Prototype Development Engineer

Who We Are

We are on a mission to become a leading supplier of critical materials that enable the green energy and technology revolution. Our materials and technologies are required for the electric vehicle, green energy, consumer electronics, and defense industries, and our battery grade lithium and tech metals are needed for chipsets, semiconductors, and 5G.

We have a substantial interest in the Round Top, Heavy Rare Earth, Lithium and Critical Minerals deposit in West Texas. We have also developed the United States’ first rare earth and critical minerals processing facility and we own the only scalable, sintered neo-magnet manufacturing system in the Western Hemisphere. By developing this fully integrated, US-based “mine-to-magnet” critical mineral supply chain, we are poised to become the leading domestic supplier to these industries.

What You Can Expect

At USA Rare Earth, we are pioneers and problem solvers, technologists and team players. Together, we:

Build Solutions

: If our task was a simple one, it would already be done. We are creative and solution-oriented, and we think outside the box to solve important problems. We know that a range of expertise and technologies is needed for success, and we work across sectors and alongside customers to deliver world-class solutions in sustainable ways.

Deliver Quality

: When we do things, we do them well. We believe that top-tier quality leads to industry competitiveness and we hold ourselves to the highest quality standards. We move fast when executing, but safety, quality, and excellence always come first.

Lead responsibly

: We have a responsibility to the planet, our consumers, our country, and each other. We put safety at the center of all we do, take accountability for our actions, incorporate sustainable practices in our processes and act with the financial best interest of our investors and consumers in mind.

Win Together

: Establishing a rare earth magnet supply chain is a big undertaking – and getting there is a team effort. We communicate openly, work together and challenge each other in pursuit of our goals. With every step we take we learn and get better.

Job Summary

We are seeking an

R&D Process Development Engineer (Prototype)

to lead the development, optimization, and scale-up of prototype manufacturing processes within our fast-growing magnet manufacturing start-up. This role will oversee the creation and testing of new materials, process parameters, and equipment setups, ensuring process stability, repeatability, and alignment with product performance goals. You’ll play a key role in translating experimental results into robust, scalable processes while supporting rapid innovation and efficient downstream production in a dynamic, high-growth R&D environment.

Key Responsibilities

- Develop and optimize continuous production and manufacturing processes to meet output, quality, and cost goals.

- Collect and analyze production data using standard scientific and statistical methods; document and diagram processes.

- Identify process bottlenecks and implement solutions to improve efficiency.

- Recommend changes or upgrades to equipment, work methods, or other process aspects to optimize labor, energy, and raw material use.

- Consult on major internal production initiatives.

- Collaborate with management and other departments to ensure process improvements align with organizational goals.

Qualifications

- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related field (advanced degree preferred).

- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including data analysis and SPC.

- Experience developing and optimizing production or manufacturing processes.

- Ability to identify process bottlenecks and implement efficiency improvements.

- Knowledge of equipment, work methods, and process improvement strategies.

- Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams in a fast-paced start-up environment.

- Experience documenting and analyzing processes using standard scientific and statistical methods.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and distance vision. While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to walk, stand, move, sit, carry, bend, kneel, reach, push, pull, lift, use hands and fingers, handle, or feel and talk and hear. May be required to lift and move boxes or packages not exceeding 20 pounds in weight. Some work stress inherent to the position and extended work hours may be required.

Work Environment

The work environment will be a mix of a typical office environment, laboratory space, manufacturing floor and construction site.

Noise Level

Exposure will vary and include normal office noise, typical laboratory sounds (e.g., ventilation systems, equipment operation), manufacturing floor noise (e.g., machinery, forklifts), and construction site noise depending on project phase and location.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, skills required of personnel so classified. The reporting relationship may not reflect the most recent changes to the corporate reporting structure.

USA Rare Earth proudly supports Equal Employment Opportunities USA Rare Earth's policy is to provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and will provide reasonable accommodations according to applicable federal, state, and/or local laws. For assistance applying for employment through this site due to disability, please contact Human Resources, hr@usare.com , to discuss reasonable accommodations.