Design Engineer IV

About the role

MP Materials is seeking a hands-on Design Engineer to be an integral part of the team designing and building a new metal, alloy, and magnet-making facility. This is a rare opportunity to have a central role in the development of a greenfield advanced manufacturing facility, and helping to define the future of American manufacturing.

The ideal candidate is strongly mechanically inclined, and a natural tinkerer. This position will require a combination of both strong technical skills to design the machines needed for material movement and plant layout, and a hands-on nature to ensure that the successful sourcing, construction, and commissioning of the designs.

Responsibilities

• Member of the Physical Design Engineering team
• Works closely with broader process engineering, controls engineering, and manufacturing teams to create automated processes with an integrated process flow
• Supports and leads the design, manufacturing, installation, and commissioning activities to deliver projects from concept to fully operational in the plant
• Delivers finished designs, detailed drawings, and engineering specifications for supplier bidding, and leads vendor compliance efforts after purchase
• Ability to lead Design Engineering technician(s) to achieve required tasks
• Conducts and participates in technical design reviews, supplier evaluations and internal and external compliance audits to relevant industrial standards (ASTM, ISO etc)
• Perform CAD, FEA, and durability simulations as required of concept designs to provide recommendations for physical prototype candidates, execute testing, and ensure successful commissioning and ongoing operation
• Research and implement automation systems, detailed design, component sourcing, manufacture, and deployment of manufacturing equipment
• Works closely with EHS to ensure that all work is done to ensure world class health and safety, and full compliance with relevant environmental regulations
• Documents all work for seamless handoff to end users, prepares technical reports, and follows all corporate change management procedures
• Lead and support continuous improvement activities to produce ongoing, meaningful improvements to worker safety, process uptime, and product quality
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

• BS or MS in mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, or related field
• At least 5 years process design and automation experience within a manufacturing environment
• Knowledge in automation of industrial processes and materials handling
• Experience in machine design and testing
• Knowledge of statistical process control, and experience in designing control systems
• Broad knowledge and experience across multiple CAD tools
• Excellent spatial visualization and reasoning skills, with a history of conceiving of successful creative designs for bespoke problems
• Project Management and hands-on approach to projects
• Sound knowledge of Process Safety
• Good understanding of human factors in manufacturing
• Entrepreneurial mindset, with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple concurrent projects
• Ability to develop and maintain awareness of occupational hazards and safety precautions