---
title: 'Pilot Plant Operator at Solcoa Industries'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/pilot-plant-operator-solcoa-industries-alameda-6s3tb32hbrdt'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-08'
---

# Pilot Plant Operator at Solcoa Industries

- **Company:** Solcoa Industries
- **Location:** Alameda, CA
- **Compensation:** $90k–$120k
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-02-18
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-08
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/solcoa/f700ed0e-20da-4003-8345-d91bcdeca688

## 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 — Plant Operator

We're looking for an experienced Plant Operators to run and maintain our rare-earth metal production facility. You'll own day-to-day operations of our pilot-scale production lines—managing high-temperature reactors, vacuum systems, induction furnaces, and material handling from feedstock prep through finished metal. You'll drive throughput and uptime while maintaining the highest safety and quality standards, and you'll play a key role as we scale from pilot to commercial production.

## What You'll Do

- Operate and monitor pilot-scale production equipment including vacuum induction furnaces, tube furnaces (up to 1700°C), high-vacuum pump systems, and inert-atmosphere gloveboxes.
- Manage production runs end-to-end: feedstock preparation, reactor charging, process execution, product recovery, and packaging under inert conditions.
- Track and log process parameters (temperature profiles, vacuum levels, gas flows, cycle times); flag deviations and make real-time adjustments to stay on-spec.
- Perform preventive and first-line corrective maintenance on furnaces, vacuum systems, gas delivery, and material handling equipment; coordinate with engineers on larger repairs.
- Prepare samples for analytical testing (ICP-OES, IGF-O/N, SEM-EDS); understand how results feed back into process control.
- Operate overhead cranes (2T & 5T), forklifts, and rigging equipment to move feedstock, crucibles, and finished product safely.
- Maintain strict housekeeping, chemical hygiene, and safety practices—especially around hot materials, reactive powders, and inert-gas environments.
- Support commissioning and startup of new production lines and equipment as the facility scales.
- Collaborate with R&D engineers and technicians on trial runs, process improvements, and scale-up campaigns; provide operator-level insight to improve designs and procedures.

## What You Bring

Required

- 3+ years operating pilot-scale or production-scale process equipment (chemical, metallurgical, semiconductor, glass, ceramics, or similar).
- Crane, rigging, and forklift operation experience; certifications preferred.
- Strong mechanical aptitude—comfortable with hand and power tools, basic fabrication, and equipment assembly.
- Rigorous approach to SOPs, batch records, safety protocols, and data logging.
- Ability to work rotating or flexible shifts as production demands require.
- Comfort working independently and making sound operational decisions in a fast-paced startup environment.
- Availability to start soon.

## Preferred

- Experience in pyrometallurgy, electrometallurgy, or rare-earth/specialty metals processing.
- Background operating vacuum induction melting furnaces.
- Basic welding skills (MIG/TIG) and familiarity with shop fabrication.
- OSHA 10/30 or HAZWOPER certification.
- Coursework or training in metallurgy, materials science, chemical engineering, or a related field.

## Compensation & Benefits

- Competitive base salary
- Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance
- Company-provided lunch daily
- Visa sponsorship available if needed

## About Solcoa Industries

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Solcoa Industries converts end-of-life magnets and magnet production waste from EVs, data centers, wind turbines, and defense directly into high-purity rare earth metals in America, bypassing the traditional Chinese supply chain.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Angel-backed startup)
- **Headquarters**: Alameda, California, United States
- **Founded**: 2024
- **Founders**: Hooman Reza Nezhad (Co-founder, CEO) and Artem Iurkovskyi (Co-founder, CTO)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Rare earth metals recycling and manufacturing; critical minerals supply chain.
- **Target customers**: B2B – OEMs, magnet producers, defense contractors, and supply chain partners in EV, renewable energy, data center, and aerospace sectors.
- **Mission**: “Bring rare earths home” – establish a domestic, carbon-zero source of rare earth metals to reduce Western dependence on China.

## Products & Services
- **NdPr Metal Alloy (Sample E-44-3)**: High-purity neodymium-praseodymium metal derived directly from scrap magnets. Available now for testing and production trials.
- **Heavy Rare Earths**: Coming soon.
- **SWARF Processing**: Conversion of magnet cutting waste (swarf) directly into magnet-ready metal.
- **Primary Oxides Processing**: Metal production from refined oxides.
- **Scrap Magnet Procurement**: Solcoa sources end-of-life magnets as feedstock, offering a demagnetization line and on-site storage.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation**: Not publicly available.
- **Key Metric**: Total funding undisclosed; backed by “Strategic Angels across defense, robotics, and…” (no named investors disclosed).
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Strategic angel investors in defense and robotics; partnerships with OEMs and magnet producers (not named).
- **Growth Signals**: 
  - Active 35,000 sqft production facility in Alameda
  - 10 tonnes-per-annum REE metal production line under construction (current line: 3 tpa)
  - 8 employees with 9 open positions – headcount growth expected
  - Stated goal: “scale to meet one-third of US demand”

## Competitive Advantages
- **Proprietary process**: Solcoa is one of the only companies in the world that converts magnet waste directly into magnet-ready metal, bypassing the intermediate steps that typically require China.
- **Faster, cleaner, cheaper**: Claims to be faster, cleaner, and cheaper than conventional processes.
- **In-house capabilities**: Full metallurgical lab, analytical equipment (ICP-OES, SEM-EDS, LECO), high-temperature furnaces, and fabrication tools – all under one roof.
- **National security angle**: Reduces US reliance on Chinese rare earth supply, a critical geopolitical moat.

## Strategic Focus
- **Scale production**: Ramping up to a 10-tpa line and expanding the Alameda facility.
- **New chemistries**: Developing entirely new processes for rare earth metal production in America.
- **Talent acquisition**: Hiring engineers, R&D technicians, plant operators, and procurement specialists to build a world-class team.
- **Customer engagement**: Offering metal samples and production trials to OEMs and magnet producers.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Small, obsessive team (8 people) solving a deeply technical and mission-critical problem. Described as “truly obsessive people working on what might be the most important industrial problem of our time.”
- **Work model**: On-site in SF Bay Area (Alameda) – all current roles require physical presence.
- **Compensation**: Highly competitive base salaries ($100K–$350K for engineering roles), stock options, and strong benefits.
- **Impact**: Direct contribution to Western industrial independence and climate goals (carbon-zero metals).
- **Engineering focus**: Heavy emphasis on metallurgy, process engineering, and high-temperature chemistry; chance to build from scratch.

## Sources
1. [solcoaindustries.com](https://solcoaindustries.com/)
2. [jobs.ashbyhq.com/solcoa](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/solcoa)
3. [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/solcoaindustries)
4. [solcoaindustries.com/team](https://www.solcoaindustries.com/team)
5. [solcoaindustries.com/capabilities](https://www.solcoaindustries.com/capabilities)

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