ShopFloorJobs
VE

Senior Machining Process Engineer – R&D

Vulcan Elements · Research Triangle Park, NC

Level
Senior
Team
Process
Experience asked
5+ years
Industry
Metals
Posted
30+ days ago

The role in 30 seconds

A senior process role at Vulcan Elements (metals) in Research Triangle Park, NC. As a Machining Process Engineer you will own the key performance indicators for machining and finishing processes that turn sintered magnet blocks into finished coating-ready parts.

They ask for
5+ years
Tools it names
SPC, GD&T, DOE, Machining, Painting / coating, Tooling

Read from the posting. The full description is below.

How this role compares

Against 28 other live process postings in North Carolina.

Experience asked
Typical (5+ years)

Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.

Skills these teams ask for most

  • Root cause 28%
  • ✓ SPC 28%
  • Six Sigma 24%
  • FDA / GMP 21%
  • ✓ Tooling 21%
  • ✓ DOE 21%

✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.

Stands out: this posting asks for GD&T, Painting / coating, SolidWorks, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.

It asks for 5+ years. If you're close, apply anyway: requirements are a wish list. Talk to someone on the team first.

At a glance

Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.

How to get in at this plant

Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.

  1. 1

    Pick 2–3 people on the Process team at Vulcan Elements

    We found 1 person at this company and state: 1 leaders, plus 1 likely hiring manager. Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. See them ↓

  2. 2

    Send a short, curious note

    One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.

    Write to Jesse → (free)
  3. 3

    Turn a reply into a short call

    Questions worth asking about this team:

    • What does a normal week look like on your team?
    • Is the work mostly new product launches or sustaining existing lines?
    • How much time do you spend on the floor versus at a desk?
    • How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
  4. 4

    Apply with someone vouching for you

    If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.

  5. 5

    Bring proof to the interview

    One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.

This plant: Vulcan Elements in Research Triangle Park

9 other open roles at this site · 1 person we found on the process team.

All 10 roles at Vulcan Elements →
Full description from Vulcan ElementsAs posted on their careers site.Show

Responsibilities

and tasks outlined are not exhaustive and may change as determined by the needs of the business

We are looking for depth in abrasive machining plus the range to own everything around it:

  • ◆Abrasive Machining of Hard/Brittle Materials: Direct experience machining sintered magnets, technical ceramics, carbide, glass, silicon/semiconductor wafers, or similar brittle materials.
  • ◆Diamond Tooling: Working knowledge of diamond wire, wheel, and media specification.
  • ◆Machine Craft: Comfortable at the machine: setup, alignment, fixturing, troubleshooting vibration and chatter.
  • ◆Coolant & Filtration Systems: Practical understanding of coolant chemistry, delivery, filtration technologies, and swarf/sludge handling.
  • ◆Statistics & DOE: Fluency in designed experiments, measurement system analysis, SPC, and capability studies.
  • ◆Metrology & GD&T: Strong command of GD&T interpretation and precision dimensional/surface metrology at micron scale.
  • ◆CAD & Fixture Design: Able to design and iterate workholding, carriers, and handling fixtures (SolidWorks, Fusion 360, or similar).

Qualifications

  • ✓B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Materials Science, or equivalent hands-on experience.
  • ✓5+ years of process engineering experience in machining/finishing.
  • ✓Demonstrated ownership of a machining process from development through production release.
  • ✓Experience with NdFeB or other permanent magnet materials is a strong plus, but we will gladly teach magnets to someone who deeply knows grinding.

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

Requirements

This role requires strict adherence to all laboratory safety protocols and regulatory guidelines. Employees must consistently wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), including lab coats, safety glasses, gloves, and any additional gear required for specific materials or processes. The position involves working around equipment and procedures that present cut hazards and other physical risks associated with slicing, grinding, and tumbling operations. Team members must follow all established safety rules, use tools and machinery only as trained, and maintain awareness of mechanical pinch points, sharp components, and moving parts.

Employees are expected to maintain a clean and compliant work area, promptly report any unsafe conditions, and complete all required safety training. A strong commitment to maintaining a safe and compliant laboratory environment is essential for success in this role.

Show full description ↓

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.

Sintered NdFeB magnets are a challenge to machine and finish: hard, brittle, chip-prone, corrosion-sensitive. As a Machining Process Engineer you will own the key performance indicators for machining and finishing processes that turn sintered magnet blocks into finished coating-ready parts. You will evaluate and optimize machining pathways, including wire sawing, precision grinding, tumbling, and other processes.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on abrasive machining expert who can also make a detailed and quantitative process flow diagram. You will improve existing machining methods, including slicing, grinding, chamfering, and surface prep. You will select and qualify new shaping processes from lab-scale development to validated, documented production handoff.

Process Characterization, Metrology & Quality

  • •Metrology, surface finish, and inspection methods
  • •Establish SPC and capability baselines and drive loss/defect rates down with data

Equipment Specification & New Process Introduction (NPI)

  • •Evaluate, specify, and justify new machining and finishing processes to Vulcan; run vendor trials, define acceptance criteria.
  • •Document developed processes and hand off validated, capable processes to pilot production — including processes destined for future high-volume magnet factory programs.

Optimization of Existing Machining Processes

  • •Develop and optimize slicing, grinding, abrasive, tumbling processes
  • •Minimize loss and maximize material yield while holding thickness tolerance, TTV, bow, and warp targets; quantify the yield-vs-throughput trade space for varying magnet geometries.
  • •Development of novel tooling and fixturing as needed
  • •Understand and quantify surface effects on downstream coating adhesion, corrosion, and magnetic performance.

Desired Skills

  • +Experience in semiconductor wafering, optics fabrication, cutting tool manufacturing, or technical ceramics.

Laboratory Safety and PPE

More Process roles in North Carolina