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 W