Current Openings

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.  As the Sr. Controls Engineer (FAT/CSV) you will lead automation acceptance and commissioning for a massive 1 million square foot manufacturing facility expansion. You will own the automation acceptance thread across a large OEM equipment campaign - authoring standardized FAT/SAT protocols, running the program-wide punch register; writing, modifying, and troubleshooting PLC code from punch-item fixes through commissioning and a share of live controls support. This is a high-impact, high-ownership role requiring deep technical expertise in industrial automation. Domestic and international travel to OEM facilities up to ~50% during test campaigns.  This role begins in Durham, NC and is expected to move to Benson, NC upon completion of new facility. Responsibilities  Lead hands-on programming, debugging, and commissioning of Siemens and Allen Bradley/Rockwell PLCs and HMIs for new and existing automation equipment.  Develop, modify, and maintain PLC code structures, HMI screens, safety circuits, device mapping, and networking configurations to ensure robust and standardized automation performance across all equipment.  Execute the scaling-equipment design-review campaign, converting findings into hardened, detailed technical deliverables for OEM vendors.  Review vendor electrical schematics, controls architectures, and PLC/HMI logic. Own the FAT/SAT campaign: author standardized acceptance protocols, covering PLC logic conformance, HMI/alarm acceptance, interlock validation, and network/security verification. Run the program-wide punch list and coordinate witness assignments.  as-tested code, configuration baselines, punch closure evidence, and commissioning records.  Integrate with Quality’s validation system - protocols live in Quality’s framework and carry Quality’s approval; you author the automation content and align with Manufacturing Engineering’s master schedule and process acceptance criteria.  Drive the integration and commissioning of robotics, vision systems, AGVs, conveyors, and motion control systems—including servos and VFDs—to enable seamless material flow and high reliability production operations.  Configure and maintain communications between PLCs/HMIs and higher level systems (MES/SCADA). Develop and troubleshoot SCADA tags, transactions, alarming, and data acquisition as required.  Serve as a senior-level escalation point for diagnosing complex automation issues involving networks, motion systems, instrumentation, and industrial communication protocols.  Deliverables You Will Develop, Review, or Support  PLC code architecture, HMI screens, vision inspection programs, tag databases, MES/SCADA transaction lists, network IP lists, password inventories, and system backups. As-tested PLC code baselines, configuration backups, and acceptance evidence packages.  Controls risk assessments, interlock/guarding logic, and safety rated PFMEA inputs.  Controls layouts, network topology layouts, station cycle times, sequence diagrams, and automation simulations.  Electrical schematics, pneumatic drawings, controls panel layouts, and industrial network architecture.  FAT/SAT protocols, the program punch list, I/O checkout records, and handover packages.  Responsibilities and tasks outlined are not exhaustive and may change as determined by the needs of the business  Qualifications  Bachelor’s or Master's degree in electrical engineering, Automation Engineering, Mechatronics, or related field with 7+ years of direct industrial automation and controls engineering experience.  Strong hands-on experience programming and commissioning Siemens and Allen Bradley/Rockwell PLCs and HMIs.  Demonstrated multi-vendor acceptance campaign management, disciplined change control with the ability to triage punch items to fix in situ or kick back to a vendor. Technical writing that vendors and auditors can both execute against.  Deep understanding of servos, VFDs, highspeed conveyors, robotic cells, and automated material handling systems.  Proficiency with Ethernet/IP, Profinet, EtherCAT, OPCUA, Modbus, serial, and similar industrial communication standards.  Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export-controlled information or facilities Preferred Skills Background as a commissioning-focused controls engineer at a system integrator or machine OEM - someone who has both written machine code and accepted other people’s.  Robotics & Vision Systems: Working experience with multi axis robotic systems (Fanuc, Kuka, ABB) and machine vision platforms (Cognex, Keyence)  Experience in heavy industrial, greenfield, chemical, or metallurgical manufacturing environments.  Experience developing SCADA applications in Ignition, FactoryTalk, Wonderware, or similar platforms.  AGV integration experience  Familiarity with Python, C++, or other high-level languages for automation or data analytics.  Experience in regulated industries or such as Defense, Aerospace, or Automotive or GAMP 5 / computer system validation exposure  Physical and Environmental Requirements The position requires regular presence on the production floor and the ability to navigate all areas of the facility. Candidates must be able to climb stairs, stand and walk for extended periods, and work in environments that may be hot, humid, or noisy. The role also requires the use of personal protective equipment, including respirators, and adherence to all applicable safety policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements. Employees must be able to complete required fit testing, wear appropriate PPE for the duration of assigned tasks, and respond safely to changing conditions within the production environment.

