Senior Powder Metallurgy Equipment Engineer

Electron Energy Corporation; Lancaster (Lancaster County); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Electron Energy Corporation is seeking a Sr. Equipment Engineer to design and maintain powder metallurgy machinery for manufacturing rare earth permanent magnets. The successful candidate will have a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering and 8-10+ years of relevant experience. Responsibilities include managing equipment projects, developing maintenance schedules, and optimizing machinery performance. This role requires U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent residency due to ITAR regulations. The position is based in Lancaster County, PA, and offers the opportunity for technical leadership and process optimization.

Qualifications

• 8-10+ years’ experience in powder metallurgy manufacturing.
• Knowledge of magnetic materials and applications is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Develop technical specifications for new equipment procurement.
• Manage capital equipment projects including budgeting and scheduling.
• Lead the design, development, and qualification of custom powder metallurgy equipment.
• Develop or approve preventative maintenance schedules.
• Optimize powder metallurgy equipment performance to improve productivity.

Skills

Powder metallurgy manufacturing

Metal powder processing

Sintering operations

Compaction press equipment

Lean

Six Sigma

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Metallurgical, Industrial, Manufacturing or Mechanical Engineering

Job description

The Sr. Equipment Engineer is responsible for the design of system components and the maintenance, optimization, improvement and qualification of powder metallurgy machinery used to manufacture rare earth permanent magnets. This role bridges the gap between mechanical engineering and materials science, ensuring that equipment like melt furnaces, powder production equipment, presses and sintering furnaces operate optimally, at peak efficiency to meet the quality and safety standards.

Key Responsibilities

New Equipment or Systems Design, Development and Qualification

Develop technical specifications for new equipment procurement and work with suppliers to customize equipment.

Manage capital equipment projects including budgeting, scheduling, and vendor coordination. Ensure projects meet cost, schedule, and performance targets.

Lead the design, development and qualification into production of custom made powder metallurgy equipment or equipment components such as:

• alloy manufacturing systems
• alloy pulverization systems
• powder handling and feeding systems
• powder compaction systems
• sintering systems

Lead the setup, qualification (IQOQPQ), and initial testing of new machinery to ensure it meets production and safety specifications.

Develop work instructions for the operation of equipment and for processes.

Ensure that the new powder metallurgy equipment and systems operate safely.

Equipment Maintenance, Reliability & Optimization

Develop or approve powder metallurgy equipment preventative maintenance schedules.

Lead or oversee troubleshooting efforts to minimize downtime.

Develop predictive maintenance strategies for powder metallurgy equipment to improve reliability.

Perform root cause analysis of equipment failures.

Lead troubleshooting for complex mechanical, hydraulic, and control issues for the powder metallurgy equipment.

Optimize powder metallurgy equipment performance to improve productivity and product quality.

Ensure that all powder metallurgy equipment and systems operate safely.

Work with automation engineers to improve:

• control systems
• data acquisition and monitoring

Process Optimization

Support the qualification of new processes using new equipment or modified equipment.

Support the process transfer from pilot / test to large scale production.

Monitor key operating parameters of equipment to achieve high yields and consistent product quality, often using tools like Lean, Six Sigma.

Identify opportunities to improve productivity, efficiency, safety, and throughput while eliminating waste.

Investigate deviations from engineering KPIs, perform root cause analysis, and implement approved corrective actions.

Generate PFMEA and continuously conduct safety observations

Manufacturing Support

Provide technical support to production teams.

Support new product introduction (NPI) and tooling development.

Technical Leadership

Mentor engineers and technicians.

Provide technical guidance on powder metallurgy equipment and processes.

Participate in cross-functional teams including R&D, production, and quality.

Perform additional duties as required to support operational and strategic objectives.

Qualifications

Education and Experience

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Metallurgical, Industrial, Manufacturing or Mechanical Engineering.

8-10+ years’ experience in powder metallurgy manufacturing, metal powder processing, sintering operations, compaction press equipment.

Knowledge of magnetic materials and applications is a plus.

This position may require access to ITAR-controlled technical data and services. As such, all applicants must be U.S. persons, as defined by ITAR, to be considered for this role. A U.S. person is a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or individual with protected status under U.S. immigration laws. Applicants who do not meet these criteria will not be considered for the position.