R69163 Engineer III - Materials & Process - Solar Modules

Application close date:
Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the requisition is closed.

At Blue Origin, we envision millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth. We’re working to develop reusable, safe, and low-cost space vehicles and systems within a culture of safety, collaboration, and inclusion. Join our team of problem solvers as we add new chapters to the history of spaceflight! This role is part of Advanced Concepts and Enterprise Engineering (ACE), supporting Blue Origin’s mission of millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth.

The team fosters innovation and drives engineering workflows of the future, shared solutions and standards, simplicity and lower costs, and manufacturable design.

Special Mentions Relocation provided Travel expected up to 15% of the time Interviews will include a technical assessment

• Design, develop, and qualify manufacturing processes for solar module fabrication, including solar cell stringing processes, adhesive encapsulation, vacuum lamination, and tabbing and bussing of photovoltaic cells
• Collaborate with R&D teams to transition novel materials and processes into production
• Develop and implement process controls and first-article qualification plans to ensure consistent, high-quality output from prototype builds through high-volume production rates
• Identify and solve materials and process challenges across the development-to-production continuum, from laboratory-scale demonstrations to a high-rate manufacturing line
• Support the integration of photovoltaic cells into solar power modules (SPMs), ensuring mechanical, electrical, and environmental compatibility for aerospace power systems
• Work closely with module design, systems engineering, and manufacturing teams on cell-to-module integration, including bonding, encapsulant, substrate adhesion, electrical interconnects, and environmental qualification testing
• Document experimental and process data thoroughly and support technology transfer activities to manufacturing, following aerospace quality and traceability requirements
• Contribute to a culture of technical innovation, process safety, and multidisciplinary collaboration within a high-performance engineering environment

• Bachelor's degree in Materials Science, Chemistry, Physics, or related engineering field
• Experience with semiconductor, optoelectronic, or photovoltaic devices
• Expertise with one or more of the following: adhesive characterization, bonding and lamination processes, encapsulation, solar cell stringing processes, coatings, or composites
• Interest or experience in emerging thin-film photovoltaic technologies as applied to flexible space power systems
• Knowledge of photovoltaic device physics and performance characterization

• PhD in Materials Science, Chemistry, or Physics with 7+ years of experience, or Master's degree with 9+ years and space photovoltaics experience
• Direct experience with solar cell and/or panel fabrication processes
• Experience scaling photovoltaic fabrication processes from R&D or prototype into a production environment, including takt-time reduction and process capability studies
• Familiarity with testing of space-grade solar cells/panels
• Familiarity with radiation effects on photovoltaic cells, cover glass, and encapsulant materials; experience with cryogenic or thermomechanical qualification of bonded assemblies is a plus
• Ability to source, design and test materials and properties for solar array improvement
• 5+ years of experience in a manufacturing, fabrication, or laboratory environment
• Familiarity with the space environment and its effect on materials

Base Pay Range…