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Phd Solar Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Enphase Energy

Senior Staff Thermal Engineer

Austin, TX · On-site

$103K - $142K/yr

Founded in 2006, our innovative microinverter technology revolutionized solar power, making it a ... Who You Are and What You Bring * BS, MS, or PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering ...

Enphase Energy

Staff Firmware Engineer

Austin, TX

$110K - $151K/yr

Founded in 2006, our innovative microinverter technology revolutionized solar power, making it a ... Mentor junior staff Who You Are and What You Bring * BS/MS/PhD Computer Science, Computer ...

Enphase Energy

Staff Power Test Engineer

Austin, TX · On-site

$100K - $151K/yr

Founded in 2006, our innovative microinverter technology revolutionized solar power, making it a ... Who you are and What you bring * BS/MS/PhD Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or ...

Enphase Energy

Staff Firmware Engineer

Austin, TX · On-site

$110K - $151K/yr

Founded in 2006, our innovative microinverter technology revolutionized solar power, making it a ... Mentor junior staff Who You Are and What You Bring * BS/MS/PhD Computer Science, Computer ...

Active Surfaces

Manufacturing Engineer

Woburn, MA · On-site

$77K - $100K/yr

S. or PhD education levels, especially in the case of Perovskite or OPV roll-to-roll processes ... Operate roll-to-roll coating machines to deposit flexible solar panels according to recipes and ...

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Phd Solar Engineer information

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$94.5K

$130.5K

How much do phd solar engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 24, 2026, the average yearly pay for phd solar engineer in the United States is $128,141.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $129,000.00 and $129,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Phd Solar Engineer vs Solar Project Engineer?

AspectPhd Solar EngineerSolar Project Engineer
Required CredentialsPhD in Renewable Energy, Solar Engineering, or related fieldBachelor's or Master's in Engineering, Renewable Energy, or related field
Work EnvironmentResearch labs, academic institutions, R&D departmentsConstruction sites, project management offices, fieldwork
Employer & Industry UsageUniversities, research institutes, advanced R&D divisions of solar companiesSolar installation companies, project development firms, EPC contractors

The main difference between a Phd Solar Engineer and a Solar Project Engineer lies in their focus and work environment. A Phd Solar Engineer typically engages in research, development, and advanced analysis within academic or R&D settings, requiring a doctoral degree. In contrast, a Solar Project Engineer is more involved in the planning, execution, and management of solar installation projects, often working in the field or on-site. Both roles are essential in the solar industry but serve different stages of solar technology development and deployment.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a PhD Solar Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a PhD Solar Engineer, you need advanced knowledge in photovoltaic systems, materials science, and energy engineering, typically supported by a doctoral degree in a relevant field. Familiarity with simulation software (like MATLAB or PVsyst), laboratory instrumentation, and data analysis tools is essential, along with published research or patents. Strong problem-solving, project management, and collaboration skills help you excel in both research and interdisciplinary team environments. These competencies enable innovation, effective project execution, and advancement in solar technology and renewable energy solutions.

What are some unique challenges faced by PhD Solar Engineers in research and development teams?

PhD Solar Engineers often encounter challenges such as integrating cutting-edge research into practical, scalable solar technologies and balancing time between experimental work and data analysis. Collaboration across multidisciplinary teams, including material scientists and electrical engineers, is essential to address technical hurdles and optimize system performance. Additionally, these engineers must stay updated on evolving industry standards and funding opportunities while effectively communicating complex findings to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

What does a PhD Solar Engineer do?

A PhD Solar Engineer is a specialized professional who conducts advanced research and development in solar energy technologies. They work on designing, testing, and improving solar panels, photovoltaic systems, and other renewable energy solutions. Their work often involves publishing scientific papers, leading research teams, and collaborating with industry partners to innovate and implement sustainable solar solutions. With a doctoral degree, they typically focus on solving complex technical challenges and advancing the field of solar engineering.
More about Phd Solar Engineer jobs
What cities are hiring for Phd Solar Engineer jobs? Cities with the most Phd Solar Engineer job openings:
What states have the most Phd Solar Engineer jobs? States with the most job openings for Phd Solar Engineer jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Phd Solar Engineer jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Phd Solar Engineer jobs are:
Phd Solar Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Phd Solar Engineer job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 96% Full Time, 1% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $128,141 per year, or $61.6 per hour.
Senior Staff Thermal Engineer

