{"id":1014685,"url":"https://alion.io/job/valar-atomics-automation-and-controls-engineer","title":"Automation and Controls Engineer","company":{"id":19389,"name":"Valar Atomics","domain":"valaratomics.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/valar-atomics","size_band":"501-1000","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Greenhouse","truth_index":{"grade":"B","score":84,"open_postings":14,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":0.643,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":48,"computed_at":"2026-11-10T06:52:35Z"}},"role":"Industrial Engineering","role_family":"Industrial Engineering","seniority":"junior","employment_type":null,"work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"explicit","locations":["Torrance, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":90000,"max":137000,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":137000},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":2,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":true,"technologies":[{"name":"Git","optional":false},{"name":"OPC UA","optional":false},{"name":"Python","optional":false},{"name":"Rest API","optional":false},{"name":"SQL","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-09-17T19:40:12Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-08","last_verified_at":"2026-11-10T08:13:48Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":53,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":53},"description":"About Valar Atomics\nAt 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.\nThe Team \nYou will be joining Valar Atomics' Automation and Controls Team within the Instrumentation, Control & Electrical (IC&E) organization. I&C Software Engineers own the logic and data layer PLC and DCS application code, ISA-88 batch sequences, SCADA and HMI applications, historian infrastructure, and enterprise integration across the reactor program and fuel manufacturing operations. You will work alongside I&C Hardware, electrical, process, and nuclear safety engineers in an environment that blends traditional control systems with modern software and data integration practice. As an early-career engineer, you will be surrounded by senior, staff, and principal engineers whose job includes developing you. The team values operator-focused design, data integrity, disciplined documentation, and a safety-first culture. \n\nThe Role\nValar Atomics is seeking Automation and Controls Engineers to help develop, configure, test, and commission the control system software for our reactor and nuclear fuel manufacturing facilities. Working under the technical direction of senior and staff engineers, you will contribute across the controls software domain PLC programming, SCADA and HMI development, batch control, alarm configuration, historian work, and control system testing, with steadily increasing independence and ownership. This is an early-career position built for growth: you will write real application code that runs a real plant, spend time at panels and in the field during loop checks and commissioning, have your work reviewed and tested by experienced engineers, and learn nuclear-grade software discipline on a first-of-a-kind reactor program. We expect engineers at this level to develop toward independent ownership of controls software scope within their first few years. \n\nKey Responsibilities \nDevelop and modify PLC and DCS application code on platforms such as Rockwell ControlLogix/CompactLogix, Siemens S7/TIA Portal, or equivalent, using IEC 61131-3 languages, working within established coding standards and template libraries and with structured code review by senior engineers. \nBuild and maintain SCADA application content on platforms such as Ignition, FactoryTalk, AVEVA, or WinCC - tag databases, user-defined types, display instances, and scripting - from established templates and standards. \nDevelop HMI displays at the panel and supervisory levels in accordance with the team's ISA-101/HPHMI style guide, including navigation, faceplates, and situational awareness graphics, with displays reviewed before release. \nImplement ISA-88 batch phase logic and equipment module code within the established batch architecture, under the direction of senior engineers; support recipe configuration and batch testing. \nConfigure alarm setpoints, priorities, deadbands, and shelving in accordance with the approved alarm philosophy and rationalization outputs; run alarm performance KPI reports. \nSupport safety logic work under IEC 61511 by executing functional test procedures, documenting test results, and assisting with safety application code under direct senior engineer supervision; safety logic authorship and approval remain with senior engineers. \nConfigure historian tags, compression and exception settings, and asset framework elements within the established model; build process data dashboards and operational reports. \nConfigure and troubleshoot industrial communication interfaces including OPC-UA, EtherNet/IP, and Modbus TCP/RTU under guidance - server and client endpoints, tag mapping, and SCADA-to-PLC connections. \nWrite SQL queries and Python scripts for data processing, report generation, and control system test automation. \nApply the team's software configuration management practice: version control, change control, structured code review participation, and controller and SCADA application backup and restore. \nExecute software FAT, SAT, and commissioning test procedures; support loop checks and end-to-end testing with I&C Hardware engineers; document results and maintain tag lists, alarm databases, and as-built software records. \nTroubleshoot control system software faults including communication failures, logic defects, sequence stalls, and historian data gaps, escalating appropriately and documenting findings and corrective actions. \nSupport coordination with I&C Hardware Engineers on I/O assignment, tag naming, signal scaling, and loop commissioning. \nMaintain disciplined engineering