Head of IT Operations

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 Role

Valar Atomics is seeking a Head of IT Operations to build and lead secure, scalable, and high-performance IT systems across the company. This role is responsible for designing and operating all internal infrastructure, including corporate IT, identity and access management, endpoint systems, networking, and compliance frameworks required for export-controlled environments.

You will be a foundational leader, working directly with engineering, security, legal, and leadership to ensure our systems are robust, compliant, and enable rapid execution without compromise.

This is not a maintenance role. You will architect and build the systems that the company will run on.

Key Responsibilities

Own end-to-end IT infrastructure: corporate IT, networking, endpoints, SaaS systems, and internal tooling

Design and implement ITAR-compliant environments, including access controls, data segregation, and auditability

Build and enforce identity and access management (IAM) systems with least-privilege principles

Establish secure device management (MDM), endpoint detection and response (EDR), and fleet lifecycle processes

Architect and maintain secure network infrastructure, including office, lab, and production environments

Lead vendor selection and management across IT, security, and infrastructure tooling

Develop and enforce IT policies and procedures aligned with export control and security requirements

Partner with engineering to support high-performance computing, lab systems, and specialized environments

Stand up monitoring, logging, and incident response capabilities for IT systems

Build and lead a high-performing IT team, setting a culture of ownership and operational excellence

Ensure business continuity and disaster recovery planning

Act as a key stakeholder in security audits, compliance readiness, and regulatory inspections

You Will Be Successful in This Role If

You have a builder mentality: you default to creating systems, not maintaining legacy ones

Have security-first thinking without slowing down execution

Take high ownership and accountability

You can operate in ambiguity and make high-quality decisions quickly

Use Strong judgment balancing speed, cost, and risk

Are a clear communicator across technical and non-technical teams

Basic Qualifications

8+ years of experience in IT infrastructure, operations, or systems engineering

3+ years in a leadership or management role

Deep experience with enterprise IT systems, networking, and cloud infrastructure (AWS/GCP/Azure)

Experience implementing identity systems (Okta, Azure AD, or similar)

Strong understanding of network architecture, VPNs, firewalls, and segmentation

Proven track record of building systems from the ground up in a fast-paced environment

Must be eligible to work in the United States

Ability to obtain and maintain access to export-controlled information (ITAR/EAR)

This role is onsite and requires close collaboration with engineering and lab environments

Preferred Skills and Experience

Experience operating in ITAR, EAR, or other export-controlled environments

Familiarity with NIST 800-171, CMMC, or similar compliance frameworks

Background in aerospace, defense, energy, or deep tech startups

Experience supporting hardware labs, manufacturing environments, or secure facilities

Prior experience scaling IT from early-stage to growth-stage company

What We Offer

Competitive base salary

Equity ownership in a rapidly growing advanced energy company

Comprehensive medical benefits

Free daily lunch and dinner provided onsite

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 m…