Metal Operations Manager
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 Metal Operations Manager you are responsible for leading day-to-day metallurgical operations to safely and reliably produce on-specification metals using high-temperature and electrochemical processes, including vacuum induction melting, metallothermic reduction, and electrolysis. This role manages an operations team and works closely with engineering and R&D to ensure consistent execution, continuous improvement, and a strong safety culture.
The ideal candidate combines hands-on metallurgical experience with disciplined operations management and a deep respect for the hazards inherent to hot metal processing.
This role begins in Durham, NC and is expected to move to Benson, NC upon completion of new facility.
Responsibilities
- Lead, train, and manage a team of technicians and operators conducting hot metal production.
- Plan and execute production runs to meet quality, throughput, and schedule objectives.
- Ensure consistent execution of startup, steady-state operation, shutdown, and turnaround activities.
- Allocate personnel, equipment, and materials to support both production and experimental campaigns.
- Serve as the escalation point for abnormal operations and troubleshooting.
- Enforce safety procedures, PPE requirements, and lockout/tagout practices.
- Lead pre-job briefings, hazard reviews, and post-run debriefs.
- Promote a culture where unsafe conditions are identified, reported, and corrected without hesitation.
- Contribute to the development, review, and continuous improvement of:
- Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
- Work instructions and checklists
- Training materials and qualification standards
Responsibilities and tasks outlined are not exhaustive and may change as determined by the needs of the business
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Metallurgy, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent hands-on experience.
- Demonstrated experience managing operations in high-temperature or metallurgical environments.
- Strong understanding of operational safety in hot metal and electrically energized systems.
- Experience developing or maintaining SOPs and operational documentation.
- Direct experience with one or more of the following:
- Induction melting or vacuum furnaces
- Metallothermic reduction
- Electrochemical or molten salt processes
Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export-controlled information or facilities
Preferred
- Experience in pilot plants, demonstration facilities, or early-stage commercial operations.
- Familiarity with process scale-up and experimental operations.
- Experience working under formal EHS, ISO, or regulated industrial systems.
- Hands-on troubleshooting experience with furnaces, power supplies, and thermal systems.
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