Senior Operations Engineering 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 Integrity. 

This leader is hired ahead of equipment installation to build and lead the Magnet Manufacturing organization, including production operators, operations engineers and technicians. Working closely with the Commissioning Leader, this role will develop and support the commissioning plan, equipment startup sequence and field activities while ensuring the operating team is ready for turnover. The leader will own process performance during production qualification and ramp, including safety, throughput, OEE, yield, quality and cost; establish the sintered-block cost of goods sold (COGS) model; and own the Magnet Manufacturing operations budget. 

• →Bachelor's degree in Materials Science, Metallurgical, Chemical, Mechanical, Manufacturing or Industrial Engineering, or a related technical discipline. 
• →8+ years in complex industrial manufacturing, including 5+ years leading production, operations engineering or technical teams in a continuous or multi-shift environment. 
• →Strong working knowledge of industrial process equipment, automated materials handling, controlled-atmosphere or thermal processing, production controls, material balances and drivers of process variation and equipment performance. 
• →Demonstrated experience in greenfield or major-expansion commissioning, including close collaboration with a commissioning leader on integrated plans, operating readiness, startup execution, equipment turnover and production ramp. 
• →Proven ability to build and lead operators, engineers and technicians, including staffing plans, hiring, technical training, qualification, standard work and frontline leadership development. 
• →Direct accountability for OEE, throughput and process yield, with strong command of root-cause analysis, manufacturing quality systems, statistical process control and data-driven improvement. 
• →Experience establishing manufacturing cost models and managing operating budgets, standard-versus-actual cost performance, productivity and resource forecasts. 
• →Demonstrated leadership of safety and compliance in a high-hazard manufacturing environment, including LOTO, combustible or reactive materials, gas handling, thermal hazards and safe startup. 

Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export-controlled information or facilities. 

 Preferred Qualifications

• →Direct experience manufacturing NdFeB magnets, powder metallurgy products, advanced ceramics or comparable precision sintered materials. 
• →Knowledge of hydrogen decrepitation, jet milling, magnetic-field pressing, controlled-atmosphere sintering, heat treatment or oxygen-sensitive powder processing. 
• →Experience commissioning automated equipment with international suppliers, including FAT/SAT, robotics or controls integration and process technology transfer. 
• →Experience with automotive or defense manufacturing requirements, process capability, control plans, product traceability, PPAP, IATF 16949 or AS9100. 
• →Experience deploying MES, historian/shop-floor data collection, advanced process monitoring or digital manufacturing systems; Lean or Six Sigma experience is a plus. 

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.