Manufacturing Instructor

About the company

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.

Your tasks

As the Manufacturing Instructor you deliver classroom, simulation, and hands-on equipment training for employees entering advanced magnet manufacturing roles. This position teaches approved curriculum, operates production and training equipment during demonstrations, and supervises learners as they practice required tasks at Johnston County Community College (JCC).

The instructor must become qualified on the assigned machines and processes before operating equipment or supervising hands-on activities. The position works closely with Vulcan Elements subject-matter experts from Operations, Quality, Engineering, Maintenance, EHS, and Warehouse/Logistics to ensure training remains accurate, safe, and consistent with approved procedures.

Instruction and Facilitation

• Deliver approved onboarding, safety, technical, and operator training using classroom instruction, videos, discussions, simulations, and practical exercises.
• Explain manufacturing and technical concepts in clear, practical language appropriate for hourly operators and technicians.
• Maintain an organized, engaging learning environment and adapt instruction to learner experience while preserving required outcomes.
• Prepare presentations, student guides, handouts, equipment, and materials before each session.
• Coordinate guest instructors and Vulcan Elements subject-matter experts to support training delivery.

Machine Demonstration and Hands-On Training

• Complete required machine qualifications and safely set up, operate, monitor, and shut down assigned equipment.
• Demonstrate approved operating procedures, including controls, operating limits, hazards, quality checks, documentation, and emergency response.
• Supervise hands-on practice, maintain control of the training area, and enforce PPE, procedural, stop-work, and escalation requirements.
• Stop training activities when unsafe conditions, equipment abnormalities, quality concerns, or procedural deviations occur.
• Conduct and document practical evaluations, ensuring learners complete required qualification and authorization before operating independently.

Teach or coordinate training in the following areas

• Magnet science, applications, grades, customer requirements, workplace expectations, and manufacturing fundamentals.
• Safety, quality, material control, documentation, traceability, compliance courses, and onboarding requirements.
• Technical terminology, measurements, drawings, specifications, and MES and ERP concepts.
• Receiving, sampling, material preparation, milling, blending, pressing, sintering, inspection, and metallography.
• Department roles, cross-functional handoffs, machine operation, quality checks, basic troubleshooting, and response to abnormal conditions.

Assessment and Administration

• Administer quizzes, simulations, practical exercises, and hands-on assessments, providing coaching and remediation as needed.
• Maintain accurate attendance, assessment, qualification, and completion records.
• Use current, approved materials and procedures, and resolve outstanding questions with appropriate subject-matter experts.
• Collect learner feedback, recommend curriculum improvements, and support scheduling, classroom preparation, pilot-site visits, and future cohorts.
• Protect confidential, proprietary, customer-sensitive, and export-controlled information.

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent, with at least five years of relevant industrial experience and two years training, coaching, onboarding, or leading employees.
• Experience operating industrial equipment and ability to qualify on assigned machines and processes.
• Knowledge of manufacturing safety, quality, documentation, and equipment-control practices, with the ability to interpret and follow technical documents and approved procedures.
• Strong communication, presentation, organization, and classroom-management skills; ability to demonstrate technical tasks, supervise practice, and maintain accurate training records.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and classroom technology, with the ability to travel between JCC, Vulcan Elements, and pilot sites and work a flexible schedule.

Preferred Qualifications

• Associate or bachelor’s degree in manufacturing, engineering technology, education, instructional design, workforce development, occupational safety, or a related field.
• Experience delivering manufacturing, safety, technical, or operator training.
• Experience in advanced manufacturing, metals, powder or chemical processing, or regulated production environments.
• Experience with scenario-based instruction, train-the-trainer programs, and practical skills assessments.
• Familiarity with MES, ERP, learning management systems, and manufacturing procedures and work instructions.

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

Other

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

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.

Role Authority This position may operate equipment and supervise hands-on training only after completing the required machine-specific qualification. The instructor may evaluate learner performance but may not authorize independent equipment operation unless designated to do so under the approved qualification process.

Eligible to share/position to various positions within Workforce Strategy and Development team based on needs and performance.