---
title: 'Materials Characterization Engineer at Vulcan Elements'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/materials-characterization-engineer-vulcan-elements-research-triangle-park-kxxg1teeyjgm'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-11-01'
---

# Materials Characterization Engineer at Vulcan Elements

- **Company:** Vulcan Elements
- **Location:** Research Triangle Park, NC
- **Posted:** 2026-10-22
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-11-01
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/vulcanelements/jobs/5456566008

## 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 Integrity.

## About the Role

We are seeking a Materials Characterization Engineer to provide technical expertise for materials analysis supporting rare-earth permanent magnet R&D and production. As a hands-on individual contributor, you will lead complex investigations, integrate analytical findings into production and R&D plans, and develop reliable testing capabilities in partnership with the laboratory and engineering teams.

## Responsibilities

- Define characterization plans that answer engineering questions and support process development, quality investigations, and product qualification.
- Perform and guide characterization within areas of expertise, using optical microscopy, SEM/EDS, ICP-OES, combustion and inert gas fusion analysis, particle sizing, powder rheometry, XRD, or DSC.
- Lead method development, validation, and transfer into routine testing, defining preparation requirements, performance criteria, and documentation.
- Establish calibration and quality-control practices; assess uncertainty, accuracy, and method limitations, and resolve questionable results.
- Review reports, validation studies, and procedures within delegated scope; communicate defensible conclusions and recommendations.
- Develop practical improvements to fixtures, sample handling, and test setups, coordinating specialized repairs or controls work with qualified personnel.
- Promote safe chemical and powder handling, data integrity, and traceability; support audits, technical nonconformance investigations, and corrective actions.

Responsibilities and tasks outlined are not exhaustive and may change as determined by the needs of the business.

## Qualifications

- B.S. or higher in materials science, materials engineering, metallurgy, chemistry, chemical engineering, or a closely related technical discipline.
- 3+ years of relevant industry experience in materials characterization, metallurgical analysis, analytical chemistry, or materials and processes engineering.
- Demonstrated ability to lead complex investigations, integrate evidence, and develop actionable engineering recommendations.
- Experience developing and validating test methods, evaluating measurement quality, and transferring methods into routine laboratory or production use.
- Strong understanding of composition, microstructure, processing, and property relationships and the limitations of applicable test methods.
- Demonstrated equipment troubleshooting and practical laboratory problem-solving skills, with experience following safe work and quality-system practices.
- Ability to provide technical mentorship, review others' work, and communicate defensible conclusions to technical and non-technical stakeholders.

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

## Preferred Skills

- Deep hands-on expertise in metallurgy and microscopy or elemental analysis, with working knowledge of complementary methods for metallic materials.
- Experience with rare-earth alloys, permanent magnets, powder metallurgy, sintering, or air-sensitive metal powders.
- Proficiency spanning microscopy and analytical chemistry, including SEM/EDS, ICP-OES, LECO/ELTRA analyzers, XRD, powder characterization, or thermal analysis.
- Experience with heat treatment, plating, protective coatings, corrosion evaluation, or fracture analysis.
- Experience commissioning laboratory equipment, designing test fixtures, or improving laboratory workflows during manufacturing scale-up.
- Familiarity with ASTM methods, statistical experimental design, measurement systems analysis, and AS9100 or ISO/IEC 17025 quality systems.

Laboratory Safety and PPE Requirements

This position requires strict adherence to laboratory safety protocols and regulatory guidelines. Employees must consistently wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), including lab coats, safety glasses, gloves, and any additional gear required for specific procedures or chemical handling. The role involves working with potentially hazardous materials, equipment, and processes, and team members must follow all established safety rules, maintain a clean and compliant work area, and promptly report any unsafe conditions. The individual must be able to complete required training, apply proper safety practices, and demonstrate a strong commitment to maintaining a safe laboratory environment.

## About Vulcan Elements

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Vulcan Elements manufactures American rare-earth permanent magnets to build a resilient, Western supply chain for critical industries including defense, aerospace, automotive, and AI datacenters.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Seed + Series A + Debt financing)
- **Headquarters**: Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States (primary R&D operations also in Research Triangle Park, NC)
- **Founded**: 2023
- **Founders**: John Maslin (CEO) and Dr. Piotr Kulik (CTO)

## Core Business
- Primary industry: Advanced manufacturing of rare earth permanent magnets (neodymium).
- Target customers: B2B and government/defense – enterprise customers in defense, aerospace, automotive, industrial, consumer electronics, AI datacenters, semiconductor fabrication.
- Mission: "Improving U.S. and allied security by producing the Rare Earth Magnets that are critical to economic and national security." – [vulcanelements.com](https://vulcanelements.com/)

## Products & Services
- **Rare Earth Permanent Magnets (Neodymium)**: High-performance sintered and bonded magnets used in motors, generators, sensors, and actuators. Application areas include defense systems, satellites, AI datacenters, semiconductor fabrication, consumer electronics, industrial motors, power tools, and non-drive train motors. – [vulcanelements.com](https://vulcanelements.com/)
- **R&D and Process Optimization**: Developing next-generation magnetic technologies and advanced manufacturing processes focused on efficiency, cost competitiveness, and supply chain transparency. – [vulcanelements.com](https://vulcanelements.com/)

