Materials Engineer, Solar Cell Characterization

SpaceX
United States
Workplace: OnsiteFull timeFunction: Energy & Utilities OperationsExperience: 1+ yearsEducation: bachelorsSkills: ["First-principles problem solving","Root cause analysis","Data analysis","Written communication","Organizational skills"]

Own offline metrology and materials characterization for insourced Starlink solar cells, building the measurement capabilities and analysis methods needed to improve performance and yield. Develop and maintain electrical, optical, and materials techniques (e.g., I-V, EQE/IQE, PL/EL imaging, SEM-EDS) and lead root-cause investigations using first-principles thinking. Partner with process, production, and quality teams to create measurement-ready recipes, ensure data integrity, and drive corrective actions.

Loading

Loading job details...

Preparing the role view and application actions.

FursaFursa
SpaceX
SpaceX
6 days ago

Materials Engineer, Solar Cell Characterization

✓ Verified Job

Canonical indexed version, validated from employer's careers page.

Source: Company careers pageValidated by: Fursa AI
Last checked: 12 hours agoStatus: Live

Job Summary

Own offline metrology and materials characterization for insourced Starlink solar cells, building the measurement capabilities and analysis methods needed to improve performance and yield. Develop and maintain electrical, optical, and materials techniques (e.g., I-V, EQE/IQE, PL/EL imaging, SEM-EDS) and lead root-cause investigations using first-principles thinking. Partner with process, production, and quality teams to create measurement-ready recipes, ensure data integrity, and drive corrective actions.
Location: United States
Workplace: Onsite
Employment Type: Full time
Job Function: Energy & Utilities Operations
Seniority: Entry level

Key Responsibilities

  • •Own characterization and metrology strategy for insourced solar cells, from method development and tool qualification through production-ready measurement recipes.
  • •Build and maintain offline electrical, optical, and materials characterization techniques to quantify performance, reliability, and yield-limiting defects.
  • •Lead root cause analysis for performance and yield excursions by designing experiments, executing failure analysis, correlating process history, and driving corrective actions.
  • •Define measurement requirements, sampling plans, gauge R&R, calibration, and acceptance criteria in partnership with process, quality, and production engineering.
  • •Stand up and improve offline metrology processes and data integrity for trustworthy measurements that inform process decisions.
Travel: Medium travel

Key Requirements

  • •Bachelor's degree in materials science, materials engineering, chemical engineering, or a related technical discipline.
  • •1+ years of professional experience in materials characterization, failure analysis, semiconductor/PV metrology, or a related laboratory or manufacturing role (internship/co-op applicable).
  • •Master's degree or PhD in a related technical discipline.
  • •Hands-on experience characterizing photovoltaic devices, silicon wafers, thin films, or semiconductor devices.
  • •Proficiency with solar cell/wafer metrology such as I-V, Suns-Voc, EQE/IQE, and photoluminescence/electroluminescence.
Experience:1+ yearsSemiconductorPhotovoltaicsPV metrologyFailure analysis
Education:Bachelor's
Skills:First-principles problem solvingRoot cause analysisData analysisWritten communicationOrganizational skills
Tech Stack:Offline metrologyLIMSSPCPythonJMPMATLABI-VQuantum efficiencyEQE/IQEPL/EL imagingSuns-VocMinority-carrier lifetimeQSSPCEllipsometryFour-point probeSEM-EDSFIB cross-sectioningAFMXRDFTIR

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
Glassdoor
Glassdoor: 4.2
WebsiteLinkedIn