Manager, Prototyping

Company Overview

MP Materials (NYSE: MP) is rebuilding American industrial capability for a new era of autonomy, robotics, and electrification. We are the only U.S. company with a fully integrated rare‑earth supply chain—from mining and refining to advanced metal and magnet manufacturing. Our products include both the critical materials used to make permanent magnets and the finished magnets themselves—enabling next‑generation technologies in robotics, automation, aerospace, transportation, defense and energy systems.

These materials are the foundation of physical AI—the convergence of computation, movement and control. We hire ambitious, mission‑driven people who want to tackle complex challenges and shape the future of strategic industries. Our culture is rooted in teamwork, resiliency and integrity, with a deep commitment to operational excellence and national purpose. MP is rapidly evolving from a materials producer into a leading U.S. manufacturer—and our people are driving that transformation.

We are seeking an experienced Manager to lead the prototype manufacturing operations of the Magnet Technology group. The Manager will oversee multiple supervisors and their technician teams, ensuring safe, efficient, and high‑quality execution of pilot‑scale magnet manufacturing. This role provides direction, resource planning and performance management across the end‑to‑end magnet‑making process. The Manager is a key leader in scaling operations, driving continuous improvement and ensuring alignment with business objectives.

This is a rare opportunity to play a pivotal role in returning an essential manufacturing capability to the USA.

• Oversee scheduling, labor allocation and equipment utilization across multiple work areas to meet pilot production schedules and experimental trial outcomes.
• Provide leadership and direction to supervisors and their technician teams, ensuring that production goals, safety standards and quality metrics are achieved.
• Monitor performance indicators (yield, throughput, labor efficiency) and implement corrective actions where required.
• Manage and train employees, including hiring, scheduling and performance evaluations.
• Oversee development and maintenance of production procedures and instructions and ensure they are followed by all employees.
• Oversee maintenance and troubleshooting of pilot manufacturing equipment to maximize uptime.
• Partner with engineering, maintenance and quality teams to identify improvement opportunities, investigate process deviations and implement robust corrective actions.
• Lead efforts to maintain a clean, organized, and safe workplace.
• Lead reporting, documentation and communication of production performance, resource needs and operational priorities to senior management.
• Work closely with EHS to ensure that all work is done to world‑class health and safety standards and full compliance with relevant environmental regulations.
• Other duties as assigned.

• B.S. in Materials Science & Engineering, Metallurgy, Mechanical Engineering, or related field.
• Understanding of materials science (metals and ceramics) and manufacturing processes.
• 10+ years of operations experience in manufacturing.
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams in meeting production and safety goals.
• Strong leadership skills, with proven ability to collaborate across departments.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Hands‑on approach to identifying and solving problems.
• Commitment to safety practices, regulatory compliance and operational discipline.
• Ability to work in a fast‑paced environment, managing multiple priorities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• 10+ years of experience in the field of metal or ceramic manufacturing, including casting, powder processing, heat treatments, machining and/or surface finishing.
• 3+ years of experience in managing and developing supervisors, technicians and operators.
• Experience with managing operations of handling air‑sensitive materials.
• Experience in scheduling, prioritizing and delegating tasks to meet project milestones and production deadlines.
• Familiarity…