Staff Maintenance / Reliability Engineer

Vulcan Elements•Benson, NC

About The Position

Vulcan Elements is manufacturing American rare-earth permanent magnets for national security, economic resiliency, and critical industries including defense, aerospace, and automotive. The Staff Maintenance / Reliability Engineer supports equipment design, installation, commissioning, and startup while developing maintenance strategies and technical standards for safe, reliable production. The role includes equipment failure analysis, materials-of-construction evaluations, engineered seal and gasket selection, and development of preventive and predictive maintenance programs. It also helps build the site's CMMS by translating OEM requirements and operating experience into accurate asset data and executable maintenance plans. The engineer applies sound engineering judgment and practical experience troubleshooting complex industrial equipment, working directly with technicians, equipment vendors, R&D, Operations, and Engineering. The role supports the R&D pilot plant, captures lessons from pilot operations, and translates those learnings into commercial equipment specifications, spare-parts strategies, and maintenance plans. It also supports equipment readiness and safe maintenance practices for high-hazard manufacturing equipment and systems. The position requires regular presence on the production floor and the ability to navigate all facility areas. Work may involve hot, humid, or noisy environments, extended standing and walking, and climbing stairs. Use of appropriate personal protective equipment, including respirators, and compliance with safety policies and procedures are required.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field; equivalent technical education and substantial relevant industrial experience may be considered.
At least 5 years of maintenance engineering, reliability engineering, or equipment engineering experience in an industrial manufacturing or process environment.
Strong working knowledge of industrial machinery and manufacturing systems, including mechanical equipment, rotating assets, hydraulic and pneumatic systems, and automated production equipment.
Demonstrated experience conducting detailed equipment failure investigations and implementing sustainable engineering solutions to recurring reliability problems.
Practical knowledge of materials compatibility, industrial seals and gaskets, common component degradation mechanisms, and material selection for process service.
Experience developing preventive-maintenance content, equipment asset data, technical documentation, and CMMS maintenance plans.
Strong field-troubleshooting and cross-functional communication skills.
Working knowledge of industrial maintenance safety, including LOTO, stored-energy hazards, and safe work practices around complex industrial equipment.
Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export-controlled information or facilities.
Ability to navigate all facility areas, climb stairs, and stand and walk for extended periods.
Ability to work in hot, humid, or noisy environments and use required PPE, including respirators.
Ability to complete required fit testing, wear appropriate PPE for assigned tasks, and respond safely to changing production-environment conditions.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting pilot plants, greenfield facilities, major equipment installation, commissioning, or production ramp-up.
Background in metals processing, chemical manufacturing, advanced materials, automotive, or other equipment-intensive manufacturing.
Experience with furnaces, vacuum systems, powder handling, or precision machinery.
Familiarity with RCM, condition monitoring, and mechanical integrity programs.
Reliability certifications such as CMRP or CRE.

Responsibilities

Lead equipment and component failure investigations, including field inspection, teardown, operating-data review, materials evaluation, root cause determination, and verification of corrective actions.
Identify and evaluate failure mechanisms including fatigue, corrosion, erosion, abrasion, thermal degradation, chemical incompatibility, mechanical overstress, and premature component wear.
Apply equipment criticality assessments, FMEA, and reliability-centered maintenance principles to identify risks, prioritize improvements, and define maintenance strategies.
Analyze downtime, repeat failures, MTBF, MTTR, and maintenance history to establish reliability priorities and measure engineered solutions.
Engage OEMs, component suppliers, and technical laboratories to validate failure mechanisms, specify design improvements, and prevent recurrence.
Evaluate and recommend equipment-component materials of construction based on service conditions, process chemistry, and mechanical loading.
Develop selection and replacement strategies for gaskets, O-rings, mechanical seals, packing, and other sealing systems.
Investigate seal and gasket failures and translate findings into improved specifications and maintenance practices.
Work with Engineering, OEMs, and Procurement to validate component alternatives, standardize approved materials and sealing designs, and establish spare-part specifications.
Help configure and populate the CMMS, including equipment asset registers, functional locations, hierarchies, criticality, and master data standards.
Develop asset-specific preventive and predictive maintenance content, including inspection routines, lubrication requirements, task instructions, frequencies, condition-monitoring points, estimated labor, and initial job plans.
Establish equipment bills of materials, critical-spares recommendations, component specifications, interchangeability information, and replacement criteria in coordination with MRO and Maintenance leadership.
Define equipment failure codes, maintenance-history requirements, and technical documentation; validate asset data and work-order workflows before equipment handover.
Use commissioning results, pilot experience, and maintenance history to refine maintenance strategies, improve CMMS data quality, and eliminate unnecessary or ineffective tasks.
Provide hands-on maintenance and reliability engineering support to the R&D pilot plant, including troubleshooting, inspections, component evaluations, and recurring-failure investigations.
Capture pilot operating experience, equipment failure modes, wear patterns, and maintenance learnings and translate them into commercial specifications, spare-parts strategies, and maintenance plans.
Participate in design reviews, equipment installation, FAT, SAT, commissioning, and startup to identify maintainability risks and verify equipment readiness.
Work with OEMs and project teams to resolve reliability, sealing, materials compatibility, access, and serviceability concerns before equipment turnover.
Establish equipment baseline condition, maintenance documentation, preventive-maintenance content, special tools, and critical spares for handover to Operations and Maintenance.
Partner with Maintenance Managers and skilled trades on complex troubleshooting, precision installation, alignment, lubrication, inspection methods, and post-maintenance verification.
Support mechanical integrity, equipment inspection, engineering change control, and safe maintenance practices for high-hazard manufacturing equipment and systems.
Develop technical scopes and justifications for component upgrades, reliability modifications, and capital improvements that reduce downtime and lifecycle cost.