Senior Automation and Controls Engineer

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   You 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. The team values operator-focused design, data integrity, disciplined documentation, and a safety-first culture.  The Role Valar Atomics is seeking Senior Automation and Controls Engineers to develop, configure, test, and commission the control system software for our reactor and nuclear fuel manufacturing facilities. The role covers PLC and DCS programming, SCADA and HMI application development, ISA-88 batch control, alarm management, safety logic programming, historian configuration, and ISA-95 enterprise integration supporting both capital projects and ongoing plant operations. This is a senior position: you will own controls software scope end-to-end, from functional specification through commissioning and long-term support, and provide technical direction to contractors, vendors, and junior engineers.  Key Responsibilities   Develop and maintain PLC and DCS application programs using platforms such as Rockwell ControlLogix/CompactLogix, Siemens S7/TIA Portal, Emerson, or equivalent; program in ladder logic, function block, structured text, and sequential function chart per IEC 61131-3.  Develop and configure SCADA applications on platforms such as Ignition, Rockwell FactoryTalk, AVEVA System Platform, Siemens WinCC, or equivalent; build and maintain tag databases, user-defined types, communication drivers, scripting, templates, and client and redundancy architecture.  Design HMI displays at both the local panel level (Rockwell PanelView, Siemens WinCC, or equivalent) and the supervisory SCADA level in accordance with ISA-101 and High-Performance HMI (HPHMI) principles, including display hierarchy, navigation, and situational awareness graphics.  Develop batch control software in accordance with ISA-88, including phase logic, equipment modules, unit procedures, recipe management, equipment arbitration, and material tracking; build the supervisory batch layer for batch execution monitoring, unit status, and recipe progress display and reporting.  Configure and manage alarm system software to ISA-18.2, including setpoints, priorities, deadbands, shelving and suppression logic, and alarm performance KPI reporting.  Program, configure, and functionally test safety logic on SIS platforms (Rockwell GuardLogix, Siemens F-CPU, Triconex, or equivalent) in accordance with IEC 61511.  Configure plant historian systems (OSIsoft PI / AVEVA PI, Ignition Historian, Rockwell FactoryTalk Historian, or equivalent) including tag configuration, compression and exception settings, and asset framework modelling; build process data dashboards and operational reports.  Implement ISA-95 enterprise-control integration including data exchange interfaces between control systems and MES, ERP, and LIMS; develop and consume REST APIs and database interfaces.  Configure and troubleshoot industrial communication protocols in software including OPC-UA, EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, Modbus TCP/RTU, and DeviceNet; configure server and client endpoints, tag mapping, and interfaces between SCADA and PLC, DCS, SIS, historian, and third-party systems.  Write SQL queries and stored procedures and Python scripts for data processing, transaction handling, report generation, and control system test automation.  Apply software configuration management practice including version control, change control, structured code review, controller and SCADA application backup and restore, and disaster recovery testing.  Define OT network architecture and configure cybersecurity controls in accordance with IEC 62443 or NIST SP 800-82, including zone and conduit design, VLAN and switch configuration, role-based access control, authentication, secure protocol configuration, and coordination of patching and application allow-listing.  Prepare and execute software FAT, SAT, and commissioning test plans; maintain engineering documentation including functional specifications, control narratives, cause-and-effect matrices, tag lists, alarm databases, and as-built software records.  Diagnose and resolve control system software faults including PLC and SCADA communication failures, logic defects, sequence stalls, historian data gaps, and application performance issues; perform root cause analysis and document corrective actions.  Coordinate with I&C Hardware Engineers on I/O assignment, tag naming, signal scaling, and loop commissioning to ensure control logic and field hardware are consistent.  Provide technical direction to contractors, consultants, and junior engineers on controls software scope; review and redline control system software deliverables to ensure compliance with project standards and nuclear quality requirements.  Maintain disciplined engineering records consistent with nuclear quality requ