Scientist- Data Research and Development

Position: Scientist- Data Research and Development USA
First Solar reserves the right to offer you a role most applicable to your experience and skillset.

Basic

Job Functions:

This position supports large scale statistical experiment design and analysis to evaluate innovative ideas on thin-film processes. You will join many disparate data sources to compile an integrated story of discovery, within and across experiments, projects, and people. You will apply an advanced knowledge of statistics and data science techniques to recognize patterns and create insights in a state-of-the-art R&D solar fabrication facility.

Design, develop, and evaluate experimental models that point in the direction of maximum success. Serve as lead statistician for project teams, providing expertise, oversight, and guidance on analysis efforts. Provide support, training, and direction to all Advanced Research Engineers on DOE, statistical analysis, and modeling. Help your colleagues build a world and workplace that is just sustainable, and equitable.

Education/

Experience:

* Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, Data Science, or similar technical discipline, and 5 years of relevant technical experience or 2 years of experience as an Engineer
- Analytics R&D at First Solar.

* Master's Degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, Data Science, or similar technical discipline, and 3 years of relevant technical experience or 2 years of experience as an Engineer
- Analytics R&D at First Solar.

* Ph.D. in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, Data Science, or similar technical discipline, without prior technical work experience.

* Previous R&D, PV, or Semiconductor experience helpful, but not necessary.

Required Skills/

Competencies:

* Deep understanding of Design of Experiments.

* Meta-analysis and systematic research review.

* Data forensics and partitioning on large data sets.

* Data Wrangling: preparation, mapping, and transformation.

* Structured and unstructured data sets.

* Executive level storytelling with data visualization.

* Impart clarity when communicating complex data relationships.

* Linear Algebra:
Matrix Algebra and eigenvalues/vectors.

* Passion to learn new areas of study (device physics learning will be intensive).

* High emotional intelligence.

* Bravery to speak a dissenting opinion or present evidence against current belief.

* Skilled in a structured problem-solving method (such as DMAIC, A3, 5 Whys, etc.).

* Extensive understanding of Probability and Inferential Statistics as well as visual display of these concepts.

* Expert at building predictive models and utilizing advanced statistical analysis, including generalized linear models, decision trees, PCA, logistic and multivariate regression.

* Deep knowledge of statistical and modeling software tools and scripting languages such as JMP, SAS, Python, SPSS, or R to manipulate data and draw insights from large data sets.

* Experience with Microsoft environment:
Windows OS, Office 365, Teams, SharePoint, etc.

Essential Responsibilities:

* Development Program Statistical Research & Meta-analysis (70%)

* While assigned to a Development Program, serve as statistical expert and work with Technical, Operations and Process Engineering Teams to achieve program goals via research, modeling, experiment design and analysis.

* Gain deep understanding of program objectives, learning the physics behind the processes to know current and predict future Program Team needs.

* Help Team define an experiment's statement of intent, reviewing previous responses and assuring factor estimability is understood.

* Systematic review of prior experimentation to find relevant, high-quality data, while accounting for variability in study approach, sample size, execution, environment, etc.

* Standardize and weight prior research to build new predictive models to guide Program experimentation.

* Understand experimenter's needs and develop custom experiment design to efficiently create insight.

* Exhaustively evaluate experiment design and resulting model.

* Work with Program Partners to define and prepare datasets for modeling.

* Monitor many data streams and feedback data quality to Program Teams.

* Be the…