Senior Operations Engineering Manager

The posting, as Vulcan Elements wrote it

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 Integrity.

This leader is hired ahead of equipment installation to build and lead the Magnet Manufacturing organization, including production operators, operations engineers and technicians. Working closely with the Commissioning Leader, this role will develop and support the commissioning plan, equipment startup sequence and field activities while ensuring the operating team is ready for turnover. The leader will own process performance during production qualification and ramp, including safety, throughput, OEE, yield, quality and cost; establish the sintered-block cost of goods sold (COGS) model; and own the Magnet Manufacturing operations budget.

Responsibilities

• Own Magnet Manufacturing operational readiness across hydrogen decrepitation, jet milling, blending, pressing, sintering and heat treatment, providing Operations input from design review and factory acceptance testing through site acceptance, commissioning, process qualification and production turnover.
• Partner with Manufacturing Engineering, Process Technology, Capital Execution, Automation & Digital Manufacturing, Maintenance, Quality and EHS on powder transfer and containment, equipment layout and access, instrumentation, sampling, maintainability, controls and material flow; serve as the Operations acceptance authority for equipment turnover.
• Work with the Commissioning Leader to develop and support the integrated commissioning plan, equipment startup sequence, resource plan and execution activities; ensure Operations provides personnel, operating procedures, training and field support at the required milestones.
• Prepare operators, technicians and operations engineers for equipment startup and qualification; support commissioning execution, then lead production ramp following operational turnover, using process data to improve output, quality, availability and repeatability.
• Design and grow the Magnet Manufacturing organization for high-volume, multi-shift production: staffing model, supervisors and shift leads, operator coverage, operations engineering and technician support, escalation paths and daily floor leadership. Build the headcount plan backward from commissioning and production ramp milestones.
• Recruit, onboard and develop operators, engineers and technicians in phases; establish qualification standards, training and cross-training, technical troubleshooting capability, standard work and shift handoff routines so the team can safely own the process at turnover.
• Partner with EHS on job hazard analysis, pre-startup safety reviews, procedures and emergency response for

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ms, statistical process control and data-driven improvement.

• Experience establishing manufacturing cost models and managing operating budgets, standard-versus-actual cost performance, productivity and resource forecasts.
• Demonstrated leadership of safety and compliance in a high-hazard manufacturing environment, including LOTO, combustible or reactive materials, gas handling, thermal hazards and safe startup.

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

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience manufacturing NdFeB magnets, powder metallurgy products, advanced ceramics or comparable precision sintered materials.
• Knowledge of hydrogen decrepitation, jet milling, magnetic-field pressing, controlled-atmosphere sintering, heat treatment or oxygen-sensitive powder processing.
• Experience commissioning automated equipment with international suppliers, including FAT/SAT, robotics or controls integration and process technology transfer.
• Experience with automotive or defense manufacturing requirements, process capability, control plans, product traceability, PPAP, IATF 16949 or AS9100.
• Experience deploying MES, historian/shop-floor data collection, advanced process monitoring or digital manufacturing systems; Lean or Six Sigma experience is a plus.

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.