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Applications Engineer - Magnetics
Accepting applicationsVulcan Elements · Raleigh, NC
Full-Time Mid_senior aiasicaterfsic
Posted
1d ago
Category
Test
Experience
Mid_senior
Country
United States
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 an Applications Engineer, you will own the technical progression of customer programs from initial engagement through qualification and production. You will serve as the technical bridge between customers, commercial teams, and internal engineering—ensuring that customer requirements are translated into manufacturable, high-performance magnet solutions.
This role sits within the Commercial Development team and is critical to advancing customer opportunities through the pipeline (samples → validation → qualification → production), directly supporting revenue growth and successful product execution.
Responsibilities
Customer Technical Support
Work directly with customers to understand application requirements and identify appropriate permanent magnet solutions
Provide guidance on magnet materials, grades, coatings, and performance characteristics
Serve as a primary technical point of contact for customer questions, clarifications, and issue resolution
Communicate technical requirements clearly between customers and internal teams
Drive customer programs through key milestones including sample delivery, testing, validation, and production readiness
Track and manage technical progress of customer engagements in coordination with the commercial team
Act as the voice of the customer internally, ensuring requirements, constraints, and performance expectations are clearly understood and executed
Application Engineering & Magnet Guidance
Guide customers in selecting appropriate magnet materials, grades, and configurations for new and existing applications
Provide magnetic application support, including performance tradeoffs and basic analysis
Evaluate customer requirements against internal manufacturing capabilities and provide DFM recommendations balancing performance, cost, manufacturability, and heavy rare earth (HRE) usage
Translate application needs into clear technical requirements for production and materials teams
Execution, Quality & Problem Solving
Coordinate with R&D, manufacturing, and quality teams to ensure alignment with customer requirements
Support prototyping, testing, and validation of magnet products in customer applications
Support root cause investigations for customer issues and non-conforming product, including corrective actions (e.g., 8D)
Partner with internal quality teams and customers on qualification activities (e.g., PPAP, where applicable)
Drive timely resolution of application, performance, and quality issues across internal teams
Operate with urgency to support fast-moving customer timelines and internal production ramp
Customer Qualification & Program Execution
Own technical execution of customer programs from initial engagement through qualification and production release
Coordinate internally to ensure timely delivery of samples, test data, and technical documentation
Support customer qualification processes, including PPAP, first article inspection, and validation testing where applicable
Ensure alignment between customer expectations and internal execution timelines
Responsibilities and tasks outlined are not exhaustive and may change as determined by the needs of the business
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, or related technical field
5+ years of experience in a customer-facing engineering, applications engineering, or product engineering role
Experience working with manufactured components in a production environment (e.g., metals, ceramics, magnets, or similar)
Ability to interpret technical drawings, specifications, and customer requirements
Experience collaborating cross-functionally with manufacturing and quality teams
Strong problem-solving skills with experience supporting root cause investigations
Excellent communication skills with the ability to interface directly with customers
Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export-controlled information or facilities
Desired Skills
Experience in automotive, aerospace, defense, or other high-reliability industries
Experience working with permanent magnets, particularly NdFeB materials
Familiarity with magnetic systems or applications (e.g., motors, sensors, actuators)
Familiarity with quality and qualification processes (e.g., PPAP, first article inspection)
Ability to read and interpret GD&T and complex engineering drawings
Exposure to design-for-manufacturability (DFM) concepts in a production environment
Experience supporting root cause investigations and corrective actions (e.g., 8D, CAPA)
Experience working directly with customers in a technical or applications-focused role
Exposure to basic electromagnetic or magnetic analysis tools (FEA or similar)
Show more Show less
As an Applications Engineer, you will own the technical progression of customer programs from initial engagement through qualification and production. You will serve as the technical bridge between customers, commercial teams, and internal engineering—ensuring that customer requirements are translated into manufacturable, high-performance magnet solutions.
This role sits within the Commercial Development team and is critical to advancing customer opportunities through the pipeline (samples → validation → qualification → production), directly supporting revenue growth and successful product execution.
Responsibilities
Customer Technical Support
Work directly with customers to understand application requirements and identify appropriate permanent magnet solutions
Provide guidance on magnet materials, grades, coatings, and performance characteristics
Serve as a primary technical point of contact for customer questions, clarifications, and issue resolution
Communicate technical requirements clearly between customers and internal teams
Drive customer programs through key milestones including sample delivery, testing, validation, and production readiness
Track and manage technical progress of customer engagements in coordination with the commercial team
Act as the voice of the customer internally, ensuring requirements, constraints, and performance expectations are clearly understood and executed
Application Engineering & Magnet Guidance
Guide customers in selecting appropriate magnet materials, grades, and configurations for new and existing applications
Provide magnetic application support, including performance tradeoffs and basic analysis
Evaluate customer requirements against internal manufacturing capabilities and provide DFM recommendations balancing performance, cost, manufacturability, and heavy rare earth (HRE) usage
Translate application needs into clear technical requirements for production and materials teams
Execution, Quality & Problem Solving
Coordinate with R&D, manufacturing, and quality teams to ensure alignment with customer requirements
Support prototyping, testing, and validation of magnet products in customer applications
Support root cause investigations for customer issues and non-conforming product, including corrective actions (e.g., 8D)
Partner with internal quality teams and customers on qualification activities (e.g., PPAP, where applicable)
Drive timely resolution of application, performance, and quality issues across internal teams
Operate with urgency to support fast-moving customer timelines and internal production ramp
Customer Qualification & Program Execution
Own technical execution of customer programs from initial engagement through qualification and production release
Coordinate internally to ensure timely delivery of samples, test data, and technical documentation
Support customer qualification processes, including PPAP, first article inspection, and validation testing where applicable
Ensure alignment between customer expectations and internal execution timelines
Responsibilities and tasks outlined are not exhaustive and may change as determined by the needs of the business
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, or related technical field
5+ years of experience in a customer-facing engineering, applications engineering, or product engineering role
Experience working with manufactured components in a production environment (e.g., metals, ceramics, magnets, or similar)
Ability to interpret technical drawings, specifications, and customer requirements
Experience collaborating cross-functionally with manufacturing and quality teams
Strong problem-solving skills with experience supporting root cause investigations
Excellent communication skills with the ability to interface directly with customers
Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export-controlled information or facilities
Desired Skills
Experience in automotive, aerospace, defense, or other high-reliability industries
Experience working with permanent magnets, particularly NdFeB materials
Familiarity with magnetic systems or applications (e.g., motors, sensors, actuators)
Familiarity with quality and qualification processes (e.g., PPAP, first article inspection)
Ability to read and interpret GD&T and complex engineering drawings
Exposure to design-for-manufacturability (DFM) concepts in a production environment
Experience supporting root cause investigations and corrective actions (e.g., 8D, CAPA)
Experience working directly with customers in a technical or applications-focused role
Exposure to basic electromagnetic or magnetic analysis tools (FEA or similar)
Show more Show less