Senior Machining Process Engineer – R&D

Vulcan Elements • Research Triangle Park, NC

2d

About The Position

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.
Sintered NdFeB magnets are a challenge to machine and finish: hard, brittle, chip-prone, corrosion-sensitive. As a Machining Process Engineer you will own the key performance indicators for machining and finishing processes that turn sintered magnet blocks into finished coating-ready parts. You will evaluate and optimize machining pathways, including wire sawing, precision grinding, tumbling, and other processes.
The ideal candidate is a hands-on abrasive machining expert who can also make a detailed and quantitative process flow diagram. You will improve existing machining methods, including slicing, grinding, chamfering, and surface prep. You will select and qualify new shaping processes from lab-scale development to validated, documented production handoff.

Requirements

• Abrasive Machining of Hard/Brittle Materials: Direct experience machining sintered magnets, technical ceramics, carbide, glass, silicon/semiconductor wafers, or similar brittle materials.
• Diamond Tooling: Working knowledge of diamond wire, wheel, and media specification.
• Machine Craft: Comfortable at the machine: setup, alignment, fixturing, troubleshooting vibration and chatter.
• Coolant & Filtration Systems: Practical understanding of coolant chemistry, delivery, filtration technologies, and swarf/sludge handling.
• Statistics & DOE: Fluency in designed experiments, measurement system analysis, SPC, and capability studies.
• Metrology & GD&T: Strong command of GD&T interpretation and precision dimensional/surface metrology at micron scale.
• CAD & Fixture Design: Able to design and iterate workholding, carriers, and handling fixtures (SolidWorks, Fusion 360, or similar).
• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Materials Science, or equivalent hands-on experience.
• 5+ years of process engineering experience in machining/finishing.
• Demonstrated ownership of a machining process from development through production release.
• Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export-controlled information or facilities.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with NdFeB or other permanent magnet materials is a strong plus, but we will gladly teach magnets to someone who deeply knows grinding.
• Experience in semiconductor wafering, optics fabrication, cutting tool manufacturing, or technical ceramics.

Responsibilities

• Process Characterization, Metrology & Quality: Metrology, surface finish, and inspection methods
• Establish SPC and capability baselines and drive loss/defect rates down with data
• Equipment Specification & New Process Introduction (NPI): Evaluate, specify, and justify new machining and finishing processes to Vulcan; run vendor trials, define acceptance criteria.
• Document developed processes and hand off validated, capable processes to pilot production — including processes destined for future high-volume magnet factory programs.
• Optimization of Existing Machining Processes: Develop and optimize slicing, grinding, abrasive, tumbling processes
• Minimize loss and maximize material yield while holding thickness tolerance, TTV, bow, and warp targets; quantify the yield-vs-throughput trade space for varying magnet geometries.
• Development of novel tooling and fixturing as needed
• Understand and quantify surface effects on downstream coating adhesion, corrosion, and magnetic performance.
• Responsibilities and tasks outlined are not exhaustive and may change as determined by the needs of the business

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior