R&D Technician - Metals
VULCAN ELEMENTS
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 R&D Technician - Metals, you will accomplish a broad set of tasks in a research and development environment. You will operate equipment, optimize processes alongside engineering, prepare materials, load & unloaded materials, and maintain a safe, orderly working environment. You will work alongside a team of materials & process engineers, magnetics engineers, and technicians to accomplish company milestones.
Description
- Contribute to the buildout of Vulcan’s pilot and R&D line, including equipment installation, commissioning, and continuous equipment and facility improvements
- Operate vacuum furnaces, induction melting systems, and electrolysis cells to produce molten and solid metals.
- Prepare raw materials, charge systems, and consumables according to process instructions.
- Execute startup, steady-state operation, shutdown, and cleaning procedures.
- Monitor critical process parameters (temperature, voltage, current, pressure, time, chemistry) to ensure operation remains within specification.
- Respond to alarms, deviations, and abnormal operating conditions in accordance with procedures.
- Develop, build, and implement new prototype equipment, tooling, and processes alongside engineering, including electromechanical, chemical, and/or analytical/test equipment.
- Establish standard operating procedures alongside engineering.
Responsibilities and tasks outlined are not exhaustive and may change as determined by the needs of the business
Qualifications
- High School Diploma or GED at a minimum
- Strong communication and planning skills
- Able to lift and carry 50 lbs.
- Comfortable with hands on work requiring extended physical activity and standing
- Comfortable operating, troubleshooting, and maintaining sophisticated manufacturing equipment.
- Comfortable reading equipment schematics, both electrical and plumbing, to troubleshoot mechanical issues
Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export-controlled information or facilities.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience running vacuum furnaces, casting machines, atomizers, or other related metal manufacturing equipment
- Experience with Welding, Plumbing, or CAD
- Experience with hot metal