Manufacturing Engineering Lead – Scale Production

Vulcan Elements; North Carolina; On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Vulcan Elements is seeking a Manufacturing Engineering Manager to lead a team of Manufacturing Engineers responsible for developing and industrializing manufacturing processes and equipment as we scale production in Durham/Benson, NC.

You will own the full lifecycle of equipment from evaluation to installation, startup, and ramp, drive continuous improvement, and collaborate across R&D, Operations, Quality, and Supply Chain to deliver safe, reliable, and high-throughput manufacturing solutions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical/Manufacturing/Electrical/Automation Engineering or a related technical discipline.
• 7+ years of manufacturing engineering, equipment engineering, industrialization, or related experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated experience specifying, purchasing, installing, commissioning, and launching complex manufacturing equipment or production systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of Manufacturing Engineers.
• Lead evaluation and selection of manufacturing technologies to scale production.
• Lead equipment specifications, RFQs, technical evaluations, and vendor assessments.
• Provide technical leadership through equipment purchase lifecycle (FAT, SAT, installation, commissioning, qualification).
• Lead engineering activities for equipment installation and startup; coordinate with vendors and internal teams.
• Drive resolution of equipment/process issues during ramp and production startup.
• Establish and improve manufacturing processes to increase throughput, yield, quality, and OEE.
• Manage schedules, budgets, vendor deliverables, and resource allocation across multiple projects.
• Ensure robust manufacturing documentation (process flows, PFMEAs, Control Plans, WIs).
• Collaborate with R&D, Operations, Quality, EHS, and Supply Chain to transition processes to scalable manufacturing.
• Identify and develop new manufacturing technologies and automation strategies for future lines.
• Support recruiting, onboarding, mentoring, and capability building within the organization.
• Travel to equipment suppliers for reviews and FAT/SAT as required.

Skills

Leadership

Manufacturing Engineering

Equipment Specification

PFMEA

OEE

Project Management

Vendor Management

Cross-functional Leadership

Data Analysis

Hands-on

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

MES systems

Automation software

Job description

Vulcan Elements is seeking a Manufacturing Engineering Manager to lead a team of Manufacturing Engineers responsible for developing and industrializing manufacturing processes and equipment as we scale production in Durham/Benson, NC.

You will own the full lifecycle of equipment from evaluation to installation, startup, and ramp, drive continuous improvement, and collaborate across R&D, Operations, Quality, and Supply Chain to deliver safe, reliable, and high-throughput manufacturing solutions.