Sr Materials Engineer, Wet Processing (Ingot/Wafer)

SpaceX
United States
Workplace: OnsiteFull timeFunction: Communications, PR & CommunityExperience: 5+ yearsEducation: bachelorsSkills: ["First-principles thinking","Technical rigor","Root-cause analysis","Data-driven problem solving","Communication"]

Own the technical strategy for wet-processing chemistry and materials that convert silicon ingots into production-ready wafers. Drive degumming, saw-damage etch, wafer cleaning, surface conditioning, and chemical recycle/reclaim—from path-finding through qualification and high-volume handoff. Lead cross-functional qualification and root-cause investigations for contamination and surface-quality issues, mentor partners, and ensure safety, data integrity, and manufacturability at rate for Starlink’s insourced solar cell manufacturing.

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FursaFursa
SpaceX
SpaceX
1 day ago

Sr Materials Engineer, Wet Processing (Ingot/Wafer)

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Last checked: 9 hours agoStatus: Live

Job Summary

Own the technical strategy for wet-processing chemistry and materials that convert silicon ingots into production-ready wafers. Drive degumming, saw-damage etch, wafer cleaning, surface conditioning, and chemical recycle/reclaim—from path-finding through qualification and high-volume handoff. Lead cross-functional qualification and root-cause investigations for contamination and surface-quality issues, mentor partners, and ensure safety, data integrity, and manufacturability at rate for Starlink’s insourced solar cell manufacturing.
Location: United States
Workplace: Onsite
Employment Type: Full time
Job Function: Communications, PR & Community
Seniority: Mid level

Key Responsibilities

  • •Own and drive wet-process materials and chemistry strategy across silicon ingot and wafer production, including degumming, saw-damage etch, cleaning, surface conditioning, and silicon recycle/reclaim.
  • •Lead cross-functional efforts to source, qualify, and dual-source critical wet chemicals and consumables to reduce risk and meet scale and cost targets.
  • •Define and own chemical requirements, bath recipes, concentration windows, lifetime limits, and acceptance criteria aligned to contamination budgets and manufacturability at rate.
  • •Architect and execute wet-process qualification programs (characterization, process trials, reliability assessment, production-readiness reviews) and drive handoff into manufacturing.
  • •Serve as primary escalation for wet-process, contamination, and surface-quality issues; lead root-cause investigations and implement durable corrective actions; mentor partner teams.
Travel: Medium travel

Key Requirements

  • •Bachelor’s degree in materials science, materials engineering, chemical engineering, or another STEM discipline.
  • •5+ years of professional experience in wet chemical processing, surface chemistry, semiconductor/PV wafer processing, process materials, or manufacturing materials support.
  • •Deep hands-on experience owning bath chemistry (concentration control, lifetime optimization, filtration, rinse/dryer performance, and particle control) in wet benches or inline wet tools.
  • •Strong expertise in contamination control (metallic, organic, particulate) and linking surface/chemical state to minority-carrier lifetime and downstream cell performance.
  • •Experience with materials characterization (e.g., ICP-MS/TXRF/VPD, FTIR, TOC, SEM-EDS, XPS, optical microscopy, surface roughness, particle inspection, four-point probe, QSSPC/PL lifetime).
Experience:5+ yearsSemiconductorPVManufacturingSemiconductor/PV wafer processing
Education:Bachelor's
Skills:First-principles thinkingTechnical rigorRoot-cause analysisData-driven problem solvingCommunication
Tech Stack:PythonJMPMATLABSPCICP-MSTXRFVPDFTIRTOCSEM-EDSXPSOptical microscopyQSSPCPLUPWZLDClosed-loop

Eligibility

Nationality:US National

Company Brief

SpaceX
Designs, manufactures, and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft for commercial and government customers, aiming to reduce space transportation costs and enable human life on Mars through reusable launch vehicles and integrated space systems.
Industry: Aerospace Manufacturing
Company Size: Enterprise (1,001+ employees)
Growth: Established Company
Valuation: Hectocorn (USD 100B+)
Funding: Series E+
Headquarters: Hawthorne, United States
Founded: 2002
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Glassdoor: 4.2
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