Continuous Improvement/Operational Excellence Engineer

About the role

You will own the design and continuous improvement of core business processes that connect reactor development, fuel production, manufacturing, construction, supply chain, laboratory operations, and customer support. You will act as the primary process architect identifying operational friction, governance gaps, and systemic weaknesses across the enterprise. You will develop practical, scalable solutions that enhance performance without adding unnecessary bureaucracy. This role requires balancing execution speed with appropriate governance and applying process rigor through a graded, risk-informed approach. You will help standardize, automate, and scale the processes that enable Valar Atomics to transition from technology development to reliable commercial deployment. Success in this position means enabling the organization to operate efficiently as it scales while maintaining alignment with regulatory expectations and operational realities. You will own the metrics, the methodologies, and the long-term sustainability of how work actually gets done across the business.

Key facts

What you'll do

Drive enterprise-wide process improvement initiatives across Engineering, Manufacturing, Construction, Supply Chain, Quality, Laboratory Operations, Customer Service, and other business functions.

Map, analyze, improve, and standardize end-to-end business processes to enhance safety, quality, delivery performance, customer satisfaction, organizational effectiveness, and scalability.

Evaluate business processes against applicable regulatory requirements, quality management standards, consensus standards, and organizational objectives while ensuring controls remain appropriate to risk.

Identify operational friction, process inefficiencies, unclear ownership, governance gaps, excessive complexity, redundant activities, and systemic weaknesses using data and direct observation.

Develop practical, scalable solutions and process governance models that improve performance without introducing unnecessary bureaucracy or complexity.

Own key performance indicators, metrics, and reporting structures to measure process effectiveness, efficiency, and compliance across the business.

Collaborate with cross-functional leaders to align process changes with business goals, technology development, manufacturing scale-up, and construction timelines.

Support the design and implementation of quality management systems, standard work, work instructions, and process documentation to ensure consistency and audit readiness.

Champion a culture of operational excellence, continuous improvement, and disciplined execution across the organization.

Act as a process advisor and change agent, guiding teams on how to balance speed with appropriate governance as the company grows.

Contribute to enterprise architecture decisions that integrate reactor development, fuel production, manufacturing, supply chain, and customer support.

Translate strategic objectives into operational plans, process roadmaps, and implementation roadmaps in coordination with leadership.

Perform root cause analysis, problem-solving, and corrective and preventive action activities to drive sustainable improvements.

Support regulatory interactions, audits, and inspections by maintaining clear, current, and compliant process documentation.

Enable the organization to execute repeatably at scale while preserving the agility that defines Valar Atomics.

Requirements

Demonstrate experience applying process improvement methodologies such as Lean, Six Sigma, or equivalent to complex operational environments.

Possess a Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, Industrial Engineering, Business Administration, or a related technical or operational discipline.

Show a strong understanding of quality management systems, including experience with ISO 9001, IATF 16949, or similar standards.

Have experience working in regulated industries where compliance, safety, and documentation are critical, preferably in nuclear, aerospace, energy, or advanced manufacturing.

Exhibit strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret data, identify trends, and drive actionable improvements.

Demonstrate excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to influence stakeholders across all levels of the organization.

Show capacity to operate effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic startup environment while managing multiple priorities and competing demands.

Bring experience collaborating across cross-functional and geographically distributed teams, aligning diverse stakeholders on process decisions.

Nice to have

Experience with advanced nuclear energy systems, hydrogen production, or high-temperature processes is strongly preferred.

Background in process automation, digital tools, or manufacturing execution systems is highly valued.

Prior experience supporting scale-up in hardware, energy, or manufacturing-intensive businesses is a significant advantage.

Familiarity with project management methodologies and tools used to coordinate complex, multi-team initiatives.

Practical notes

This is a full-time position based in Torrance, California, United States.

Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship at this time.

No relocation support is available for this role.

Travel is not required for this position.