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.  The Sr. Manager Operational Excellence is accountable for how this plant is organized, how it runs, and how it holds itself to a standard. The role establishes the site’s integrated management system and ISO framework, designs and deploys the plant operating system, builds the training and certification architecture for operators and engineers alike, and leads the continuous improvement program that converts capability into measurable performance.  Responsibilities  Establish the site’s integrated management system architecture and the ISO framework it operates under, beginning with ISO 9001 and sequencing ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 as the site matures.  Define the documentation hierarchy — policy, procedure, work instruction, form and record — and own the document control and change governance model that every function writes into.  Build and lead the internal audit program: audit schedule, auditor qualification and training, finding classification, corrective and preventive action (CAPA) workflow, and closure verification.  Design the management review cadence and the evidence that feeds it so reviews drive decisions rather than restate metrics.  Ensure the management system interlocks cleanly with PSM elements — management of change, pre-startup safety review, and operational discipline — rather than running as a parallel structure.  Prepare and lead the site through certification audits, surveillance audits and customer or regulatory assessments.  Own the site continuous improvement strategy, portfolio and governance: idea capture, prioritization against business impact, execution discipline, and independent verification of realized benefit.  Deploy a common structured problem-solving method (DMAIC and A3 or equivalent), train the organization in it, and establish it as the expected response to any significant deviation, defect or loss.  Lead value stream mapping across the three process areas and the material flow between them; convert current-state findings into a sequenced improvement roadmap with named owners and committed dates.  Establish the standard work, 5S, visual management and waste-elimination practices that make improvement sustainable rather than episodic.  Drive measurable results in yield, first-pass quality, OEE, changeover time, scrap and conversion cost, and report benefit realization to site and executive leadership.  Build and run the internal belt program — Yellow, Green and Black Belt — including project selection, coaching, tollgate review and certification, developing improvement capability inside the workforce rather than relying on external resources.  Facilitate kaizen events and rapid improvement workshops, and coach area leadership to run them independently over time.  Training, Certification and Workforce Capability  Training and certification is a core deliverable of this role, not an administrative adjunct. The site is hiring the large majority of its workforce from outside the industry, into a process technology with few local analogues. Capability must be built deliberately.  Operator and technician qualification. Own the site skills and qualification matrix across all production, maintenance and warehouse roles — defining proficiency levels, certification requirements, requalification intervals and the evidence required to sign off each level.  Structured onboarding and OJT. Build the onboarding architecture and on-the-job training modules, cross-training paths and train-the-trainer program that let the site scale from roughly 70 employees to over 800 without diluting standards.  Competency assessment. Implement methods to assess knowledge, practical skill and demonstrated proficiency — not attendance — and establish the periodic reassessment cycle that keeps qualifications current.  Engineering and technical development. Establish the technical competency framework and development path for engineers and technical staff, including certification support (Six Sigma, CMRP, CQE, CRE, PE, CSP), structured rotational exposure across process areas, and mentoring by senior technical staff and process SMEs.  Frontline leadership development. Build the development program for Shift Leads, Crew Leads and Area Supervisors — the layer this operating model depends on most — covering coaching, standard work adherence, problem solving and conduct of operations.  Continuous development. Establish the ongoing development cadence beyond initial qualification: refresher training, skill-block progression tied to advancement, and individual development planning in partnership with area leadership and Human Resources.  Training systems and records. Own the learning management and training records system to ISO- and PSM-compliant standards, with audit-ready traceability from requirement to qualification to reassessment.  External pipeline. Partner with regional community colleges and workforce development programs to build a durable technician and operator pipeline into the site.  Plant Operating System and Performance Management  Design and stand up the plant operating system: tiered daily accountability meetings from crew through site leadership, the escalation path between tiers, and the visual management that supports them.  Define the site OKR/KPI architecture — what is measured, at what level, by whom, and what action each metric is intended to trigger — and cascade it so a frontline board and the site scorecard tell a consistent story.  Establish operating rhythm and business review cadence, including daily direction setting, weekly performance review and monthly business review.  Build the reporting and analytics foundation in partnership with Automation & Digital Manufacturing so performance data is trusted, timely and self-serve.  Organization Design, Roles and Workflows  Partner with the Plant leadership to develop and continuously refine the site organization structure as it scales toward full rate.  Work with leadership to establish clear roles, responsibilities and decision rights across the organization, including operating boundaries between Operations, Maintenance & Reliability, Quality, Production Controls and supporting functions.  Design the core cross-functional workflows: shift handover, deviation and escalation, management of change intake, work request and prioritization, and production-to-maintenance coordination.  