Pilot Plant Operator

Solcoa Industries•San Francisco, CA

About The Position

We're looking for an experienced Pilot Plant Operator 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.

Requirements

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.

Nice To Haves

Experience in pyrometallurgy, electrometallurgy, or rare-earth/specialty metals processing.
Background operating vacuum induction melting (VIM), vacuum arc remelting (VAR), or similar casting systems.
Experience with process scale-up—transitioning from R&D to sustained production operations.
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.

Responsibilities

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.