Senior Manufacturing Engineer

Solcoa Industries; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Company-provided lunch

Visa sponsorship

Job summary

Solcoa Industries is building the next generation of American metalmaking, starting with rare earth metals. The Senior Manufacturing Engineer will own the hands-on buildout of vacuum induction melting furnaces, turning designs into production-ready systems.

You will work with engineering, suppliers, and technicians to deliver multiple furnaces from procurement through first melts. You will establish shop capabilities, build procedures, and quality standards to accelerate future builds,

Qualifications

• Experience in manufacturing engineering or automation is preferred.
• Strong problem-solving and hands-on shop floor skills.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings and plans.

Responsibilities

• Furnace Assembly and Commissioning: lead the buildout of multiple VIM furnace systems with mechanical assembly, vacuum and gas handling, and power and controls integration.
• Drawing Review and Build Readiness: review fabrication packages and catch manufacturability and assembly issues early.
• Procurement and Supplier Management: own procurement of furnace components, engage vendors, track deliveries against schedule.
• Build Execution and Team Coordination: coordinate technicians, contractors, and shops to deliver builds on schedule and to spec.
• Shop Setup and Safe Operations: establish tooling, procedures, and safe operating practices for high-temperature and vacuum equipment.

Skills

Furnace assembly

Project management

Procurement

Cross-functional collaboration

Job description

Making the Metals Powering the World

Solcoa is building the next generation of American metalmaking, starting with rare earths - the metals of power and motion. We've developed a new chemistry that converts rare earth oxides into high-purity metals - the materials inside every EV, fighter jet, wind turbine, and data center - cleaner, cheaper, and faster than any conventional process. Now we're scaling it to thousands of tonnes of annual production.

The Role

Senior Manufacturing Engineer will own the hands-on buildout of Solcoa's vacuum induction melting (VIM) furnaces, turning engineering designs into reliable, production-ready equipment. You will work directly with engineering, suppliers, fabrication technicians, and contractors to deliver multiple furnace systems from drawing review and procurement through assembly, commissioning, and first melts. You will establish the shop capabilities, build procedures, and quality standards that make each subsequent system faster and cheaper to build.

What You'll Do

• Furnace Assembly and Commissioning. Lead the buildout of multiple VIM furnace systems, including mechanical assembly, vacuum and gas handling, and power and controls integration. Work alongside technicians and engineers to resolve integration issues, verify system readiness, and commission each furnace through first melts.
• Drawing Review and Build Readiness. Review and sign off on fabrication packages before parts are released for manufacture. Catch manufacturability, tolerance, material, and assembly issues early, and work with engineering to resolve them before parts are cut.
• Procurement and Supplier Management. Own procurement of furnace components, long-lead parts, tooling, and shop consumables. Source and qualify vendors, evaluate quotes, and track deliveries against the build schedule. Work directly with suppliers and outside machine shops to resolve technical questions and keep fabrication moving.
• Build Execution and Team Coordination. Coordinate fabrication technicians, contractors, and outside shops to deliver builds on schedule and to specification. Translate designs into clear work packages and assembly sequences, manage dependencies, and resolve problems on the shop floor.
• Shop Setup and Safe Operations. Establish the tooling, fixtures, shop layout, and work instructions needed to assemble and test furnace systems efficiently. Develop safe operating procedures for high-temperature and vacuum equipment with engineering and the operating team.

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive base salary.
• Generous stock options.
• Comprehensive medical, dental and vision insurance.
• Company-provided lunch daily.
• Visa sponsorship available if needed.