# Manager, Commercial Applications - Company: [Vulcanelements]() - Location: Research Triangle Park, NC - Team: Commercial Operations - Posted: April 26, 2026 ## Job description 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 Transparency.    The Manager, Commercial Applications will lead Vulcan Element’s customer engagement and qualification pipeline—from first contact through long-term partnership. This role is responsible for managing customer relationships, coordinating technical and commercial requirements across internal teams, and ensuring a seamless customer experience from quote to contract.  You will serve as the voice of the customer across the organization - translating market and customer needs into actionable input for operations, product development, and leadership. This is a highly cross-functional role requiring both commercial and technical fluency.     **Responsibilities**  * **Customer Pipeline Management:** Own the full commercial pipeline including quotes, sampling, qualification, and transition to production. * **Customer Engagement:** Serve as the primary point-of-contact for customers—building relationships, coordinating site visits, and ensuring timely communication throughout all stages of engagement. * **Voice of the Customer:** Translate customer requirements and feedback into clear technical and operational inputs for internal teams. * **Qualification Coordination:** Work closely with operations, R&D, and quality teams to ensure all customer testing and qualification milestones are met. * **Quoting and Commercial Support:** Lead the quotation process, ensuring pricing and terms align with company strategy and cost structure. * **Cross-Functional Collaboration:** Partner with operations to align production schedules, sample delivery, and customer timelines. * **CRM and Reporting:** Maintain accurate records of customer status, technical progress, and commercial forecasts in CRM and internal reporting systems. * **Market Awareness:** Support the Commercial team in gathering competitive intelligence and identifying emerging customer or market opportunities.   *Responsibilities and tasks outlined are not exhaustive and may change as determined by the needs of the business*    **Qualifications**  * Bachelor’s degree in engineering, materials science, business, or a related field. * 7+ years of experience in engineering, technical sales, business development, or customer program management - preferably in advanced manufacturing, materials, or automotive/aerospace sectors. * Proven ability to manage complex programs with technical deliverables (e.g., samples, testing, or qualification). * Strong communication and relationship management skills across technical and executive audiences. * Demonstrated experience working cross-functionally with operations, R&D, and quality teams. *Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export-controlled information or facilities.*  **Desired Skills**  * Experience in rare-earth materials, magnetics, or related advanced materials markets. * MBA preferred. * Familiarity with defense or aerospace procurement processes. * Technical aptitude in magnet design, materials processing, mechanical engineering, or component manufacturing. * Experience building and maintaining CRM pipelines and customer reporting systems.   **Why Join Vulcan Elements**  You’ll play a key role in rebuilding America’s rare-earth magnet supply chain - supporting national security, economic resilience, and industrial leadership. As part of a fast-growing team, you’ll have the opportunity to directly influence both customer success and company growth. ## Apply [Apply on Vulcanelements]() Canonical job page: