Materials Process Engineer - Metals

About the role

Vulcan Elements is dedicated to producing American rare-earth permanent magnets to enhance national security and economic stability. Our operations support vital sectors such as defense, aerospace, and automotive industries. We are assembling a team of driven professionals who prioritize mission focus, technical excellence, and transparency. As a Materials Process Engineer specializing in metals, you will play a key role in developing and validating computational models related to fluid dynamics, heat transfer, electromagnetic behavior, and mechanical responses throughout various manufacturing processes. This position requires a solid foundation in computational mechanics, experience with commercial simulation tools, and the capability to translate modeling results into practical manufacturing strategies. Initially based in Durham, NC, this role will transition to Benson, NC upon the completion of our new facility. You will work closely with cross-disciplinary teams to ensure that models accurately reflect real-world processes, enabling continuous improvement and innovation in our manufacturing methods.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Develop detailed thermal models for manufacturing processes such as sintering, heat treatment, casting, and other thermal operations involved in magnet production.
• Create and validate models covering fluid dynamics, including modeling of molten metal flow, powder handling, and granular flow where applicable.
• Build mechanical models to analyze stress, strain, and deformation during manufacturing steps, ensuring process integrity and part quality.
• Incorporate electromagnetic phenomena into models, especially for processes involving magnetic fields, to optimize magnetic properties and process efficiency.
• Use commercial simulation platforms such as ANSYS (Mechanical, Maxwell, ROCKY, Fluent), COMSOL Multiphysics, or similar software to perform simulations.
• Collaborate with process engineers, materials scientists, and data engineers to incorporate simulation insights into process development, troubleshooting, and optimization efforts.
• Design and execute simulation studies to assess process sensitivities, identify potential failure modes, and support process validation activities.
• Document all modeling assumptions, boundary conditions, validation results, and recommendations in accordance with quality system standards and best practices.
• Develop custom scripts and automation tools using Python, MATLAB, or similar languages to streamline data processing, automate repetitive tasks, and enhance simulation workflows.
• Present modeling results and insights to technical teams and management, translating complex data into actionable recommendations for process improvements.
• Support experimental work by providing simulation-based guidance, helping to interpret experimental data, and refining models based on real-world results.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of modeling techniques and stay updated with advances in computational mechanics, simulation software, and manufacturing technologies relevant to magnetic materials.
• Assist in training and mentoring junior engineers or team members in modeling best practices and software use.
• Ensure compliance with safety policies and procedures, especially when working in manufacturing environments, and participate in safety training and audits as required.
• Support the transition of models from the development phase to production environments, ensuring robustness and reliability of simulation tools used in ongoing manufacturing operations.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, or a closely related field.
• Proven experience in building, validating, and applying process models using ANSYS (Mechanical, Maxwell, ROCKY, Fluent), COMSOL Multiphysics, or comparable simulation software.
• Strong understanding of computational fluid dynamics (CFD), heat transfer modeling, and mechanical stress and strain analysis.
• Proficiency in scripting languages such as Python, MATLAB, or similar for automating simulations, data extraction, and post-processing tasks.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, manage multiple modeling projects simultaneously, and deliver results within deadlines.
• Excellent communication skills to effectively present technical findings and collaborate with multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience in interpreting experimental data and integrating it with simulation results to improve model accuracy.
• Knowledge of manufacturing processes related to metals, especially those involved in magnet production, is preferred.
• Familiarity with microstructure evolution modeling techniques, such as phase-field or CALPHAD, is a plus.
• Ability to adapt modeling approaches to different process conditions and materials, ensuring models remain relevant and accurate.
• Strong problem-solving skills and a proactive approach to identifying and addressing modeling challenges.

Nice to have

• Experience modeling metal manufacturing processes such as sintering, casting, powder compaction, forging, or heat treatment.
• Familiarity with particle-level modeling, including powder packing, granular flow, or discrete element methods (DEM).
• Background in electromagnetic modeling and simulation, particularly for magnetic field analysis and electromagnetic process design.
• Knowledge of microstructure evolution modeling techniques, such as phase-field or CALPHAD, to predict material properties and behavior.
• Experience with coupled Multiphysics simulations, including thermo-mechanical, fluid-structure interaction, or electromagnetic-thermal coupling.
• Exposure to GPU-accelerated computing, high-performance computing (HPC) environments, or cloud-based simulation platforms to enhance computational efficiency.
• Prior experience working in industrial, manufacturing, or R&D environments with an understanding of manufacturing constraints, process validation, and quality standards.
• Ability to contribute to process scale-up efforts, ensuring models are applicable from laboratory to production scale.
• Familiarity with data management practices and version control systems to maintain simulation workflows and results.

Skills & tools

• ANSYS (Mechanical, Maxwell, ROCKY, Fluent)
• COMSOL Multiphysics
• Python, MATLAB, or similar scripting languages
• Fundamental understanding of CFD, heat transfer, and mechanical analysis
• Experience with electromagnetic simulation tools
• Ability to develop and validate complex models for manufacturing processes

Practical notes

Candidates must be U.S. Persons due to the necessity of accessing U.S. export-controlled information or facilities. The role requires regular presence on the production floor, necessitating the ability to navigate all areas of the facility. Candidates should be able to climb stairs, stand and walk for extended periods, and work in potentially hot, humid, or noisy environments. Adherence to safety policies and the use of personal protective equipment, including respirators, is mandatory. Employees must complete required fit testing and wear appropriate PPE throughout assigned tasks while responding safely to changes in the production environment. The position involves working closely with manufacturing teams, so flexibility and a proactive safety mindset are essential.