Build the structure so empowered leadership is established at the frontline. Area Supervisors, Shift Leads and Crew Leads at this site are intended to make real operational calls — safety stops, staffing decisions, lot release, work order dispatch. This role designs the framework in which empowerment and operational discipline reinforce one another rather than compete.  Standards, Practices and Assessment  Author and deploy the site’s operational standards and expected practices — conduct of operations, operational discipline, standard work and shift routines.  Build the assessment and maturity model that measures whether standards are actually being followed: cadence, ownership, scoring and the conversion of gaps into improvement actions.  Establish layered process confirmation and gemba assessment routines, and coach leaders at every level to run them credibly.  Benchmark the site against external practice and bring back what is worth adopting.  Responsibilities and tasks outlined are not exhaustive and may change as determined by the needs of the business  Qualifications  Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (mechanical, chemical, industrial, materials or a related discipline).  Six Sigma Black Belt certification, with a documented portfolio of completed projects and verified financial benefit. Green Belt considered only with substantial enterprise deployment experience.  Direct experience designing and deploying a plant operating system — tiered accountability, KPI cascade, structured problem solving and layered process confirmation.  Demonstrated ownership of a manufacturing training and qualification program, including skills matrix design, certification and requalification standards, and competency assessment.  Proven ability to influence without authority. This role carries three direct reports and site-wide scope; nearly everything it accomplishes happens through leaders who do not report to it.  Track record of operating at both altitudes — setting the strategy for how a plant should run, then being on the floor writing the standard, facilitating the first sessions and coaching leaders through them personally.  Excellent facilitation, written communication and executive presentation skills.  Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export-controlled information or facilities.  Preferred  Experience in a PSM-regulated or otherwise high-hazard environment, and familiarity with how process safety, quality and EHS management systems interlock.  Background in powder metallurgy, thermal processing, chemical processing, precision machining or advanced materials.  Formal organization design experience — span-of-control analysis, role architecture and decision rights.  Demonstrated success moving an organization’s middle layer, not just its executives.  Physical and Environmental Requirements The position requires regular presence on the production floor and the ability to navigate all areas of the facility. Candidates must be able to climb stairs, stand and walk for extended periods, and work in environments that may be hot, humid, or noisy. The role also requires the use of personal protective equipment, including respirators, and adherence to all applicable safety policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements. Employees must be able to complete required fit testing, wear appropriate PPE for the duration of assigned tasks, and respond safely to changing conditions within the production environment.

  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 Integrity. We are seeking a dedicated Plant Controller to join our dynamic and growing team as we scale our operations. Position Overview:The Plant Controller will own site-level financial leadership at our commercial manufacturing facility in Benson, NC. This role is the financial backbone of plant operations — partnering daily with finance and operations leadership while reporting into the corporate finance organization. This is a hands-on role in a fast-moving environment. You'll build cost accounting infrastructure, stand up controls, and drive financial discipline in a facility that will scale rapidly. You will play a key role in ensuring the company’s financial health as we expand our domestic manufacturing capabilities and support critical industries with innovative rare-earth permanent magnet technology. Key Responsibilities: Own daily and monthly plant financial results and KPIs, including reporting to plant and corporate leadership. Serve as the site finance lead for ERP and MES initiatives, including data integrity between production systems and the general ledger. Collaborate with FP&A to oversee all aspects of inventory costing and management ensuring accurate financial reporting. Partner with operations and manufacturing engineering to translate MES/shop-floor data into accurate costing, yield, and other reporting. Manage plant-level fixed asset accounting and reporting. Own the site-level month-end close, including inventory, fixed assets, accruals, and intercompany activity, on a corporate close calendar. Design, document, and operate site-level internal controls over inventory, costing, fixed assets, and procurement; support SOX-readiness and external audit requests. Build and develop a site finance/cost accounting team as the plant scales. Responsibilities and tasks outlined are not exhaustive and may change as determined by the needs of the business. Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or a related field. 7–10+ years of progressive accounting/finance experience, including significant time in a plant controller, cost accounting manager, or similar site-level manufacturing finance role. Deep experience in manufacturing, industrial or technology environments. Experience in a high-growth or scaling enterprise — comfort building processes, not just running them. Strong US GAAP knowledge in areas relevant to manufacturing and fixed assets (ASC 330 Inventory, ASC 360 Fixed Assets). Excellent analytical skills, attention to detail, and ability to work in a fast-paced environment. Proven leadership and communication skills with the ability to collaborate across departments. Experience with government contracting is a plus. Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export-controlled information or facilities.