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Salary: USD 196,000 - 240,000 / annual
Valar Atomics is seeking a Lead Electrical Engineer to build and lead the electrical engineering team within the Instrumentation, Control & Electrical (IC&E) organization. This is a player-coach role combining team leadership with hands-on technical ownership of electrical engineering delivery across a first-of-a-kind advanced nuclear power plant.
The role spans four plant areas: the reactor program, nuclear fuel manufacturing operations, power generation, and power distribution. You will own the complete electrical architecture from utility and grid interconnection through generation, medium-voltage distribution, process area low-voltage systems, and emergency power. This includes generator integration, excitation and protection, step-up transformation, synchronization, auxiliary power, and all protection and control systems.
Team Leadership Responsibilities:
- Build the electrical engineering team by defining roles across the Engineer/Senior/Staff/Principal ladder, recruiting and interviewing candidates, and onboarding new engineers
- Lead day-to-day team operations: assign and prioritize work across four plant areas, direct and review technical output, manage performance, and develop each engineer's technical progression
- Own engineering resourcing strategy including workload forecasting, internal versus contractor allocation, and technical oversight of subcontractors and consultants
- Establish discipline standards for checking practice, calculation bases, design standards, and documentation discipline, evolving ownership to Staff and Principal engineers as the team grows
Technical Leadership Responsibilities:
- Own electrical engineering delivery across all four plant areas: scope, quality, and schedule of power system studies, designs, specifications, and construction/commissioning support
- Own the plant electrical architecture end-to-end across voltage classes: HV utility interconnection and switchyard, generator and GSU transformer integration, MV distribution, LV process and facility systems, emergency and standby power, and DC/UPS systems
- Own the power generation electrical scope: generator specification and integration with the power conversion system, excitation and voltage regulation, generator and interconnection protection, synchronization, and auxiliary power
- Collaborate with I&C, mechanical, process, power conversion, and nuclear safety engineers in a hands-on environment where power system integrity directly supports production reliability and nuclear safety
The company is building a pilot plant in Orangeville, Utah to demonstrate advanced nuclear systems and fuel fabrication. You will work in a startup environment with significant autonomy and ownership, setting technical tone and culture for a growing team.
Requirements:
- 12+ years of electrical engineering experience in power systems, generation, or utility/grid interconnection
- 5+ years of experience in team leadership, mentoring, or management roles
- Deep expertise in power system design, analysis, and protection across HV, MV, and LV systems
- Experience with generator design, integration, excitation, and protection systems
- Experience with power flow and short-circuit analysis, load flow studies, and transient stability
- Experience with electrical equipment specification and procurement (transformers, switchgear, protection relays, cables)
- Experience with IEC 61850 substation automation and protection communication
- Experience with emergency and standby power system design, DC systems, and battery sizing (IEEE 485/1115)
- Experience on first-of-a-kind, prototype, or early-stage plant programs where electrical organization and standards had to be built rather than inherited
- PE license (Professional Engineer) preferred
- Nuclear industry experience preferred but not required
