Full-Time
Research Engineer
Solcoa Industries
1-10 employees
Produces carbon-zero rare earth metals
Compensation Overview
$120k - $175k/yr
H1B Sponsorship Available
San Francisco, CA, USA + 1 more
More locations: Alameda, CA, USA
In Person
 Process Engineering |
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- Typically 3+ years of experience as a research engineer or research assistant, or PhD-level research experience, with demonstrated research achievements such as papers, patents, or prototypes.
- Depth in at least one listed focus area, with a strong foundation in thermodynamics, transport, reaction kinetics, and materials.
- Proven ability to build experimental setups, write and control test scripts, and produce decision-grade data.
- Hands-on experience with furnaces, vacuum or inert-gas systems, gloveboxes, and high-temperature instrumentation, with meticulous laboratory discipline.
- Data fluency using Python or MATLAB and spreadsheets, along with uncertainty analysis and clear technical writing.
- Run bench and pilot experiments to quantify kinetics, transport, and equilibria.
- Build and operate furnace systems, vacuum or inert atmospheres, retorts, and crucibles.
- Develop and validate process-flow-diagram-level experimental flows, compute mass and energy balances, and establish operating envelopes.
- Apply thermochemical modeling using CALPHAD, Thermo-Calc, FactSage, or HSC, and use phase diagrams to guide conditions and materials.
- Characterize feed and products with ICP-MS/OES, XRD, SEM/EDS, and LECO O/N/H, and close element balances.
- Author rigorous documentation, including standard operating procedures, test plans, hazard analyses, and data packages, and present results with statistical confidence.
- Collaborate with machinists and technicians to fabricate fixtures and specify sensors, heaters, seals, and vacuum hardware.
- Enforce safety for molten metals, reactive powders, hot work, compressed gases, and magnetized materials.
- Experience with rare-earth chemistry or metallurgy, including neodymium, dysprosium, or terbium, chloride or fluoride molten salts, and contamination control.
- Experience with high-temperature corrosion and materials compatibility, including selection of refractories and crucible or alloy systems.
- Basic computer-aided design using Fusion or SolidWorks for fixtures, simple finite element analysis or thermal modeling, and familiarity with HAZOP or MOC culture.
Solcoa Industries develops and produces carbon-zero rare earth metals in San Francisco, focusing on Neodymium (Nd), Dysprosium (Dy), Terbium (Tb), and Praseodymium (Pr). Its main activity is the direct production and sale of these critical metals to manufacturers, aiming to reduce Western dependence on foreign-processed rare earths. The company uses a proprietary carbon-zero production method to create these metals, addressing environmental concerns and creating an alternative to traditional processing methods. This sets Solcoa apart from competitors by offering a North American supply chain that emphasizes decarbonization and industrial independence rather than relying on overseas supply. Its stated goal is to decarbonize and stabilize the essential rare earths supply chain for Western industries, strengthening domestic manufacturing and strategic materials security.
Company Size
1-10
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
San Francisco, California
Founded
2023
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Solcoa posted July 2026 output claims and a 500-tonne Alameda target by mid-2027.
- Forbes valued Solcoa at $100 million in July 2026, signaling investor confidence.
- Gigascale Capital and 8090 Industries backed Solcoa, supporting hiring and pilot expansion.
What critics are saying
- MP Materials announced its Northlake 10X campus on February 26, 2026, scaling U.S. magnet supply fast.
- Solcoa remains stealthy on PitchBook, limiting transparency around unit economics, customers, and execution.
- A failed San Francisco scale-up or delayed Alameda ramp breaks its carbon-zero rare-earth thesis.
What makes Solcoa Industries unique
- Solcoa claims 10 tonnes yearly NdPr metal from Solcoa One as of July 2026.
- Forbes said July 2026 Solcoa built a California pilot plant in San Francisco.
- Solcoa targets Western rare-earth processing, not just mining, directly challenging China-controlled downstream capacity.
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Benefits
Health Insurance
Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance
Company-provided lunch daily
Visa sponsorship available if needed