{"id":3658421,"url":"https://alion.io/job/vulcan-elements-staff-maintenance-reliability-engineer","title":"Staff Maintenance / Reliability Engineer","company":{"id":8041,"name":"Vulcan Elements","domain":"vulcanelements.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/vulcanelements","size_band":"51-200","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Greenhouse","truth_index":{"grade":"A","score":91,"open_postings":6,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":0.167,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":71,"computed_at":"2026-11-04T06:34:25Z"}},"role":"Industrial Engineering","role_family":"Industrial Engineering","seniority":"staff","employment_type":null,"work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Durham, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":null,"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":null,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"FMEA","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-11-03T01:17:14Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-11-03","last_verified_at":"2026-11-04T07:53:54Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":1,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":1},"description":"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. \nAs our Staff Maintenance / Reliability Engineer you will support equipment design, installation, commissioning, and startup while developing maintenance strategies and technical standards that sustain safe, reliable production. Core responsibilities include detailed equipment failure analysis, materials of construction evaluations, engineered seal and gasket selection, and development of preventive and predictive maintenance programs. The role will also help build the site's CMMS, translating OEM requirements and operating experience into accurate asset data and executable maintenance plans. \nThe ideal candidate combines sound engineering judgment with practical experience troubleshooting complex industrial equipment. They will work directly with technicians, equipment vendors, R&D, Operations, and Engineering to resolve technical problems, capture lessons from the pilot plant, and continuously improve equipment performance. \nResponsibilities \nLead detailed equipment and component failure investigations, including field inspection, teardown, operating-data review, materials evaluation, root cause determination, and verification of corrective actions. \nIdentify and evaluate failure mechanisms such as fatigue, corrosion, erosion, abrasion, thermal degradation, chemical incompatibility, mechanical overstress, and premature component wear. \nApply equipment criticality assessments, FMEA, and reliability-centered maintenance principles to identify risks, prioritize improvements, and define appropriate maintenance strategies. \nAnalyze downtime, repeat failures, MTBF, MTTR, and maintenance history to establish reliability priorities and measure the effectiveness of engineered solutions. \nEngage OEMs, component suppliers, and technical laboratories as needed to validate failure mechanisms, specify design improvements, and prevent recurrence. \nEvaluate and recommend materials of construction for equipment components based on temperature, pressure, vacuum service, process chemistry, corrosion, erosion, wear, and mechanical loading. \nDevelop component-selection and replacement strategies for gaskets, O-rings, mechanical seals, packing, and other sealing systems, considering chemical compatibility, thermal cycling, leakage risk, operating life, and serviceability. \nInvestigate seal and gasket failures, including compression set, chemical attack, extrusion, thermal aging, installation damage, and sealing-surface deterioration; translate findings into improved specifications and maintenance practices. \nWork with Engineering, OEMs, and Procurement to validate component alternatives, standardize approved materials and sealing designs, and establish reliable spare-part specifications. \nMaintenance Engineering and CMMS Setup \nHelp configure and populate the CMMS from startup, including equipment asset registers, functional locations, hierarchies, equipment criticality, and master data standards. \nDevelop asset-specific PM and predictive maintenance content: inspection routines, lubrication requirements, task instructions, frequencies, condition-monitoring points, estimated labor, and initial job plans. \nEstablish equipment bills of materials, critical-spares recommendations, component specifications, interchangeability information, and replacement criteria in coordination with MRO and Maintenance leadership. \nDefine consistent equipment failure codes, maintenance history requirements, and technical documentation; validate asset data and work-order workflows before equipment handover. \nUse commissioning results, pilot experience, and maintenance history to refine PM strategies, improve CMMS data quality, and eliminate unnecessary or ineffective maintenance tasks. \nPilot Plant Support, Commissioning and Equipment Readiness \nProvide hands-on maintenance and reliability engineering support to the R&D pilot plant, including troubleshooting, equipment inspections, component evaluations, and recurring-failure investigations. \nCapture pilot operating experience, equipment failure modes, wear patterns, and maintenance learnings; translate these into commercial equipment specifications, spare-parts strategies, and maintenance plans. \nParticipate in design reviews, equipment installation, FAT, SAT, commissioning, and startup to identify maintainability risks and verify equipment readiness for sustained