The Safety Basis and Unreviewed Safety Question (USQ) Coordinator
About Valar Atomics
At 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.
The Team
As part of the Regulations & Safety organization, Configuration Management maintains the integrity and traceability of technical information throughout the product lifecycle. The team ensures controlled changes, accurate documentation, and consistent configuration across programs.
The Role
The Safety Basis and Unreviewed Safety Question (USQ) Coordinator coordinates the safety case for Valar Atomics' operating reactor facility, interfacing daily with the design, licensing, and safety analysis teams: the analysis that proves the plant can be operated safely, and the process that keeps every design change, test, and operating discovery honest against it. The role runs the Unreviewed Safety Question process end to end, from intake to approval to regulator submittal, leads the response when an operating discovery challenges the analysis, and is the single point where design intent, licensing commitments, and safety analysis meet. Done well, this makes change control fast because it is trusted, and gives each new reactor a safety case it inherits rather than rebuilds. The role suits someone from nuclear or another high consequence regulated industry who wants ownership of a critical process and can hold a conservative line under schedule pressure. This position will be located in Torrance, California, with regular presence at the reactor site in Orangeville, UT.
The Safety Basis and USQ Coordinator will report to the Director of Licensing Documentation and Technical Publishing and be assigned to work with Facility Design Authority and Operations Manager.
Key Responsibilities
Coordinate the plant safety analysis and technical safety requirements with the design, licensing, and safety analysis teams, and keep them current as the design and the plant evolve
Run the Unreviewed Safety Question process: screenings, determinations, approvals, records, deadlines, and regulator submittals
Lead the evaluation and reporting of discovered conditions that may challenge the safety analysis
Ensure every design change is screened for safety basis impact before it is implemented
Support the safety case for new reactor designs and its traceability to design requirements
Qualify and train USQ evaluators and build a team that can carry the process across multiple reactors
Be the technical point of contact to the regulator on safety basis matters
Improve the safety basis process so each successive reactor is licensed faster than the last
Basic Qualifications
4+ years of experience in safety analysis, licensing, safety basis, change control, or safety engineering in nuclear or another high consequence regulated industry such as aerospace, defense, chemical, or oil and gas
Understanding of how a safety case is built, approved, maintained, and changed
Ability to run a controlled, deadline driven process and coordinate across engineering teams with minimal supervision
Sound judgment and the confidence to make conservative calls under schedule pressure
Strong technical writing and communication skills
Preferred Skills and Experience
Bachelor's or Master's degree in engineering or a physical science
Experience with nuclear safety analysis, Unreviewed Safety Question evaluation, or an equivalent change evaluation process
Experience working with a regulator or authorization authority
Experience with change control or configuration management in a regulated environment
Experience preparing safety or licensing documents for a new facility
Experience with requirements and lifecycle management tools (Polarion, DOORS, Jama, etc.)
What We Offer
Competitive base salary
Equity ownership in a rapidly growing advanced energy company
Comprehensive medical benefits
Unlimited PTO
Free daily lunch and dinner provided onsite
Generous PPE stipend
High-impact startup environment with significant ownership and autonomy
Opportunities for rapid career growth and internal advancement
Direct collaboration with experienced operators, engineers, and industry leaders
The opportunity to help build and scale transformative energy technology from the ground up
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
Valar 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.
We are committed to providing a workplace free of discrimination and harassment and will provide reasonable accommodation as required by law.
Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States as a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident (green card holder). Salary $118,000 — $168,000 USD