Materials Analysis Engineer - Microscopy and Characterization in Durham

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Job DescriptionJob Description

Vulcan Elements is manufacturing American rare-earth permanent magnets for a secure, resilient future. With a focus on 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 a Materials Analysis Engineer you will have a focus on characterization with a strong emphasis on metallography in a production, industrial, or commercial laboratory environment. The engineer will support materials development, quality control, and failure analysis while contributing to the laboratory's transition toward automated, data-driven microstructural characterization. This is a hands-on role requiring strong metallurgical judgment, mechanical aptitude, and ownership of laboratory equipment and infrastructure.

Responsibilities

• Perform SEM-based microstructural analysis, using various imaging modes, EDS, and EBSD.
• Prepare metallurgical specimens, including sectioning, mounting, grinding, polishing, etching.
• Capture high-quality optical, SEM, and EBSD datasets suitable for reporting and computational analysis.
• Interpret microstructural features such as grain structure, phases, precipitates, porosity, inclusions, deformation, and fracture morphology.
• Support production, quality, and failure analysis investigations using microscopy and metallurgical evidence.
• Correlate microstructural observations with processing history, bulk chemistry, and measured properties.
• Maintain, troubleshoot, and perform basic repairs on laboratory equipment and supporting infrastructure.
• Maintain clear documentation of analysis methods, EBSD workflows, maintenance actions, and results.
• Collaborate with materials process and data engineers to transition microscopy from manual interpretation toward scalable, automated analysis.

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

Qualifications

• B.S. or higher in Metallurgical Engineering, Materials Science, or a closely related field.
• Significant experience in a production, industrial, or commercial materials laboratory.
• Strong hands-on experience operating SEM systems, with practical EBSD acquisition and analysis experience.
• Demonstrated expertise in metallographic and EBSD-specific sample preparation.
• Mechanically minded, with proven ability to diagnose, maintain, and repair laboratory equipment.
• Familiarity with chemical analysis techniques such as XRF and ICP-OES, including how bulk chemistry data is generated and interpreted (hands-on operation not required).
• Experience working with engineering and manufacturing materials, not exclusively academic samples.
• Ability to work independently and take ownership of laboratory systems and workflows.

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

Qualifications

• Advanced EBSD analysis (texture analysis, misorientation, recrystallization metrics).
• Experience with image analysis, computer vision, or ML-based microscopy workflows (Python-based ).
• Experience supporting manufacturing QC, process control, or failure analysis.
• Exposure to XRD, hardness testing, or complementary characterization methods.
• Comfort operating in environments where uptime, repeatability, and throughput matter.

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