Staff Mechanical Engineer
Vulcan ElementsResearch Triangle Park, North Carolina, United States · Posted 16 days agoDescription
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 a Staff Mechanical Engineer, you will contribute to the full lifecycle of a massive 1 million square foot manufacturing facility expansion—focusing on the custom, in-house design and development of specialized machinery. You will be responsible for translating complex pilot-line processes into fully realized, custom-engineered production equipment. This is a high-impact, high-ownership role requiring deep mechanical and electrical design expertise.
Responsibilities
- Lead the ground-up mechanical and electrical design of custom, proprietary manufacturing equipment tailored to our unique magnet production needs.
- Work closely with local fabrication shops and machine shops to turn your digital designs into physical hardware. Source components, manage lead times, and oversee quality during the build process.
- Provide active, on-the-floor support during the assembly, wiring, and initial testing of designed equipment, quickly troubleshooting fitment or functional issues.
- Conduct rigorous stress analysis (FEA), thermal analysis, and fluid flow simulations (CFD) to ensure custom machinery can withstand aggressive industrial environments.
- Work closely with cross-functional teams (Process, Quality, and Operations) to gather feedback, conduct design reviews, and incorporate DFM principles to ensure equipment is easy to build, operate, and maintain.
- Ensure all custom-designed equipment complies with rigorous safety, environmental, and ergonomics standards before it hits the production floor.
- This position will require some interaction and local travel to fabrication shops to review builds and support equipment development (estimated at <10% travel).
You will also be responsible for developing, reviewing, or managing the following deliverables:
- Detailed 2D manufacturing drawings, complex 3D CAD assemblies, Electrical Drawings, Pneumatic Drawings, and highly accurate tolerance stack-up analyses.
- Stress Analysis reports, Thermal Analysis models, Fluid Flow simulations, and core Electrical & Pneumatic Calculations.
- Risk Assessments, Ergonomic Assessments, and equipment-level PFMEA inputs.
- Detailed Bills of Materials (BOM), Spare Parts Lists, and drafting technical inputs for Maintenance Manuals and Calibration Procedures.
- Direct inputs to Line Layouts and Station Cycle Times based on physical machine constraints.
Responsibilities and tasks outlined are not exhaustive and may change as determined by the needs of the business
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related technical discipline with 7+ years of experience OR a Master’s degree with 5+ years of experience.
- Expert-level experience creating and validating highly complex equipment assemblies in CAD (e.g., SolidWorks, Inventor). Proven ability to create flawless, detailed 2D manufacturing drawings with proper GD&T.
- Proven experience leading equipment design on both the mechanical side (frames, mechanisms, actuators) and electrical side (panel layouts, basic schematics, sensor integration).
- Direct hands-on experience performing stress, thermal, and fluid flow simulations to validate custom designs before physical production.
- Direct experience working with external fabrication shops, specifying weldments, finishes, and holding vendors accountable to tight engineering tolerances.
Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export-controlled information or facilities.
Desired Skills
- Experience specifically in heavy industrial manufacturing equipment, high-vacuum systems, or high-temperature processing equipment.
- Hands-on manual machining or welding experience (understanding what it takes to actually build the parts you draw).
- Familiarity with motion control hardware, servos, and basic PLC integration.
- Experience in highly regulated industries such as Defense (DoD), Aerospace (AS9100), or Automotive (IATF 16949).
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.
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