Staff Instrumentation and Controls Engineer

About the role

You define the controls path from bench tests to nuclear fuel traceability, owning designs that keep production honest and safe. You translate harsh physics into sequences that operators trust, while mentoring peers who rely on your precision. Your work decides whether advanced reactors scale or stall. You own the full lifecycle of instrumentation and control solutions, ensuring that every design choice is traceable, verifiable, and aligned with the highest standards of safety and reliability. You act as the technical authority for control strategies, leading cross-functional reviews and guiding less experienced engineers through complex implementations. Your decisions directly impact the manufacturability and compliance of nuclear fuel processes, making your role indispensable to the company's mission. You will be responsible for establishing and maintaining rigorous engineering controls that underpin the integrity of advanced nuclear manufacturing. This position requires a deep commitment to analytical thinking and a methodical approach to solving complex operational challenges. You will partner closely with production and safety teams to ensure that technical solutions are both effective and practical. Your expertise will serve as the foundation for scaling reliable and auditable manufacturing systems.

Key facts

What you'll do

Design control strategies and logic for fuel manufacturing using Rockwell, Siemens, or Emerson systems.

Architect SCADA and HMI solutions on Ignition, FactoryTalk, AVEVA, or WinCC aligned with high-performance display rules.

Craft ISA-88 batch sequences and recipe management while guarding phase logic and unit status clarity.

Configure safety instrumented functions on GuardLogix, Triconex, or F-CPU to satisfy IEC 61511 rigor.

Build and tune PID loops, calibrate instrumentation, and own instrument sizing plus hook-up drawings.

Commission communication networks using OPC-UA, EtherNet/IP, and PROFINET while advancing OT cybersecurity under ISA-62443.

Oversee historian setups on PI, Ignition Historian, or FactoryTalk, then drive ISA-95 data exchange with MES.

Develop alarming frameworks per ISA-18.2, tracking KPIs and suppression logic for safer operator response.

Lead commissioning for control systems through FAT, SAT, and loop checks, ensuring interlock proof before live operation.

Champion instrument specifications, hazardous area classifications, and documentation for regulators and crews.

Implement robust verification and validation procedures for all control system changes and configurations.

Perform root cause analysis on control system anomalies and drive corrective and preventive actions.

Collaborate with manufacturing teams to optimize process control performance and data utilization.

Support the development of technical proposals and system architecture documentation for client engagements.

Ensure all engineering deliverables meet internal quality standards and regulatory expectations.

Requirements

You hold a Bachelor of Science in engineering or a related field.

You bring 3-5 years crafting control systems for complex hardware in nuclear or regulated settings.

You can code in ladder logic, structured text, and function block while following IEC 61131-3 standards.

You configure SCADA systems and tag databases, applying FactoryTalk, Ignition, or equivalent platforms.

You design HMI following ISA-101 and high-performance interface concepts for operators.

You implement batch control using ISA-88 logic for phases, recipes, and supervisory oversight.

You configure safety systems and SIFs to meet IEC 61511 requirements using GuardLogix or similar.

You set up historians and enterprise integrations, enabling data flow between control, MES, and ERP.

You tune regulatory loops and calibrate field devices like flow, pressure, and level transmitters.

You specify instruments, create index drawings, and classify hazardous areas for new facility changes.

You implement industrial protocols and integrate PLCs, SCADA, historians, and external systems.

You prepare and execute FAT, SAT, and commissioning plans with thorough documentation.

You maintain current knowledge of nuclear quality assurance standards and their application to instrumentation.

You demonstrate the ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams in a fast-paced environment.

Nice to have

Experience with nuclear fuel manufacturing or advanced reactor projects.

Skills & tools

Rockwell ControlLogix, CompactLogix, Siemens S7, TIA Portal, Emerson, Ignition, FactoryTalk, Wonderware, AVEVA System Platform, WinCC, GuardLogix, Triconex, OPC-UA, EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, Modbus, DeviceNet, ISA-62443, NIST SP 800-82, ISA-88, ISA-95, ISA-101, ISA-18.2, OSIsoft PI, PI System, Historian.

About the company

Valar Atomics develops nuclear energy systems to power heavy industry and produce clean hydrocarbon fuels. The team builds and operates reactors that deliver high-temperature heat and electricity for demanding industrial processes.

Work focuses on system design, safety analysis, component testing, and deployment planning. Roles suit engineers who want to apply nuclear technology to practical, large-scale energy challenges.