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Job Description

Overview

Valar Atomics is redefining energy with a mission to make clean, high-temperature nuclear power scalable. The Mechanical Technician will build mechanical and electromechanical assemblies for modular nuclear reactor systems, working hands-on with various components and tools.

Responsibilities

  • Assemble mechanical and electromechanical components using hand and power tools.
  • Read and follow engineering drawings, work instructions, and bills of materials.
  • Fit, fasten, align, and torque components to specification; verify fit-up and functionality.
  • Identify and troubleshoot assembly issues, fitment problems, or missing/incorrect parts.
  • Maintain a clean, organized, and safe workspace; follow 5S and shop safety standards.
  • Support a wide range of build types across different product lines and subassemblies.
  • Document completed work, inspection results, and any non-conformances.

Requirements

  • 4+ years of experience in mechanical assembly, maintenance, or a similar hands-on technical role.
  • Strong proficiency with hand tools and basic power tools.
  • Ability to read and follow engineering drawings, work instructions, and assembly procedures.
  • Comfortable working across a variety of assembly tasks and switching between them.
  • Strong attention to detail and commitment to build quality.
  • Comfortable working in a fast-paced startup manufacturing environment.
  • Ability to lift up to 50 lbs, stand for extended periods, and work in a shop-floor setting.

Benefits

  • Health Insurance
  • PTO

Additional Information

  • 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

Benefits

Health Insurance
PTO
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How this job compares in Torrance, CA

Pay in context

At roughly $36/hr, this posting comes in about 12% below the $41/hr median for welding jobs in Torrance, CA, where the middle half runs $30–$58/hr across 34 postings with published pay. Put another way, it pays more than about 50% of the comparable postings we have wage data for. That gap is worth raising directly — in a market this size there is normally room to negotiate toward the median, particularly if you already hold the certifications the posting asks for.

The local market in Torrance, CA

We're tracking 55 other active welding openings in Torrance, CA right now, from 19 different employers. 32 of them were added in the last week. Across California as a whole we're tracking 650 other active welding openings from 315 employers. A metro this active generally means you have real leverage — employers here are competing for the same welders. Browse every welding job in Torrance, or widen the search to California.

Valar Atomics currently has 12 other openings live in California, which is usually a sign of either steady growth or steady turnover — worth asking which in the interview.

The most active employers in California at the moment, by number of open welding reqs, are SpaceX (34), Honeywell Aerospace (16), and Aerotek (13). Volume like that usually means either a genuine expansion or a staffing agency working several client sites — worth knowing which before you apply.

Within California, the best-paying metros we track by median hourly rate are Santa Ana at $53/hr, Redondo Beach at $51/hr, and Long Beach at $42/hr. If you can relocate or commute, that spread is worth factoring in.

Similar openings near Torrance, CA

Pay figures are medians computed from live postings in the Welding Pros index, not from survey data, and they move as employers post. Mechanical Technician figures were last recalculated when this page was built.