge of hazardous area classification (NEC Article 500/505 or IEC 60079) and intrinsic safety principles.
• Ability to read and interpret P&IDs, electrical schematics, loop diagrams, and instrument data sheets.
• Experience with instrument calibration, loop checking, and field commissioning.
• Experience commissioning instrumentation and tuning regulatory control loops.
• Working knowledge of control panel design, I/O architecture, and field wiring practice including grounding, shielding, and signal segregation.
• Working knowledge of field signal types and device protocols including 4-20 mA/HART, Foundation Fieldbus, PROFIBUS PA, and Modbus RTU.
• Familiarity with safety instrumented system hardware and IEC 61511 lifecycle concepts.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• ISA Certified Automation Professional (CAP) or Certified Control Systems Technician (CCST), or equivalent credentials.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license or eligibility.
• Experience with SIL verification calculations and IEC 61511 lifecycle documentation.
• Experience with control valve and flow element sizing software (Emerson, Fisher, Flowserve, Samson, or equivalent).
• Experience with instrument asset management systems (Emerson AMS, Siemens PDM, Honeywell FDM, or equivalent) and HART or Foundation Fieldbus device configuration.
• Experience with analytical instrumentation such as gas analysers, mass spectrometry, moisture analysers, pH, and conductivity measurement.
• Experience with radiation monitoring instrumentation, criticality monitoring, or nuclear-qualified instrumentation.
• Experience selecting instrumentation for corrosive, high-purity, high-temperature, or molten salt service, including wetted-parts material compatibility.
• Experience with instrument installation in cleanroom, glovebox, or contamination-controlled environments.
• Familiarity with GAMP 5, 21 CFR Part 11, or nuclear quality requirements (NQA-1, 10 CFR 50 Appendix B) as applied to instrumentation and calibration records.
• Experience with electrical and instrumentation CAD tools (AutoCAD Electrical, SmartPlant Instrumentation / INtools, AVEVA, or equivalent).
• Familiarity with IEC 62443 or NIST SP 800-82 as applied to the physical OT network layer, including cabinet, switch, and cabling infrastructure supporting network segmentation.

What We Offer

• Competitive base salary
• Equity ownership in a rapidly growing advanced energy company
• Comprehensive medical benefits
• Unlimited PTO
• Free daily lunch
• 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

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).