Research Engineer, Metallurgy

The role

You will own first-principles R&D to unlock rare-earth metal production at scale. You will design and execute high-temperature experiments, build and operate custom rigs, and translate lab breakthroughs into reproducible unit operations.

What you will do

• Run bench/pilot experiments to quantify kinetics, transport, and equilibria
• Build/operate furnace systems, vacuum/inert atmospheres, retorts/crucibles
• Develop and validate PFD-level experimental flows
• Compute mass/energy balances and establish operating envelopes
• Apply thermochemical modeling and phase diagrams to guide conditions and materials
• Characterize feed and products using ICP-MS/OES, XRD, SEM/EDS, and LECO O/N/H
• Author rigorous documentation including SOPs, test plans, and hazard analyses
• Collaborate with machinists/technicians to fabricate fixtures
• Enforce safety for molten metals, reactive powders, hot work, compressed gases, and magnetized materials

Required qualifications

• Typically 3+ years (flexible) as a research engineer/assistant or PhD-level researcher with demonstrated research achievements (papers, patents, prototypes)
• Depth in at least one focus area above; strong foundation in thermodynamics, transport, reaction kinetics, and materials
• Proven ability to build experimental setups, write/control test scripts, and produce decision-grade data
• Hands-on with furnaces, vacuum/inert gas systems, gloveboxes, and high-T instrumentation
• Meticulous lab discipline
• Data fluency (Python/MATLAB, spreadsheets)
• Uncertainty analysis
• Clear, technical writing

Nice to have

• Experience with rare-earth chemistry/metallurgy (Nd, Dy, Tb), chloride/fluoride molten salts, and contamination control
• Corrosion/materials compatibility at high temperature; selection of refractories and crucible/alloy systems
• Basic CAD (Fusion/SolidWorks) for fixtures
• Simple FEA/thermal modeling
• Familiarity with HAZOP/MOC culture

Benefits

• Competitive base salary
• Comprehensive medical, dental and vision insurance
• Company-provided lunch daily

Before you apply

• Visa sponsorship available if needed

About the company

Solcoa is building the next generation of American metalmaking, starting with rare earths. They have developed a new chemistry that converts rare earth oxides into high-purity metals.