Solar Cell Development Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

First Solar reserves the right to offer you a role most applicable to your experience and skillset.
Basic Job Functions:
• Design, execute, and analyze experiments to evaluate perovskite solar cell performance.
• Perform advanced statistical data analysis and root cause segmentation.
• Develop new perovskite device characterization techniques.
• Develop and apply physical, empirical, or statistical models to understand device behavior and measurement technique outputs.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with other teams including process development, metrology, and reliability to integrate findings into scalable solutions.
• Maintain detailed documentation of experimental procedures, results, and analysis.
• Present findings to internal stakeholders and contribute to technical publications and patent filings.
• Support scale-up efforts and technology transfer to pilot and manufacturing teams as needed.
Education/Experience:
• Associate's Degree in an engineering discipline or similar technical discipline and 15 years of relevant technical experience or 2 years of experience as a Development Engineer I at First Solar.
• Bachelor's Degree in an engineering discipline or similar technical discipline and 5 years of relevant technical experience or 2 years of experience as a Development Engineer I at First Solar.
• Master's Degree in an engineering discipline or similar technical discipline and 3 years of relevant technical experience or 2 years of experience as a Development Engineer I at First Solar.
• Ph.D. in an engineering discipline or similar technical discipline, without prior technical work experience.
• Experience with perovskite devices, preferred.
• Proficiency in scientific programming tools (e.g., Python, MATLAB), preferred.
• Familiarity with degradation studies and reliability testing, preferred.
• Experience in industrial or applied research settings, preferred.
Required Skills/Competencies:
• Excellent understanding of semiconductor physics, optoelectronics, and photovoltaic device operation.
• Skills and hands-on experience in execution of experiments in laboratory or manufacturing environment.
• Hands-on experience with variety of electro-optical device characterization techniques (e.g., JV, EQE, PL, TRPL, transmission-reflection, impedance spectroscopy).
• Strong understanding of materials analysis techniques (e.g. SIMS, SEM, EDS, GDOES).
• Strong statistical data analysis skills.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to work independently and in teams.
• Strong sense of project ownership with hands-on and can-do attitude.
• Strong communication skills across organizations.
Essential Responsibilities:
• Perform perovskite device characterization, analysis, and root cause segmentation to quantify device performance and understand the reasons for underperformance.
• Identify opportunities for improvement in solar cell performance and reliability as well as in methods and tools for the performance and reliability characterization while using scientific, analytical and empirical methods.
• Improve state of the art techniques for perovskite solar cell characterization, statistical analysis of data, or execution of experiments.
• Develop work plans for problems that may have unclear solution paths.
• May be responsible for determining and evaluating materials specification for improved performance. May be responsible for determining and evaluating tool/equipment specifications.
• Effectively communicate with internal and external partners and customers.
• Effectively collaborate as a team member that can support cross-functional projects and take ownership of sub-deliverables.
• May train, mentor, and manage junior and peer associates on specific subject matters.
• Comply with Company's Environmental, Quality, Safety or any other policies. Contribute to continuous improvement of said policies.
• Other duties as assigned.
• Job description subject to change at any time.
Reporting Relationships:
• Reports to Perovskite Physics Manager.
• May have direct reports.
Travel:
• Minimal travel required (<10%)
Estimated Salary Range:
• $80,700 - $115,000 Annually
US Physical Requirements:
Hybrid Physical Requirements:
• Will sit, stand, or walk short distances for up to the entire duration of a shift.
• Will climb stairs on an occasional basis.
• Will lift, push, or pull up to 37 pounds on an occasional basis.
• Required to use hands to grasp, lift, handle, carry or feel objects on a frequent basis.
• 20/40 vision in each eye, with or without correction, is required.
• Must be able to comply with all safety standards and procedures.
• May reach above shoulder heights and below the waist on a frequent basis.
• May stoop, kneel, or bend, on an occasional basis.
• Ability to wear personal protective equipment is required (including but not limited to; steel toed shoes, gloves, safety glasses, hearing protection, protective jacket or apron and arm guards).
• All associates working on the production floor may be required to wear a respirator at any given time and thus, the ability to wear a respirator is a condition of employment and continued employment (requires little or no facial hair).
Potential candidates will meet the education and experience requirements provided on the above job description and excel in completing the listed responsibilities for this role. All candidates receiving an offer of employment must successfully complete a background check and any other tests that may be required.
Equal Opportunity Employer Statement: First Solar is an Equal Opportunity Employer that values and respects the importance of a diverse and inclusive workforce. It is the policy of the company to recruit, hire, train and promote persons in all job titles without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity. We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a driving force in the success of our company.