Senior Materials Scientist

Role details

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 Senior Material Scientist you will own the science connecting the metallic coatings that protect them from corrosion and the characterization work that proves it. This is an R&D role based at our Research Triangle Park lab, working in direct support of our Benson, NC manufacturing facility: you'll develop and qualify processes in the lab and on pilot-scale equipment, interface with external suppliers then hand off specifications the Benson production team runs at scale. You'll own key external coating supplier relationships. This is a hands-on, individual-contributor role with real influence over how a brand-new production facility is built and qualified.

Responsibilities

• Develop, qualify, and optimize protective metallic, passivation, or polymer coatings (e.g., electroplated Ni, Zn, or Al-based systems, PVD/sputtered layers) for sintered NdFeB magnets to meet corrosion, adhesion, and thermal-performance specifications.
• Design and run coating process experiments and correlate process variables to coating quality, adhesion strength, and salt-spray/humidity performance.
• Perform materials characterization and failure analysis using SEM/EDS, XRD, optical microscopy, coating-thickness and adhesion testing, and accelerated corrosion testing (e.g., ASTM B117 salt spray) across both R&D and production samples.
• Manage relationships with external coating suppliers and toll processors: qualify new vendors, audit their processes and quality systems, and coordinate outsourced coating runs to support production timelines and second-source strategy.
• Partner with the powder metallurgy and process engineering teams to understand how upstream variables shape the finish and microstructure that coating performance and magnetic properties depend on.
• Lead root-cause investigations for coating defects, corrosion failures, and quality escapes, and drive corrective and preventive actions through to closure, whether the issue originates in-house or at a supplier.
• Author and maintain rigorous, operator-ready process documentation, test protocols, and supplier specifications that support scale-up and quality systems.
• Present experimental results, process recommendations, and risk assessments to cross-functional partners and leadership.
• Provide technical mentorship to junior engineers and lab technicians on coatings and materials-testing best practices.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. or Master's degree in Materials Science, Metallurgical Engineering, Chemistry, or a related technical field.
• 3+ years of hands-on experience in metallic coatings, surface finishing, or corrosion protection in an industrial or manufacturing R&D setting.
• Working proficiency with materials characterization techniques: SEM/EDS, XRD, optical microscopy, and coating thickness/adhesion testing.
• Familiarity with structured failure-analysis methodology.
• Solid grounding in design of experiments (DOE) and statistical analysis of process and test data.
• Strong technical writing and cross-functional communication skills.
• Experience managing external suppliers or contract processors — qualifying new vendors, auditing their processes and quality systems, and coordinating outsourced work against a schedule.

*U.S. Person status required, due to access to export-controlled information.*

Desired Skills

• Direct experience with rare-earth permanent magnets (NdFeB) and their corrosion behavior or protective coatings.
• Exposure to powder-metallurgy processing (pressing, vacuum sintering) and its downstream effect on coating performance.
• Proficiency with a data-analysis tool such as Python, MATLAB, or JMP/Minitab for manufacturing and quality datasets.
• Familiarity with ISO 9001 or IATF 16949 quality management systems.
• Experience in a startup or fast-scaling manufacturing environment.

Laboratory Safety and PPE Requirements

This position requires strict adherence to 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 procedures or chemical handling. The role involves working with potentially hazardous materials, equipment, and processes, and team members must follow all established safety rules, maintain a clean and compliant work area, and promptly report any unsafe conditions.

The individual must be able to complete required training, apply proper safety practices, and demonstrate a strong commitment to maintaining a safe laboratory environment.