Materials Engineer, Solar Cell Metallization

Overview

Tesla is currently seeking a motivated and accomplished Staff Materials Engineer to support our Solar product line. You will be responsible for developing, evaluating, testing and qualifying cell metallization pastes needed for solar cell manufacturing. Responsibilities include driving engineering tradeoffs, including reliability, cost, and manufacturability. Experience with typical metallization paste composition, metallization process, paste firing and metallization characterization is required.

• Evaluate and qualify solar cell metallization pastes including standard and low-Ag compositions
• Engage with and manage external partners and vendors for paste development, optimization, and manufacturing support
• Characterize metallization including microstructure, contact/line resistance, adhesion, thickness, electrical performance (current-voltage (IV) and electroluminescence (EL))
• Conduct Failure Analysis (FA) to understand and correct materials, process and design shortcomings. Support the design team in analyzing trade-offs via FMEA
• Understand application-relevant paste properties including rheology (printability), thermal (firing and sintering behavior), electrical (conductivity and contact quality), mechanical (adhesion) and optical (shading). Develop corresponding structure-property relationships
• Understand degradation pathways via reliability testing on coupons, mini-modules and modules under accelerated (chamber) conditions
• Determine and support process development and optimization for the prototyping and manufacturing processes (screen-printing)
• Write materials specifications, test procedures, SOPs

• Master s Degree in Materials Science & Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Physics, or equivalent experience
• 8+ years of industrial experience in paste-related applications
• Evidence of exceptional ability
• Proficient with statistical software, SQL data mining, scripting languages
• Exceptional organization, cross discipline collaboration and communication skills
• Excellent problem-solving skills
• Detailed-oriented, able to work both independently and in a collaborative project-focused environment, prompt and dependable, and excellent communication skills
• Resilient in the context of a fast-paced and fluid environment (scrappy)
• Comfortable in doing more with less
• Mission driven

Expected Compensation

$130,400 - $276,000/annual salary + cash and stock awards + benefits

Pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package for this position may also include other elements dependent on the position offered. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment.