Staff Production Control Engineering Analyst

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 Staff Production Control Engineering Analyst is a greenfield build role with the opportunity to define how material is controlled and moves across the plant - from receiving and inventory through line-side replenishment, WIP, inter-area transfers, finished goods, and shipping. The successful candidate will combine industrial engineering, production control, and manufacturing systems capability to establish the operating backbone for Production Control, connect it effectively with Supply Chain and Production, and continuously improve flow as the factory ramps. 

Responsibilities  

Greenfield Production Control System Design 

• Design and stand up the core Production Control workflows for receiving, warehousing, inventory control, line-side replenishment, WIP, inter-area material movement, finished-goods staging, and shipping. 
• Define the physical material-flow model for the plant, including warehouse and staging layouts, point-of-use locations, supermarkets and buffers, replenishment routes, material-handling methods, and space/capacity requirements. 
• Establish the production-control data structure and transaction logic across ERP, MES, WMS, and related systems, including location hierarchy, material status, lot/traceability requirements, labeling, inventory movements, and shop-floor transactions. 
• Develop the standard work, visual controls, escalation paths, operating routines, and performance measures required for Production Control teams to execute consistently across shifts and manufacturing areas. 

Startup, Production Enablement and Cross-Functional Execution 

• Translate production schedules and Supply Chain plans into executable material-readiness requirements: what material is needed, where it must be, when it must arrive, and how it will be staged and replenished to production. 
• Partner with Supply Chain, Production, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, Automation, and other plant functions to establish end-to-end material and information flows that support safe, efficient, and traceable production. 
• Support commissioning and production startup by validating area-by-area material routes, storage and staging capacity, system transactions, labels, scanning, inventory controls, and operator/Production Control handoffs before turnover. 
• Identify and resolve shortages, flow constraints, excess WIP, congestion, inventory inaccuracies, and other conditions that can limit production; provide the Sr. Manager with clear analysis and recommended actions. 

Analytics, Capacity and Continuous Improvement 

• Build the analytical models and operating visibility for WIP, inventory, material availability, dwell time, storage capacity, labor and material-handling requirements, production attainment, and internal-logistics performance. 
• Develop capacity and scenario models to support production ramp, product-mix changes, new lines, layout changes, staffing decisions, and future expansion of Production Control capabilities. 
• Use production and logistics data to identify constraints and recurring losses, then lead focused improvements that reduce travel, waiting, handling, excess inventory, and material-flow variability. 
• Continuously strengthen the Production Control operating system as the plant matures, converting startup learning into scalable workflows, data standards, layouts, and management practices for future lines and facilities. 

Responsibilities and tasks outlined are not exhaustive and may change as determined by the needs of the business. 

Qualifications  

• Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Supply Chain, Operations Research, or a closely related technical discipline. 
• 5+ of experience in production control, industrial engineering, manufacturing logistics, supply chain execution, or a similar factory-facing engineering/analytical role. 
• Demonstrated experience designing or improving material-flow systems, production-control workflows, inventory/WIP controls, warehouse or line-side layouts, or manufacturing-system transactions in a complex production environment. 
• Strong analytical and systems capability, including advanced Excel and experience with ERP, MES, WMS, BI, SQL, or comparable manufacturing-data tools. 
• Ability to work effectively from shop-floor detail through leadership-level analysis, with strong cross-functional communication, structured problem solving, and practical execution discipline. 

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

Preferred Qualifications  

• Experience helping establish or scale production control, plant logistics, or materials-management systems in a greenfield manufacturing startup, commissioning program, or major expansion. 
• Experience in advanced materials, metals, automotive, aerospace, battery, semiconductor, precision machining, chemical/process manufacturing, or another complex manufacturing environment. 
• Working knowledge of Lean material flow, pull/replenishment systems, capacity modeling, inventory control, traceability, and structured continuous improvement. 

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.