Modeling and Simulation Manager

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 the Modeling and Simulation Manager you will grow and lead a multidisciplinary team of computational scientists and engineers, driving physics-based and data-based modeling efforts that directly improve magnet performance, production yields, and process efficiency. 

This is a hands-on technical leadership role. You will both contribute directly to modeling work and grow a team with deep expertise across a variety of modeling and simulation modalities, including but not limited to mechanical, fluid dynamics, electronic structure, and mathematical and image analysis. Your group’s output will shape process decisions, reduce experimental iteration cycles, and create quantitative links between structure, processing conditions, and final properties.  

This role will initially support pilot-scale and R&D activities (RTP, NC), with the potential to contribute to commercial plant operations (Benson, NC) in the next year.  

The ideal candidate has hands-on experience with one or more of COMSOL, Fluent, finite element analysis, thermodynamic modeling (FactSage, ThermoCalc), mathematical and image analyses, and density functional theorgy, as well as experience as a people leader.  

Responsibilities 

Build and manage a matrixed modeling and simulations team with broad expertise spanning Finite element analysis, Computational fluid dynamics, Stress/Strain analysis, thermodynamic modeling, mathematical/image analysis, and DFT; define hiring roadmap, team structure, and capability milestones. 

• Translate R&D priorities into a modeling agenda with clear deliverables, timelines, and success criteria in partnership with process engineering, materials science, and production teams. 

• Foster a culture of scientific rigor, reproducibility, and rapid iteration; establish standards for model validation, documentation, and peer review. 

• Present results and recommendations to technical and executive stakeholders; communicate uncertainty and model limitations clearly. 

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

Qualifications 

•  Ph.D. or M.S. in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Applied Physics, or a related quantitative field.