Development Engineer II

Job Title

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

Basic

Job Functions:

• Perform material and device research to enhance thin film solar cell performance and stability and to reduce manufacturing cost.
• Design experiments, hands-on fabricate core layers, characterize devices/material properties, apply statistical and engineering methods to optimize material and stack performance
• Hands-on leading specifying, commissioning, qualifying, retrofitting (where needed), troubleshooting and sustaining key process/test equipment related to project, ensuring timely supply of raw material/consumables/spares, developing standard operation procedure, providing cross-training to peers when necessary
• Responsible for projects or functions that are enablers to department goals and deliverables.
• Plan, execute and characterize development engineering experiments in the laboratory.
• Apply statistical and engineering methods to optimize organizational effectiveness. Improve methods for use by others.

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.
• Degree in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, or Materials Science strongly preferred.
• Prior experience working with scalable spray, inkjet print, slot die, and blade coat, etc, of function coatings strongly preferred.
• Prior experience working on wet coating of perovskites strongly preferred.

Required Skills/

Competencies:

• Expert knowledge in at least one area among the following: solution-based perovskites fabrication, scalable wet coating process, such as spray coating, slot die, blade coat, and inkjet print, etc.
• Working knowledge in selective thin film processes (ALD, CVD, PVD, Thermal evap, dry/wet etch, laser scribing, lamination, etc) and device integration.
• Familiarity with solar cells and relevant physics devices.
• Experience with reliability and accelerated testing.
• Skills and hands-on experience in execution of experiments in laboratory environment.
• Analytical skills to interpret data and derive conclusions.
• Ability to present technical progress and findings with clear logic.
• Ability to make and execute detailed plans to achieve objectives with strong sense of ownership.
• Demonstrated capability to practice critical thinking and common sense, and to effectively troubleshoot process and equipment challenges.
• Good communication skills across organizations.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Perform material and device research to enhance perovskite film quality at various band gap values, solar cell performance and stability, reduce/eliminate key factor driving coating/device instability during perovskite fabrication process, post-PK steps and accelerated stress tests.
• Design and optimize synthetic routes for fabricating high-quality perovskites, utilizing various synthesis techniques that are scalable.
• Prototype solar cell devices and conduct electrical and photophysical characterizations.
• Meet internal program goals and personal performance goals.
• Mentor and advise other team members working on related projects where apply, collaborate with internal and external collaborators where apply, which may involve domestic and international travel.
• May train, mentor, and manage junior associates.
• May be responsible to determine and evaluate material specifications for improved performance. May be responsible to determine and evaluate tool/equipment specifications.
• Effective communicator with internal and external partners and customers. Effective team member that can support cross-functional projects and take ownership of sub-deliverables.
• Comply 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.

Reporting Relationships:

• Reports to Development Engineer or Manager of Device Research.
• May have direct reports.

Travel:

• Up to 10% domestic/international

Estimated Salary Range:

• 104,910 USD per year- 142,000 USD per year

US

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 both eyes together, with or without correction, is required.
• Must be able to comply with…