Staff Process Engineer

Vulcan Elements Inc.; Benson (NC); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Vulcan Elements Inc. in North Carolina seeks a Staff Process Engineer to lead advanced manufacturing processes from pilot scale through full production. You will design experiments, develop process recipes, and establish operating windows while solving complex production problems on the shop floor.

You will become the technical authority for assigned processes, using data, DoE, and statistical analysis to drive decisions. Travel to supplier reviews and startups may be required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Materials Science, or related field; 7+ years of process/manufacturing experience.
• Hands-on experience taking processes from development through commissioning to high-volume production.
• Deep knowledge of DoE, SPC, MSA, Gage R&R, Cp/Cpk, Pp/Ppk, ANOVA, regression, and statistical process analysis.
• Experience developing PFMEAs, Control Plans, Process Flows, and manufacturing documentation.
• Troubleshooting complex equipment and processes on the manufacturing floor.
• Minitab or JMP experience preferred; Six Sigma Green/Black Belt preferred.
• Experience in metallurgy, advanced materials, powder processing, or related high-volume manufacturing.

Responsibilities

• Develop equipment recipes, process parameters, operating windows, and production standards.
• Design and execute DoEs, analyze main effects/interactions, ANOVA, regression, and optimize critical parameters.
• Support FAT/SAT, equipment startup, engineering trials, qualification runs, and production ramp.
• Perform Cp/Cpk, Pp/Ppk, SPC, control charts, and process stability analysis.
• Lead MSA and Gage R&R studies to verify measurement repeatability and reproducibility.
• Develop and own PFMEA, Control Plans, Process Flows, SOPs, and work instructions.
• Lead structured problem solving using 5-Why, Fishbone, Pareto, 8D, and hypothesis testing.
• Improve FPY, scrap, rework, cycle time, OEE, throughput, and process capability.
• Identify CTQs and CPPs and establish monitoring, control limits, sampling plans, and reaction plans.
• Mentor engineers and review DoEs, PFMEAs, and capability studies.

Skills

DoE

SPC

MSA

Gage R&R

Cp/Cpk

Pp/Ppk

ANOVA

Regression

Statistical analysis

Troubleshooting

Mentoring

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Materials Science, or related technical field

Tools

Minitab

JMP

PFMEA/Control Plans software

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 including defense, aerospace, and automotive. We are building a team of ambitious professionals committed to Mission Focus, Technical Excellence, and Transparency.

As aStaff Process Engineer, you will serve as a technical leader responsible for developing, commissioning, qualifying, and scaling complex manufacturing processes from pilot-scale development into stable, repeatable high-volume production. This is a highly hands-on role. You will work directly on the manufacturing floor during equipment commissioning and production ramp, designing engineering trials, developing process recipes,establishingoperating windows, solving complex process problems, and proving that manufacturing processes are statistically capable.

You will be expected to become the technical authority for assigned manufacturing processes , using data, experimentation, and fundamental engineering principles to drive decisions.

Core Responsibilities

• Develop equipment recipes, process parameters, operating windows, and production standards.
• Design and executeDoEs, analyze main effects/interactions, ANOVA, regression, and optimize critical process parameters.
• Support FAT/SAT, equipment startup, engineering trials, qualification runs, and production ramp.
• Perform Cp/Cpk, Pp/Ppk, SPC, control-chart, and process stability analysis.
• Lead MSA and Gage R&R studies to verify measurement repeatability and reproducibility.
• Develop and own Process Flows, PFMEA, Control Plans, BOP, Process Sheets, SOPs, Work Instructions, and Reaction Plans.
• Lead structured problem solving using 5-Why, Fishbone, Pareto, 8D, hypothesis testing, and statistical analysis.
• Improve FPY, scrap, rework, cycle time, OEE, throughput, and process capability.
• IdentifyCTQs and Critical Process Parameters (CPPs) andestablishmonitoring, control limits, sampling plans, and reaction plans.
• Mentor engineers and review DoEs, PFMEAs, capability studies, process specifications, and technical investigations.

Responsibilities and tasks outlined are not exhaustive and may change asdeterminedby the needs of the business.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Materials Science, or related technical field with 7+ years of process/manufacturing engineering experience.
• Strong hands-on experience taking processes from development through commissioning, qualification, and high-volume production.
• Deep knowledge of DoE, SPC, MSA, Gage R&R, Cp/Cpk, Pp/Ppk, ANOVA, regression, and statistical process analysis.
• Strong experience developing PFMEAs, Control Plans, Process Flows, Process Specifications, and manufacturing documentation.
• Proven ability to troubleshoot complex equipment and process problems on the manufacturing floor.
• Experience with statistical tools such as Minitab or JMP preferred.
• Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt preferred.
• Experience in metallurgy, advanced materials, powder processing, high-temperature processing, automotive, aerospace, or other high-volume manufacturing preferred.

Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export-controlled information or facilities.

Good to Have / Preferred Skills

• Experience withMinitab, JMP, Python, MATLAB, or similar statistical/data-analysis tools.
• Six SigmaGreen Belt or Black Beltcertification.
• Experience withAPQP, PPAP, Control Plans, MSA, and IATF 16949 methodologies.
• Experience with high-temperature processing, powder processing, metallurgy, vacuum processing, chemical processing, precision machining, or advanced materials.
• Experience developing automated processmonitoringandSPC/MES dashboards.
• Familiarity with PLC/HMI systems and automated equipment parameter collection.
• Experience in highly regulated industries such asDefense, Aerospace (AS9100), Semiconductor, Medical Device, or Automotive (IATF 16949).
• Experience supporting greenfield factory launches and large-scale production ramps.

Travel

Some travel will berequiredto equipment suppliers for design reviews, engineering trials, Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT), and commissioning support.

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,standand 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, wearappropriate PPEfor the duration of assigned tasks, and respond safely to changing conditions within the production environment.

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey.Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiringprocess or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in aconfidential file.

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.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection.As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measurethe effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categoriesis as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.