Senior Staff Thermal Engineer

Enphase Energy

Austin, TX • On-site

$103K - $142K/yr

Full-time

Posted 28 days ago

Enphase Energy rating

6.6

Company rating: 6.6 out of 10

Based on 15 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

119th of 144 rated electronics manufacturers

Job description

Description
Enphase Energy is a global energy technology company and a leading provider of solar, battery, and electric vehicle charging products. Founded in 2006, our innovative microinverter technology revolutionized solar power, making it a safer, more reliable, and scalable energy source. Today, the Enphase Energy System enables users to make, use, save, and sell their own power. Enphase is also one of the most successful and innovative clean energy companies in the world, with more than 80 million products shipped across 160 countries.
Join our dynamic teams designing and developing next-gen energy technologies and help drive a sustainable future!
About the Role
The Enphase Energy SST Product Innovation Team sits in the Office of the CTO and is responsible for defining, prototyping, and scaling the next generation of Enphase storage and power systems. We are a fast-moving, multi-disciplinary group on a mission to push the boundaries of energy density, reliability, and system efficiency.
You will be part of thermal solution team for cutting-edge medium-voltage power conversion systems, working side-by-side with power electronics, mechanical, and manufacturing engineers to bring world-class products to life. Your work will directly impact the reliability and performance of systems deployed at scale across the globe.
What You Will Do
  • Apply rigorous first-principles thermal analysis: Approach every thermal problem with strong theoretical grounding - deriving analytical models from fundamental heat transfer (conduction, convection, radiation) before committing to simulation or hardware. Use theory to set expectations, bound the solution space, and critically evaluate simulation outputs.
  • Decompose complex thermal problems into incremental steps: Break down system-level thermal challenges into discrete, testable sub-problems. Define a clear experiment or analysis for each sub-problem, resolve it completely, and build toward the full solution with confidence at each stage. Document the learning at every step so the team accumulates durable thermal knowledge.
  • Design and harvest test results from thermal test vehicles (TTVs): Conceive and construct thermal test vehicles - purpose-built mock-up devices that simulate the thermal behavior of a system without testing the real device. Use TTVs to isolate specific thermal mechanisms (contact resistance, airflow uniformity, cold plate effectiveness, transient response) independent of full product complexity.
  • Own end-to-end thermal solution: Lead thermal design from concept through validation for high-power-density power electronics and energy storage enclosures, ensuring junction temperatures, surface temperatures, and coolant conditions meet reliability targets across all operating and ambient environments.
  • Design and optimize air-cooled systems: Develop forced-air and natural-convection cooling solutions, including heat sink geometry, fan selection, ducting, airflow channeling, and system-level pressure-drop budgets. Apply CFD tools (Ansys ICEPAK, FloTHERM, SolidWorks Flow Simulation, or Fluent) to model and optimize airflow and thermal resistance.
  • Drive thermal analysis and simulation: Build detailed thermal resistance networks and CFD models to predict steady-state and transient temperature profiles. Correlate simulation results with hardware measurements and iterate models to maintain < 5°C prediction accuracy.
  • Lead thermal testing and validation: Design and execute thermal characterization test plans using structured thermal test vehicles and incremental experimentation. Build bench setups with thermocouples, RTDs, IR cameras, and data acquisition systems. Analyze results against theoretical predictions, identify failure modes, and drive design improvements with data.
  • Define thermal design rules and margins: Establish component-level and system-level thermal budgets, derating curves, and design guidelines. Drive thermal margin reviews as part of the product development process.

Who You Are and What You Bring
  • BS, MS, or PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or closely related field
  • Job title and level determined by candidate experience:
  • Staff Engineer: BS + 8 yrs MS + 6 yrs PhD + 3 yrs: Sr. Staff Engineer: BS + 12 yrs MS + 8 yrs PhD + 5 yrs
  • Candidates with greater experience are strongly encouraged to apply
  • Strong theoretical thermal analysis - required: Demonstrated mastery of fundamental heat transfer: conduction (Fourier's law, spreading resistance, fin analysis), forced and natural convection (Nusselt/Reynolds correlations, boundary layer theory), radiation, and coupled transient analysis. Must be able to derive closed-form estimates before running any simulation and explain discrepancies between theory and measurement from first principles.
  • Thermal test vehicle design and execution - required: Proven experience designing thermal test vehicles (TTVs) - mock-up devices that simulate the thermal behavior of a system without testing the real device. Ability to define heater placement, sensor layout, boundary conditions, and test matrix to generate clean, interpretable data. Experience correlating TV test results to analytical models and CFD.
  • Structured problem decomposition - required: Ability to decompose a complex, multi-variable thermal problem into a logical sequence of incremental sub-problems, each with a defined hypothesis, experiment, and pass/fail criterion. Skilled at knowing which sub-problem to solve first and how to build toward a system-level solution efficiently.
  • Deep expertise in air-cooled thermal design: Proven track record designing forced-air and natural-convection cooling systems for power electronics, including heat sink selection/optimization, fan-curve matching, system impedance curves, and CFD correlation.
  • Proficiency with thermal simulation tools: SolidWorks Flow Simulation, Ansys Fluent, or equivalent. Ability to set up, run, and critically interpret CFD and thermal network results.
  • Thermal testing and instrumentation: Experience designing thermal test plans, instrumenting hardware with thermocouples and resistance temperature detectors (RTDs), operating IR cameras, and processing thermal data.
  • Product design for reliability: Experience designing thermal systems for long-term reliability under thermal cycling, humidity, altitude, and outdoor operating environments.
  • Strong CAD proficiency: SolidWorks preferred; used for enclosure geometry, cooling geometry, and integration with the mechanical team.
  • Excellent communication skills: Ability to clearly present thermal analyses, test results, and design trade-offs to multi-disciplinary teams and leadership.
  • Solution-oriented thinking: Focus on identifying and implementing practical solutions rather than just identifying problems. Ability to quickly assess complex thermal challenges, generate multiple solution paths, and select the most effective approach based on constraints, timeline, and impact.

Additional Desired Skills
  • Familiarity with IEC, UL, and IEEE standards for electrical equipment thermal ratings and energy storage systems
  • Background in outdoor/field-deployed product thermal design (wide ambient range, solar load, weathering)
  • Familiarity with power electronics loss modeling to generate accurate thermal source inputs

Work Location
Austin, TX - Full-time, On-site
The base pay range for this position is $110,000 to $167,000 per year. This salary range may be modified in the future. The successful candidate's starting pay will be determined based on job-related skills, experience, education or training, work location, and market conditions. This position is also eligible for bonus, equity, and benefits.
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