Head of Facilities

The Company

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 Role

We are seeking a Head of Facilities to own and scale the operations of our combined office and manufacturing site in Torrance. This role is responsible for ensuring that our physical environment enables world-class engineering and manufacturing—reliable, safe, compliant, and built to scale rapidly.

You will lead all aspects of facility operations, infrastructure, compliance, and expansion. This is a highly cross-functional role requiring both strategic planning and hands-on execution in a startup environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end operations of our combined business office and manufacturing facility, ensuring safety, reliability, and operational excellence across all building systems
• Oversee maintenance of critical infrastructure (HVAC, electrical, plumbing, fire/life safety), with strong preventive maintenance programs and rapid response
• Manage HVAC and environmental systems to maintain required operating conditions for engineering and production while optimizing energy efficiency
• Oversee utilities (power, water, gas) including uptime, redundancy planning, capacity forecasting, and cost control
• Ensure proper storage systems and compliance for materials, equipment, and regulated items
• Oversee physical security and access control systems, ensuring a safe and controlled environment
• Manage parking, site traffic flow, and logistics for employees, visitors, and vendors
• Ensure clean, well-maintained, and fully functional workspaces, including offices, restrooms, and common areas
• Partner with external project management firms, contractors, and architects on construction, renovations, and site expansion
• Lead facility build-outs from concept through execution, including budgeting, permitting, and timelines
• Ensure all projects meet operational, safety, and compliance standards
• Ensure full compliance with OSHA, building codes, fire regulations, and environmental standards
• Own audit and inspection readiness across all regulatory bodies
• Implement and maintain emergency preparedness plans, and incident response protocols
• Serve as the 24/7 emergency point of contact for facility-related issues
• Build and manage a high-performing, lean facilities team (technicians, custodial, etc.), with clear accountability and performance standards
• Manage third-party vendors (janitorial, maintenance, security, etc.), establishing SLAs and ensuring high-quality, cost-effective service
• Lead vendor selection, contract negotiation, and ongoing performance management
• Oversee physical security and access control systems, ensuring a safe and controlled environment

Basic Qualifications

• 8+ years operating facilities or infrastructure in high-performance environments (e.g., advanced manufacturing, aerospace, defense, energy)
• Proven track record of supporting hardware production, testing, or industrial operations
• Deep understanding of building systems: power, HVAC, utilities, and their impact on production/manufacturing
• Experience leading facility buildouts, expansions, or rapid reconfigurations
• Strong working knowledge of OSHA, ADA, safety systems, and regulatory requirements
• Demonstrated ability to operate hands-on in fast-paced, ambiguous environments
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with a customer-service mindset
• High level of organization with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Comfortable working both independently and as part of a team
• U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident (Green Card holder)

Preferred Skills & Experience

• Experience standing up or scaling a manufacturing site from early stage
• Experience with high-power or specialized infrastructure environments
• Prior General Contractor license or experience
• Familiarity with CMMS or reliability engineering practices
• Experience in ITAR and Export Control environments

To be successful in this role:

• You operate with extreme ownership—you see problems and fix them
• You move fast and prioritize what matters
• You are comfortable being both operator and builder
• You hold a high bar for safety, reliability, and execution
• You understand that facilities are a critical path to our entire operations, not a support function

Location

This is a fully onsite role based at our Hawthorne, CA headquarters. 

Compensation & Benefits

• Base salary: $150,000 - $220,000 (depending on experience)
• Equity in a high-growth company
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
• 401(k) plan
• Paid time off and company holidays

EXPORT COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS:

• To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.