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Solcoa is building next-generation American metalmaking, starting with rare earths—the metals powering EVs, fighter jets, wind turbines, and data centers. The company has developed proprietary chemistry to convert rare earth oxides into high-purity metals cleaner, cheaper, and faster than conventional processes, and is now scaling to thousands of tonnes of annual production.
As Staff Mechanical Engineer, you will own the mechanical and thermal design of Solcoa's high-temperature reactors end-to-end, from concept through operating hardware. You will radically simplify mechanical and thermal designs, optimize for manufacturability, assembly, and maintenance, and ensure the modular reactors deployed to Solcoa One (the largest rare earth metallization plant in the US) can produce any rare earth metal in a standardized process.
Key responsibilities include:
• Reactor Design: Own mechanical and thermal design of modular high-temperature reactors. Translate process requirements into integrated designs for reactor vessels, crucibles, seals, and metal-handling mechanisms.
• Thermal and Mechanical Validation: Use first-principles calculations, simulation, and instrumented testing to validate heat transfer, thermal expansion, structural loads, and component life under repeated thermal cycling. Resolve heating, cooling, vacuum-integrity, and material-compatibility issues with thermal and research teams to improve throughput and reliability.
• Design for Manufacturing and Maintenance: Radically simplify reactor assemblies, reduce part count, and standardize components for repeatable manufacturing. Own CAD models, fabrication drawings, tolerances, BOMs, and equipment specifications. Work directly with fabricators and suppliers to reduce lead time and improve assembly, service, and repair.
• Prototype Development and Commissioning: Drive hands-on assembly, troubleshooting, and cold and hot testing of pilot and next-generation reactors. Define acceptance criteria, lead mechanical factory acceptance testing, and support installation and commissioning at Solcoa One.
• Technical Leadership: Lead a team of mechanical engineers, organize the mechanical design process, and conduct design reviews. Interface with fabrication, operations, and process teams to create mechanical design requirements and make key systematic design decisions.
REQUIREMENTS:
• Proficiency in CAD (Fusion)
• Hands-on experience with metal machining and shop tools
• Experience with high-temperature systems and/or vacuum hardware
• Detail-orientation and precise technical execution
• Comfort working independently in a fast-paced, build-measure-learn environment
• Availability to start soon
PREFERRED:
• Coursework or experience in chemistry or physics (thermodynamics, materials science, reaction engineering, or similar)
