Packaging Engineer

Vulcan Elements is manufacturing American rare-earth permanent magnets to enable a secure and resilient future. With a focus on national security and economic resilience, we serve critical industries including 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 a Logistics Packaging Engineer, you will design and optimize packaging systems that enable the safe, efficient, and compliant movement of raw materials and finished goods across our supply chain. You will play a critical role in ensuring product integrity, regulatory compliance, and operational efficiency as we scale domestic magnet production

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and validate packaging solutions for raw materials, work- and finished magnet products, ensuring protection, durability, and cost efficiency.
• Optimize packaging for transportation modes (ground, air, sea) with consideration for weight, cube utilization, and handling requirements.
• Ensure compliance with applicable regulations, including hazardous materials packaging, export requirements, and industry standards where applicable.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Manufacturing, and Logistics teams to integrate packaging solutions into production and distribution workflows.
• Develop standardized packaging specifications, work instructions, and testing protocols.
• Conduct packaging validation testing (e.g., drop, vibration, compression) to ensure product integrity during transit.
• Identify and implement sustainable packaging solutions, including material reduction, recyclability, and reuse strategies.
• Partner with suppliers and logistics providers to source and qualify packaging materials and components.
• Analyze packaging performance and logistics data to drive continuous improvement in cost, damage reduction, and operational efficiency.
• Support warehouse layout and material handling design to ensure compatibility with packaging systems.
• Establish KPIs related to packaging performance, damage rates, and cost optimization.

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

• 3–7+ years of experience in packaging engineering, logistics engineering, or supply chain operations, preferably in manufacturing environments such as advanced materials, automotive, aerospace, or high-volume production.
• Experience designing and testing packaging for industrial or sensitive products.
• Knowledge of packaging materials, standards, and testing methods (e.g., ISTA, ASTM).
• Familiarity with hazardous materials packaging and shipping requirements is a plus.
• Experience with CAD tools and packaging design software preferred.
• Strong understanding of transportation, warehousing, and material handling systems.
• Analytical mindset with experience using data to drive process improvements.