Development Engineer ; Reliability Physics

Job Description

First Solar reserves the right to offer you a role most applicable to your experience and skillset.

• Perform material and device research to enhance thin film solar cell performance and stability and to reduce manufacturing cost.
• Primary/secondary ownership of projects or functional areas within the group.
• Plan, execute and characterize development engineering experiments in the laboratory and manufacturing environment designed to identify potential reliability concerns with experimental prototype devices as well as current module technology.
• Conduct Accelerated Life Testing on both test structures and modules in the laboratory and in the field.
• Apply statistics and engineering methods to optimize workflow and effectiveness.
• May develop new test equipment and test structures and write computer software for data analysis and/or data acquisition systems.

• Associate’s degree in an engineering discipline or similar technical discipline and 10 years of relevant technical experience or 3 years of experience as an Associate Engineer at First Solar.
• Bachelor’s Degree in an engineering discipline or similar technical discipline and 3 years of relevant technical experience or 2 years of experience as an Associate Engineer at First Solar.
• Master’s Degree in an engineering discipline or similar technical discipline and 1 year of relevant technical experience or 1 year of experience as an Associate Engineer at First Solar.

• Skills and hands‑on experience in execution of experiments in laboratory or manufacturing environment.
• Analytical skills to interpret data and derive conclusions with formal training or classes in statistical analysis methods.
• Ability to make and execute detailed plans to achieve objectives with a strong sense of ownership.
• Exposure to general reliability analysis methods.
• Experience manipulating large data sets.
• Ability to communicate clearly with individuals and groups. Can produce clear data, presentations, and reports, as well as oral presentations.
• Exposure to semiconductors, PV device physics, and thin film PV technology is preferred.
• Exposure to the function, characteristics, measurement, and application of PV modules is a plus.
• Intermediate knowledge of JMP, Minitab, or similar statistical software suites and experience working with databases.
• Good communication skills across organizations.
• Good interpersonal skills, including working with cross-functional teams. Other behaviors include integrative thinking, results oriented, self‑awareness, mentoring others, and willingness to make changes.

• Identify opportunities for improvement in solar cell efficiency, material selection and process/equipment design through engineering, scientific or empirical methods.
• Apply state of the art techniques for product failure analysis, statistical analysis of data or execution/planning of experiments. Develop a work plan that can address problems with well understood solution paths.
• Effective communicator and coordinator within the organization. Effective team member that can support cross‑functional projects and take ownership of sub‑deliverables.
• May direct the work of hourly associates.
• Complies with Company's Environmental, Quality, Safety or any other policies that have been enforced.
• Other duties as assigned.
• Job description subject to change at any time.
• Plan and conduct module and component ALT, HALT, HASS and other characterization tests.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams for characterization and failure mode identification.
• Develop automated routines for data reduction, analysis, and reporting.
• Initiate and collaborate on test equipment improvement projects.
• May contribute to determine and evaluate material specification for improved performance. May contribute to determine and evaluate tool/equipment specifications.
• Works under minimal supervision. May assist in orienting, mentoring, and training colleagues.

• Reports to Reliability Engineering Manager

• No travel is required.

• $69,000 - $95,000 Estimated Annual Salary

• Will…