records consistent with nuclear quality requirements, ensuring traceability of design decisions, software changes, and test results. \nActively develop technical competence through structured learning, commissioning time, and progressively larger assignments, in line with the team's engineer development expectations. \n\nBasic Qualifications\nBachelor's degree in Electrical, Electronic, Computer, Systems Engineering, Computer Science, or a related discipline. \n2+ years of experience in controls software, PLC programming, SCADA development, or related automation work; substantial internship or co-op experience may be counted toward this at the hiring manager's discretion. \nHands-on PLC programming experience with at least one major platform (Rockwell, Siemens, or equivalent) using one or more IEC 61131-3 languages. \nSome hands-on exposure to SCADA or HMI development on a major platform (Ignition, FactoryTalk, AVEVA, WinCC, or equivalent). \nAbility to read and interpret P&IDs, loop diagrams, and I/O lists sufficient to develop and test control logic. \nBasic familiarity with at least one industrial communication protocol (OPC-UA, EtherNet/IP, or Modbus). \nWorking familiarity with version control concepts and disciplined change practice for application code. \nWillingness and ability to work hands-on during loop checks, commissioning, and plant support, including at times in industrial conditions and on commissioning schedules. \nStrong documentation habits and attention to detail, and willingness to work within a rigorous nuclear quality and checking culture. \nAbility to take direction, incorporate code review comments constructively, and communicate status and problems clearly. \n\nPreferred Skills and Experience\nPlatform certification such as Ignition (Core/Gold) or Rockwell/Siemens training credentials. \nEngineer in Training (EIT) designation or passage of the FE exam. \nInternship, co-op, or work experience in process industries, manufacturing, utilities, or system integration. \nExposure to batch control (ISA-88), alarm management (ISA-18.2), or HMI design (ISA-101) concepts. \nExposure to plant historians (PI, Ignition Historian, or equivalent) or operational dashboarding. \nExposure to safety system logic or functional safety testing concepts (IEC 61511). \nExperience with SQL, Python, or REST APIs for data processing or integration. \nExperience with Git or equivalent version control. \nPersonal, academic, or professional projects demonstrating hands-on controls, automation, or software work. \nWhat We Offer \nCompetitive base salary \nEquity ownership in a rapidly growing advanced energy company \nComprehensive medical benefits \nUnlimited PTO\nFree daily lunch and dinner provided onsite \nGenerous PPE stipend\nHigh-impact startup environment with significant ownership and autonomy \nOpportunities for rapid career growth and internal advancement \nDirect collaboration with experienced operators, engineers, and industry leaders \nThe opportunity to help build and scale transformative energy technology from the ground up\nEqual Employment Opportunity Statement\nValar 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.\nWe are committed to providing a workplace free of discrimination and harassment and will provide reasonable accommodation as required by law.\nApplicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States as a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident (green card holder).\nSalary\n$90,000—$137,000 USD","description_format":"text","description_chars":8769,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":2,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":["Equity","Unlimited PTO"],"hiring_locations":[{"name":"United States","iso":"US","kind":"country"}],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Nuclear Energy"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-09-17T22:19:24Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":24,"band":"cold","label":"Long shot","p_open":1,"p_active":0.537,"p_room":0.44,"age_days":53,"expected_fill_days":48,"reasons":["conf:3","stale_co","win:tail","crowd:junior,brand"],"computed_at":"2026-11-10T06:52:35Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":137000,"is_top_pay":true},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/valar-atomics-automation-and-controls-engineer","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/valar-atomics-automation-and-controls-engineer.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-11-10T09:45:28Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":22663,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-11-11T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.1,"usd":0.01,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":19389},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=19389"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fvalar-atomics-automation-and-controls-engineer"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":2,"usd":0.2},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fvalar-atomics-automation-and-controls-engineer"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.1,"usd":0.01},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fvalar-atomics-automation-and-controls-engineer"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/valar-atomics-automation-and-controls-engineer\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fvalar-atomics-automation-and-controls-engineer"}],"agent":{"mcp":"https://alion.io/mcp/jobs","mcp_open":"https://alion.io/mcp/open","next":[{"tool":"get_job","arguments":{"id":1014685}},{"tool":"search_jobs","arguments":{"company":"valaratomics.com","detail":"compact"}},{"tool":"match_people","arguments":{"job_id":1014685},"note":"people open to offers who fit this vacancy"}],"note":"The same data through MCP tools: https://alion.io/mcp/open needs no sign-in (compact searches, postings, people); https://alion.io/mcp with an Alion account has everything. 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