Senior Process Engineer - Metallization

Vulcan Elements; North Carolina; On-site; USD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Vulcan Elements is looking for a Senior Process Engineer in North Carolina to oversee the process engineering for converting rare earth oxides to metals. The ideal candidate will have over 8 years of industrial process engineering experience, managing processes from definition through operation. Responsibilities include maintaining core documentation such as process flow diagrams and ensuring safety compliance. The role requires collaboration with external engineering partners and a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering or a related field.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of hands-on experience in industrial process engineering.
• Experience defining and documenting full production-scale processes.
• Must be a U.S. Person due to access to U.S. export-controlled information.

Responsibilities

• Own the process definition for production scale metallization.
• Manage timelines and deliverables with external EPC.
• Maintain all core process documentation.

Skills

Industrial process engineering

Project management

Process documentation

Collaboration with external partners

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering or related field

Job description

Overview

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 Senior Process Engineer, you will be the owner’s side process engineering expert for a large industrial installation to convert rare earth oxides to metals. You will provide oversight, internal technical review, and project management support for the work product of external engineering firms related to process and plant systems engineering. This role will serve as the owner’s side technical authority on process documentation for metallization processes, transitioning to process engineering improvement as the plant is commissioned. The ideal candidate has hands‑on experience taking complex, high‑temperature, materials‑intensive processes from definition through construction and into operation.

Responsibilities

• Own the process definition for production scale metallization, from raw material receipt through product handling to subsequent process steps.
• Manage and organize timelines and deliverables with external EPC, and ensure smooth interfaces with internal and external organizations.
• Maintain all core process documentation, including:
• Process flow diagrams (PFDs)
• Piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs)
• Heat and mass balances
• Equipment lists and design bases
• Operating philosophies and control narratives
• Ensure systems meet operational, safety, and environmental performance requirements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree or higher in Chemical Engineering, Process Engineering, or a related field
• 8+ years of hands‑on experience in industrial process engineering
• Experience working with external engineering partners or EPCs
• Demonstrated experience defining and documenting full production‑scale processes, setting targets and limits, and optimizing performance
• Proven ability to develop and own PFDs, P&IDs, and design bases
• Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export‑controlled information or facilities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with high‑temperature metallurgical or electrochemical plants
• Direct involvement in permitted industrial facilities
• Startup, scale‑up, or first‑of‑kind plant experience
• Familiarity with owner’s engineering standards and capital project execution
• Experience supporting commissioning and early operations

As set forth in Vulcan Elements’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.