## Market Standing
- **Valuation**: Not publicly disclosed.
- **Total Funding**: $690.2 million (as of November 2025) across three rounds:
  - Seed Round (Dec 2023): $5.2M – 3 investors.
  - Series A (Sep 2025): $65M – led by Washington Harbour Partners and Altimeter.
  - Debt Financing (Nov 2025): $620M – led by the Department of Defense’s Office of Strategic Capital (OSC). – [cbinsights.com](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/vulcan-elements) / [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/vulcan-elements)
- **Key Metric**: Total funding $690.2M; production output of 10 metric tons in 2025.
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Department of Defense’s Office of Strategic Capital, Washington Harbour Partners, Altimeter.
- **Growth Signals**: 
  - Announced a $1.4 billion partnership with the United States government.
  - Selected Benson, North Carolina, for a 1.1 million sq ft facility – the largest magnet manufacturing plant outside China.
  - Employee headcount of 38 (+200% YoY) as of mid-2026.
  - Rapidly scaling pilot operations; 37 open job listings on Greenhouse. – [vulcanelements.com](https://vulcanelements.com/) / [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/vulcan-elements) / [greenhouse.io](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/vulcanelements)

## Competitive Advantages
- **Domestic Supply Chain**: The only U.S. company vertically integrating rare earth magnet production, reducing reliance on Chinese supply.
- **Technical Expertise**: Co-founder Dr. Piotr Kulik is one of four rare earth magnet science professors in the U.S. and opened the first academic rare earth magnetics lab in the country in over 20 years.
- **Government Backing**: Strong ties to U.S. national security agencies and over a billion dollars in government-funded partnerships.
- **Process Innovation**: Proprietary process optimization methods aimed at cost competitiveness without sacrificing performance.
- **National Security Focus**: All operations require U.S. Person status, aligning with defense and aerospace customer needs.

## Strategic Focus
- **Scale Production**: Transition from pilot-scale (10 metric tons/year) to mass production at the Benson, NC facility to meet surging demand from defense, AI, and automotive sectors.
- **Supply Chain Resilience**: Partnering exclusively with U.S. and allied-country suppliers (UK, Australia, Japan).
- **R&D**: Developing next-generation magnetic materials and advanced manufacturing processes.
- **Talent Acquisition**: Actively hiring engineers, scientists, operations, and business development talent to support rapid growth. – [greenhouse.io](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/vulcanelements)

## Why Work Here
- **Mission-Driven Culture**: Employees contribute directly to national security and economic resilience, with values of Mission Focus, Technical Excellence, and Transparency. – [vulcanelements.com](https://vulcanelements.com/careers/)
- **Benefits**: Competitive equity, unlimited PTO, 90% health insurance (100% for employee), 99% dental and vision, 401K, fully stocked kitchen. – [vulcanelements.com](https://vulcanelements.com/careers/)
- **Work Environment**: Fast-paced startup with a "startup manufacturer" ethos; roles are largely on-site in Research Triangle Park, NC or Benson, NC. Internship opportunities available with mentorship and real impact on critical projects.
- **Growth Opportunity**: Extremely high headcount growth (+200% YoY) and large-scale facility expansion offer rapid career advancement.
- **U.S. Person Requirement**: Many positions require U.S. Person status due to government contracts.

## Sources
1. [vulcanelements.com](https://vulcanelements.com/)
2. [vulcanelements.com/careers](https://vulcanelements.com/careers/)
3. [greenhouse.io (Vulcan Elements jobs)](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/vulcanelements)
4. [linkedin.com/company/vulcan-elements](https://www.linkedin.com/company/vulcan-elements)
5. [cbinsights.com/company/vulcan-elements](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/vulcan-elements)

## Other roles at Vulcan Elements

- [Security & Emergency Services Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/security-emergency-services-manager-vulcan-elements-benson-kqjnfejc4mtg) — Benson, NC
- [Maintenance Technician (R&D)](https://feeny.ai/job/maintenance-technician-r-d-vulcan-elements-research-triangle-park-vmbqxjwqqd14) — Research Triangle Park, NC
- [Senior Design Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-design-engineer-vulcan-elements-research-triangle-park-7d4bmba9bfcw) — Research Triangle Park, NC
- [Safety Specialist](https://feeny.ai/job/safety-specialist-vulcan-elements-benson-289d9hnqpkyt) — Benson, NC
- [Staff Production Control Engineering Analyst](https://feeny.ai/job/staff-production-control-engineering-analyst-vulcan-elements-benson-ar3f3045a3cb) — Benson, NC
- [Business Systems Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/business-systems-engineer-vulcan-elements-benson-206rjt2thmg0) — Benson, NC
- [Manufacturing Instructor](https://feeny.ai/job/manufacturing-instructor-vulcan-elements-benson-7wex3veqf7b5) — Benson, NC
- [Laboratory Technician – Materials Characterization](https://feeny.ai/job/laboratory-technician-materials-characterization-vulcan-elements-research-dyjdvhdanh07) — Research Triangle Park, NC
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- [Maintenance Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/maintenance-manager-vulcan-elements-benson-16xbaat3zj0e) — Benson, NC