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← Vulcan Elements

Senior Materials Scientist

Vulcan Elements
Location
Research Triangle Park, NC
Posted
19 days ago
Department
Research & Development
What they actually want (must-haves)
  • 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
Nice to have
  • 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
What the job really is

As a Senior Materials Scientist at Vulcan Elements, you will focus on developing and optimizing protective coatings for rare-earth permanent magnets, ensuring they meet corrosion and thermal performance specifications. Your role involves hands-on experimentation, materials characterization, and managing relationships with external suppliers while supporting the production team. You will also mentor junior engineers and contribute to the documentation and communication of experimental results and process recommendations.

Things to weigh
  • The role is heavily focused on R&D with a strong emphasis on hands-on experimentation and supplier management.
  • Strict adherence to laboratory safety protocols is required, indicating a potentially hazardous work environment.
  • No salary or benefits information is provided in the posting.
Job score2.8/5
Benefits1/5
Freshness4/5
Career value4/5
Role clarity5/5
Pay transparency0/5

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