---
title: 'Staff Process Engineer at Vulcan Elements'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/staff-process-engineer-vulcan-elements-research-triangle-park-jfs5jqwjdteq'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-06'
---

# Staff Process Engineer at Vulcan Elements

- **Company:** Vulcan Elements
- **Location:** Research Triangle Park, NC
- **Posted:** 2026-09-02
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-06
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/vulcanelements/jobs/5406284008

## 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 a Staff 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, establishing operating 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 execute DoEs, 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.
- Identify CTQs and Critical Process Parameters (CPPs) and establish monitoring, 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 as determined by 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 with Minitab, JMP, Python, MATLAB, or similar statistical/data-analysis tools.
- Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification.
- Experience with APQP, 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 process monitoring and SPC/MES dashboards.
- Familiarity with PLC/HMI systems and automated equipment parameter collection.
- Experience in highly regulated industries such as Defense, Aerospace (AS9100), Semiconductor, Medical Device, or Automotive (IATF 16949).
- Experience supporting greenfield factory launches and large-scale production ramps.

Travel

Some travel will be required to 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, stand and 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, wear appropriate PPE for the duration of assigned tasks, and respond safely to changing conditions within the production 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

- [Payroll Specialist](https://feeny.ai/job/payroll-specialist-vulcan-elements-research-triangle-park-cgnbgwqzqqss) — Research Triangle Park
- [Senior Materials Scientist](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-materials-scientist-vulcan-elements-research-triangle-park-53n83a0hj1yh) — Research Triangle Park, NC
- [Sr. Manager, Operational Excellence](https://feeny.ai/job/sr-manager-operational-excellence-vulcan-elements-benson-y4aw80sbt401) — Benson, NC
- [R&D Materials & Process Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/r-d-materials-process-engineer-vulcan-elements-research-triangle-park-ksmm3yh6bxmy) — Research Triangle Park, NC
- [Controls Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/controls-engineer-vulcan-elements-research-triangle-park-m1m7tkg7thr1) — Research Triangle Park, NC
- [Safety Specialist](https://feeny.ai/job/safety-specialist-vulcan-elements-benson-d58ksk27rxgj) — Benson, NC
- [Machinist](https://feeny.ai/job/machinist-vulcan-elements-benson-z2y1p4qcfny9) — Benson, NC
- [Manufacturing Engineering Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/manufacturing-engineering-manager-vulcan-elements-research-triangle-park-56h2n366x0pb) — Research Triangle Park, NC
- [Machining Site Lead](https://feeny.ai/job/machining-site-lead-vulcan-elements-benson-m7fnfqdmxg27) — Benson, NC
- [Buyer](https://feeny.ai/job/buyer-vulcan-elements-research-triangle-park-wymzztx1dfn6) — Research Triangle Park, NC