Controls Engineer

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 Controls Engineer you will own controls execution for the finishing equipment portfolio  within a massive 1 million square foot manufacturing facility expansion. You will own your equipment packages cradle-to-grave: design review, FAT witness, site commissioning, and sustaining support. This is a high-impact, high-ownership role requiring technical expertise in industrial automation and industrial robotics. The role includes hands-on implementation and travel to OEM factory acceptance tests, domestic and international, up to ~50% during test campaigns, and transitions from Durham, NC to the Benson, NC facility as commissioning begins. 

• →Working knowledge of ISO 10218 / ANSI-RIA R15.06, the collaborative operation modes and their common misuse, and ISO 13849 performance levels, with the judgment to require that a safety function be demonstrated rather than asserted. 
• →Cognex or Keyence class vision platforms, in-line dimensional gauging, or profilometry and SPC-driven inspection systems. 
• →Standalone CNC machines (FANUC FOCAS, MTConnect, etc..) and/or OEM data retrofits on equipment shipped without normal factory integration in mind. 
• →Plant-level conveyor control and AMR/AGV fleet integration (ANSI/RIA R15.08) — a likely growth area for this role as that scope is defined. 
• →Combustible dust (NFPA 484 — NdFeB grinding swarf is pyrophoric), reactive metals, or strong-field environments where standard inductive, reed, Hall-effect, and magnetic-encoder sensing cannot be used. 
• →Experience developing SCADA applications in Ignition, FactoryTalk, Wonderware, or similar platforms. 
• →Familiarity with Python, SQL, or other high-level languages for automation or data analytics. 
• →Experience in heavy industrial, greenfield, or metallurgical manufacturing environments, or in regulated industries such as Defense, Aerospace, or Automotive. 

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.