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Vulcan Elements is manufacturing American rare-earth permanent magnets for defense, aerospace, and automotive applications, with a focus on national security and economic resilience.
You will lead the Metallization Operations function from greenfield startup through stable production. This is a high-impact role that begins in Durham, NC and transitions to the new Benson facility upon completion. You are accountable for building the organization, designing the operating model, commissioning and qualifying the process, and running it at scale.
**Key Responsibilities:**
**Startup, Commissioning & Process Qualification**
- Own end-to-end metallization operations startup: design review, factory acceptance testing, installation, site acceptance, commissioning, process qualification, and rate ramp
- Partner with Manufacturing Engineering, Process Technology, Capital Execution, Automation, Maintenance, and EHS on equipment configuration, layout, material flow, controls, instrumentation, and environmental systems; serve as operations acceptance authority
- Build commissioning and training plans with technical teams and suppliers; bring supervisors and technicians into FAT and startup early so the operating organization develops capability before turnover
- Drive ramp from first metal to stable full-rate operation, using operating data to close gaps in safety, yield, quality, availability, and energy performance
**Organization Design & Team Build**
- Design the Metallization Operations organization for continuous multi-shift operation: staffing model, span of control, supervisor and shift-lead structure, technician coverage, and daily floor leadership
- Build headcount plan backward from commissioning and ramp needs
- Recruit, onboard, and develop the team in phases; define technician roles, progression, cross-training, qualification standards, shift handoff routines, and frontline leadership expectations
**Safe & Compliant Operations**
- Partner with EHS on job hazard analysis, pre-startup safety review, and operating procedures for high-temperature equipment, high-current electrical systems, molten salts and metals, fumes, gases, and chemical handling
- Establish environmental operating controls and shift routines for air-emissions controls, waste streams, chemical handling, inspections, near-miss reporting, and abnormal-condition response
**Process Performance, OEE & Quality**
- Own operating metrics: throughput, yield and metal recovery, quality, availability/OEE, specific energy consumption, and consumable performance
- Establish measurement methods, data capture, and loss taxonomy before startup
- Drive stable process control and product consistency in partnership with Process Engineering and Quality
- Lead structured problem solving on recurring losses in cell stability, yield, downtime, energy use, and consumable life
**Operating Budget & Resource Management**
- Own the Metallization Operations operating expense budget: direct and indirect labor, electricity, process consumables, electrodes, cell materials, gases, chemicals, maintenance consumables, waste handling, and supplies
- Build area cost model and headcount plan through commissioning and ramp; manage with clear monthly variance explanation and corrective action
- Manage energy and process-consumable performance as controllable cost levers
**Required Qualifications:**
- Bachelor's degree in Materials Science, Metallurgical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, or related technical discipline
- Eight or more years in metallurgical, chemical/process, or heavy industrial manufacturing, including five or more years leading production teams in continuous or multi-shift operating environments
- Strong technical foundation in high-temperature metallurgical or process operations, with ability to understand process chemistry, thermal and electrical systems, material and yield balances, process controls, and drivers of operating variation
- Demonstrated ownership of greenfield or major-expansion commissioning and process qualification—from design and equipment acceptance through installation, startup, stabilization, and rate ramp
- Demonstrated ability to build and develop an operations organization, including workforce planning, hiring, technical training, operator qualification, standard work, and frontline supervisor development
- Strong command of manufacturing quality systems and structured problem solving, including root-cause analysis, process capability/statistical control, KPI development, and corrective action
- Direct accountability for safety and environmental performance in heavy industrial or process environments, including LOTO, high-temperature hazards, electrical safety, chemical/gas handling, and operating compliance
- Operating budget ownership with demonstrated cost control; experience partnering with engineering teams on capital projects, automation, or significant equipment upgrades
- Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export-controlled information or facilities
**Preferred Qualifications:**
- Direct experience with rare earth metallization, molten-salt electrolysis, nonferrous reduction/refining, or comparable electrochemical metal production
- Experience in steelmaking, melting and casting, or other high-temperature continuous metallurgical operations with strong transferability to startup and process control
- Greenfield plant startup experience with international equipment suppliers, factory acceptance testing, automation/robotics integration, or major process-technology deployment
- Experience with environmental compliance and operating controls for metallurgical processes, including air-emissions systems, process waste streams, and chemical management
- Experience deploying MES, historian/shop-floor data collection, advanced process monitoring, or other digital manufacturing systems; Lean or Six Sigma experience is a plus
**Physical & Environmental Requirements:**
Regular presence on production floor; ability to navigate all facility areas, climb stairs, stand and walk for extended periods. Must work in hot, humid, or noisy environments. Requires use of personal protective equipment including respirators, fit testing, and adherence to all safety policies and regulatory requirements.
