Manufacturing Engineering (Medical)

Vulcan Elements Inc.; Benson (NC); On-site; USD 120,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

Vulcan Elements Inc. is expanding a massive 1 million square foot facility and seeks a Staff Manufacturing Engineer to lead the full lifecycle from design to ramp-up for heavy production processes including alloy production and sintering.

You will own critical equipment design, vendor management, and process development in a high-impact, high-ownership role. You will collaborate across R&D and operations to drive throughput, quality, and EBITDA while ensuring safety and regulatory compliance on

Qualifications

• Strong hands-on CAD experience creating, modifying, and validating complex equipment assemblies.
• Experience authoring and developing standard manufacturing documents (PFMEA, Control Plans, Work Instructions, Process Flows).
• Ability to read, interpret, and create electrical schematics and pneumatic diagrams, including calculations.
• Must be a U.S. Person due to access to controlled information.
• 7+ years of experience in heavy industrial equipment design, vendor management, and commissioning.

Responsibilities

• Lead the evaluation, quote comparison, and selection of advanced manufacturing technologies and vendors.
• Own equipment design/requirements, vendor performance and schedule, commissioning activities, process development, and production qualification for heavy production.
• Develop and optimize manufacturing processes to improve throughput, quality, and equipment reliability; monitor OEE and cycle times.
• Manage technical schedules, budgets, and deliverables aligned with milestones and commitments.
• Provide hands-on support during production startup, stabilizing processes and eliminating bottlenecks.
• Collaborate with R&D to implement new processes and equipment strategies for future production lines.
• Ensure compliance with safety, environmental, and quality standards across all activities.
• Travel to support equipment development reviews and FATs as needed.
• Produce deliverables: PFMEA, Line Layouts, Process Flows, BOM, SOPs, Calibration Procedures, maintenance manuals.

Skills

CAD experience

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Eng./Materials Sci./Metallurgical Eng. or related field with 7+ years

Master's degree with 5+ years

Tools

CAD software

Job description

Job Description

Vulcan Elements is manufacturing American rare-earth permanent magnets for a secure, resilient future. With a focus on national security and economic resiliency, we serve critical industries such as defense, aerospace, and automotive powering a high-technology future. Vulcan Elements is building a team of ambitious professionals committed to Mission Focus, Technical Excellence, and Transparency.

As a Staff Manufacturing Engineer, you will contribute to the full lifecycle of a massive 1 million square foot manufacturing facility expansion—from design and equipment specification through installation, commissioning, production startup, and scale-up to full capacity. You will be responsible for a process step, translating pilot-line processes into full-scale, stable, and repeatable production systems. This is a high-impact, high-ownership role requiring deep technical expertise and leadership

Core Expectations & Responsibilities

• Lead the evaluation, quote comparison, and selection of advanced manufacturing technologies and vendors. You will own the technical and financial side-by-side comparisons to ensure selected machinery meets our aggressive scaling and quality goals.
• Own equipment design/requirements, vendor performance and schedule, commissioning activities, process development, and production qualification for a major heavy production process (alloy production, casting, jet milling, powder production, pressing, and sintering operations).
• Develop and optimize manufacturing processes to improve throughput, quality, and equipment reliability. Monitor OEE results and station cycle times to drive yield and capacity improvements.
• Manage technical schedules, budgets, and deliverables aligned with company milestones and customer commitments.
• Provide hands-on support during production startup, helping stabilize processes and eliminate early bottlenecks.
• Develop and innovate new processes and equipment strategies (collaborating with R&D) to implement in future production lines, pushing Vulcan to achieve best-in-class magnet manufacturing.
• Ensure compliance with safety, environmental, and quality standards across all process activities.
• This position will require some interaction and travel to support equipment development reviews and Factory Acceptance Tests (FATs) as needed (estimated at %)
• Deliver the following deliverables:
  • Risk Assessments, Ergonomic Assessments, PFMEA.
  • Line Layouts, Process Flow Charts, Bill of Process (BOP), Station Cycle Times, Process Sheets, and Simulations.
  • CAD Drawings, Electrical & Pneumatic Drawings, and performing necessary Electrical and Pneumatic Calculations.
  • Quality Control Plans, R&R (Gage Repeatability and Reproducibility) Studies, Quality Checklists, and Process Checklists.
  • Work Instructions (SOPs), Calibration Procedures, Spare Parts Lists, Bill of Materials (BOM), and Maintenance Manuals.
  • HMI Controls Manuals, Vision Programs, MES Transactions Lists.
• Responsibilities and tasks outlined are not exhaustive and may change as determined by the needs of the business.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Metallurgical Engineering, or a related technical discipline with 7+ years of experience or a Master's degree with 5+ years of experience.
• Strong, hands-on experience creating, modifying, and validating complex equipment assemblies in CAD.
• A proven track record in heavy custom equipment design, vendor management, and full-cycle commissioning for thermal or raw material processing.
• Expert-level experience authoring and developing standard manufacturing documents (PFMEA, Control Plans, Work Instructions, and Process Flows).
• Ability to read, interpret, and create electrical schematics and pneumatic diagrams, including performing core engineering calculations (electrical/pneumatic).
• Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export-controlled information or facilities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience specifically in heavy industrial manufacturing, metallurgy, foundry operations, or chemical processing.
• Experience handling reactive powders or managing high-temperature vacuum furnace environments.
• Proficiency with advanced simulation software for workflow and line balancing.
• Familiarity with MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems) implementation and transaction mapping.

Physical and Environmental Requirements

The position requires regular presence on the production floor and the ability to navigate all areas of the facility. Candidates must be able to climb stairs, stand and walk for extended periods, and work in environments that may be hot, humid, or noisy. The role also requires the use of personal protective equipment, including respirators, and adherence to all applicable safety policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements. Employees must be able to complete required fit testing, wear appropriate PPE for the duration of assigned tasks, and respond safely to changing conditions within the production environment.