Development Engineer I

First Solar (US) • Santa Clara, CA

14d

About The Position

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.
Responsible for projects or functions that are highly complex require
significant innovation and critical to department objectives.
Plan, execute and characterize development engineering experiments in the
laboratory and manufacturing environment with strategic foresight.  Drives
actions with strategic foresight.
Applies statistical and engineering methods to optimize organizational
effectiveness. Improves methods for use by others

Requirements

• Associate’s Degree in an engineering discipline or similar technical discipline and 10 years of relevant technical experience or 2 years of experience as an Associate Engineer or Development Engineer Technician III at First Solar.
• Bachelor’s Degree in an engineering discipline or similar technical discipline and 3 years of relevant technical experience or 2 year of experience as an Associate Engineer or Development Engineer Technician III at First Solar.
• Master’s Degree in an engineering discipline or similar technical discipline and 1 year of relevant technical experience or 2 year of experience as an Associate Engineer at First Solar
• Prior experience in yield study, device or film level failure analysis, corner case study, spec development, SPC establishment, quality system establishment (IQC, IPQC, OQC)
• Working knowledge with a variety of and in-depth knowledge of at least one among these process techniques: sputtering, CVD, ALD, CMP, wet/dry etch, evaporation, laser, slot die, inkjet print
• User level knowledge of variety of characterization tools such as XPS, TOF-SIMS, DSIM, X-SEM, EDS, TEM, XRD, XRF, FTIR, UV-Vis, RBS, Raman, Ellipsometry
• Prior experience authoring/sustaining/auditing production standard documents including SOP, PTP, QCP, training matric 
• Ability to work independently with no supervision.
• Ability to follow Safe Work Practices. Full understanding of LOTO.
• Ability to communicate on a regular basis with all levels of associates. 
• Excellent computer skills (Windows, Office, JMP).
• Excellent written and oral presentation skills
• Demonstrated strength in critical thinking, attention to details
• Good team player, accountable, agile, go-getter.
• Willing to work odd hours or long hours when pressed by deadlines or under urgent line down situations

Nice To Haves

• 2+ years of manufacturing work experience is preferred
• Engineering or material science background is preferred
• Hands-on working experience in semi fab or display fab
• Knowledge on semiconductor device physics
• People or program management experience
• Python or other coding capability related to databasing

Responsibilities

• Ensure RnD line health through unit process and thin film material quality monitoring, critical analysis, and continuous improvement
• Report out line health daily/weekly: data gathering, excursion root cause analysis, solution planning
• Perform generic line troubleshooting with process and integration teams in a timely manner as required
• Study process window through corner cases and establish process spec/control limit
• Establish yield bridge, drive yield improvement through process, operation, material, equipment improvement
• Improve operation productivity through analysis of operation bottleneck, identify cost-neutral opportunities and drive implementation
• Own operation alignment with sister sites
• Comply with Company's Environmental, Quality, Safety or any other policies that have been enforced.
• Other duties as assigned

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Associate degree