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Salary: USD 196,000 - 240,000 / annual
Valar Atomics is seeking a Principal Nuclear I&C Engineer to own the technical direction of nuclear instrumentation plant design for an advanced high-temperature gas-cooled reactor program. You will define the reactor measurement architecture and instrumentation application strategy for a first-of-a-kind reactor, spanning neutron flux detection, radiation monitoring, reactor protection system sensors and signal chains, and process instrumentation in nuclear service.
As a principal engineer, you will be among the discipline's most senior technical voices: an architect of measurement systems, a final checker of highest-consequence work, and a standard-setter for engineers building their careers at the company. The role operates at the level of measurement architecture, application and qualification strategy, and design authority rather than routine design execution. The focus is the application of vendor-supplied instrumentation in plant design, not instrument or detector development.
Key responsibilities include:
**Measurement Architecture and Technical Strategy:**
- Define and own the reactor measurement architecture across the program: neutron flux measurement strategy across startup, intermediate, and power ranges; reactor protection system sensor architecture; radiation monitoring architecture; and measurement strategy for primary-loop process variables in high-temperature helium service.
- Author and own the discipline's philosophy and basis documents: instrumentation design basis, signal chain design philosophy, setpoint and uncertainty methodology basis, and environmental and radiation qualification program basis.
- Own the instrumentation application strategy for first-of-a-kind reactor conditions: technology and vendor selection across detector and sensor platforms, application-specific qualification strategy, standardization across the plant and future units, and supply continuity and obsolescence strategy.
- Own the discipline's standards program within assigned domains: set the framework and priorities for design bases and standards, delegate authorship to staff and senior engineers, and approve them for release.
- Evaluate emerging, commercially maturing measurement technology, advanced detectors, distributed and optical sensing, and digital signal processing platforms; decide what is adopted into plant design, what is piloted, and what is excluded.
**Design Authority and Technical Governance:**
- Serve as a discipline design authority: hold final technical approval for safety-significant instrumentation designs, qualification bases and dispositions, deviations from design bases, and concessions; adjudicate technical disputes within the discipline and represent it in cross-discipline conflicts at program level.
- Own the technical integrity of reactor protection instrumentation within assigned domains: channel architecture, independence and separation (IEEE 603, IEEE 384 principles), qualification pedigree, and approval of safety-significant design changes.
- Direct the resolution of the hardest measurement application problems in the program.
- Represent the discipline in licensing and regulatory engagements.
- Build the engineering capability of the organization around you.
You will work alongside I&C, electrical, reactor physics, thermal-hydraulics, and nuclear safety engineers in a hands-on environment where measurement quality directly supports reactor safety. The team values technical depth, disciplined documentation, and a safety-first culture.
**Requirements:**
- 15+ years of nuclear I&C hardware engineering experience, with at least 10 years in reactor instrumentation design, qualification, or licensing roles.
- Deep expertise in nuclear instrumentation technologies: neutron detection (fission chambers, ionization chambers, compensated ion chambers), temperature and pressure measurement in nuclear service, radiation monitoring instrumentation, and signal chain design.
- Demonstrated expertise in reactor protection system design and qualification under 10 CFR 50.62 (anticipated transient without scram), IEEE 603 (criteria for safety systems), and IEEE 384 (independence and separation).
- Mastery of instrumentation qualification methodologies: environmental qualification (EQ) under 10 CFR 50.49, radiation qualification (RQ), seismic qualification, and thermal-hydraulic transient qualification.
- Setpoint and uncertainty methodology expertise (ISA-67.04 or equivalent) at a methodology-ownership level.
- Participation in IEEE NPEC, IEC SC45A, or equivalent standards development.
- Working experience under NQA-1 / 10 CFR 50 Appendix B quality programs at a program-governance level.
