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Metal Operations Manager

Vulcan Elements · Research Triangle Park, NC

Level
Manager
Team
Production
Degree
Required (or equivalent experience)
Industry
Metals
Posted
30+ days ago

The role in 30 seconds

A management production role at Vulcan Elements (metals) in Research Triangle Park, NC. Lead, train, and manage a team of technicians and operators conducting hot metal production.

They ask for
degree required (or equivalent experience)
Tools it names
EHS / safety

Read from the posting. The full description is below.

From the plant jobs report · week of October 19, 2026

Production Engineer roles in North Carolina: typical posted base $98k–$145k.

Median of the low and high ends of 7 live postings that list pay, out of 35 production engineer openings in North Carolina, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.

North Carolina plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →

How this role compares

Against 34 other live production postings in North Carolina.

Base pay
Not listed in this posting

Typical $98k–$145k, from 6 postings that list pay.

Experience asked
Not stated

Similar roles usually ask 8+ years.

Skills these teams ask for most

  • Lean 51%
  • Team leadership 40%
  • Six Sigma 29%
  • ✓ EHS / safety 23%
  • Root cause 20%
  • Automation 20%

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

At a glance

Promotion path mentioned

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 Production team at Vulcan Elements

    Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. Use the team search on this page to find 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.

  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?
    • 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

10 other open roles at this site.

All 11 roles at Vulcan Elements →
Full description from Vulcan ElementsAs posted on their careers site.Show

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Physical and Environmental

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