operation. \nWork with OEMs and project teams to resolve reliability, sealing, materials compatibility, access, and serviceability concerns before equipment turnover. \nEstablish equipment baseline condition, maintenance documentation, PM content, special tools, and critical spares required for a disciplined handover to Operations and Maintenance. \nTechnical Support, Safety and Continuous Improvement \nPartner with Maintenance Managers and skilled trades on complex troubleshooting, precision installation, alignment, lubrication, inspection methods, and post-maintenance verification. \nSupport mechanical integrity, equipment inspection, engineering change control, and safe maintenance practices for high-hazard manufacturing equipment and systems. \nDevelop technical scopes and justifications for component upgrades, reliability modifications, and capital improvements that reduce downtime and lifecycle cost. \nResponsibilities are representative and may change with business needs and the specific role.\nQualifications \nBachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field; equivalent technical education and substantial relevant industrial experience may be considered. \n5+ of maintenance engineering, reliability engineering, or equipment engineering experience in an industrial manufacturing or process environment. \nStrong working knowledge of industrial machinery and manufacturing systems, including mechanical equipment, rotating assets, hydraulic and pneumatic systems, and automated production equipment. \nDemonstrated experience conducting detailed equipment failure investigations and implementing sustainable engineering solutions to recurring reliability problems. \nPractical knowledge of materials compatibility, industrial seals and gaskets, common component degradation mechanisms, and appropriate material selection for process service. \nExperience developing preventive maintenance content, equipment asset data, technical documentation, and CMMS maintenance plans, with strong field troubleshooting and cross-functional communication skills. \nWorking knowledge of industrial maintenance safety, including LOTO, stored-energy hazards, and safe work practices around complex industrial equipment. \nMust be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export-controlled information or facilities.\nPreferred Qualifications\nExperience supporting pilot plants, greenfield facilities, major equipment installation, commissioning, or production ramp-up. \nBackground in metals processing, chemical manufacturing, advanced materials, automotive, or other equipment-intensive manufacturing; experience with furnaces, vacuum systems, powder handling, or precision machinery is particularly relevant. \nFamiliarity with RCM, condition monitoring, mechanical integrity programs, and reliability certifications such as CMRP or CRE. \nPhysical and Environmental Requirements \nThe 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.","description_format":"text","description_chars":8313,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":null,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":true,"languages":[]},"benefits":[],"hiring_locations":[{"name":"United States","iso":"US","kind":"country"}],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Advanced Materials","Metals & Metallurgy","Rare Earth Metals"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-11-03T03:01:26Z"}],"visa":[{"country":"US","licensed_sponsor":true,"evidence":"H-1B filings in 12 months: 1","filings_12m":1,"filings_prev_12m":0,"green_card_filings_12m":0,"median_offered_wage_usd":232500,"route":null,"cap_exempt":false,"checked_at":"2026-10-29T16:27:21+00:00","sources":["US Department of Labor: LCA disclosure data (H-1B, H-1B1, E-3)"],"filings_for_role_12m":0}],"liveness":{"score":90,"band":"hot","label":"Hiring now","p_open":1,"p_active":0.903,"p_room":1,"age_days":1,"expected_fill_days":71,"reasons":["conf:3","velocity","win:early"],"computed_at":"2026-11-04T06:34:25Z"},"pay":null,"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/vulcan-elements-staff-maintenance-reliability-engineer","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/vulcan-elements-staff-maintenance-reliability-engineer.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-11-04T08:00:24Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":12504,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-11-05T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":8041},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=8041"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fvulcan-elements-staff-maintenance-reliability-engineer"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fvulcan-elements-staff-maintenance-reliability-engineer"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fvulcan-elements-staff-maintenance-reliability-engineer"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/vulcan-elements-staff-maintenance-reliability-engineer\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fvulcan-elements-staff-maintenance-reliability-engineer"}],"agent":{"mcp":"https://alion.io/mcp/jobs","mcp_open":"https://alion.io/mcp/open","next":[{"tool":"get_job","arguments":{"id":3658421}},{"tool":"search_jobs","arguments":{"company":"vulcanelements.com","detail":"compact"}},{"tool":"match_people","arguments":{"job_id":3658421},"note":"people open to offers who fit this vacancy"}],"note":"The same data through MCP tools: https://alion.io/mcp/open needs no sign-in (compact searches, postings, people); https://alion.io/mcp with an Alion account has everything. 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