Development Engineer II

First Solar (US) • Santa Clara, CA

1d • $104,910 - $149,500 • Onsite

About The Position

First Solar reserves the right to offer you a role most applicable to your experience and skillset. This role involves leading the development of electro-optical characterization and custom equipment capabilities to support perovskite solar cell research. The position requires applying deep technical expertise, hands-on equipment development, software programming, and data analysis to deliver robust characterization infrastructure. The engineer will enable new measurement methods, improve equipment uptime, support safe laboratory operations, and mentor others on relevant subject matter.

Requirements

• Bachelor Degree in an engineering discipline or similar technical discipline, with 5 years of technical work experience as an Engineer or 2 years as a Development Engineer I with First Solar.
• Master Degree in an engineering discipline or similar technical discipline, with 3 years of technical work experience as an Engineer or 2 years as a Development Engineer I with First Solar.
• PhD in an engineering discipline without experience.
• Technical expert in electro-optical characterization, thin-film metrology and equipment development.
• Hands-on experience in design, build, and programming of custom characterization equipment and embedded controls.
• Skilled in tool software development and numerical data analysis.
• Demonstrated expertise in creating safe work environment.
• Excellent communication skills, proven organizational skills.
• Expert and hands on experience in laboratory or manufacturing environment.
• In depth knowledge in several fields from the list of photovoltaic device theory, characterization techniques and other fields relevant to First Solar's technology.
• Strong sense of project ownership with hands-on and can-do attitude.
• Strong communication skills across organizations.

Nice To Haves

• Prior experience on tester automation is a strong plus.
• Prior experience in perovskite photovoltaics or optoelectronics is a plus.
• Demonstrated proficiency with SolidWorks or AutoCAD strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of electro-optical characterization and custom equipment capabilities to support perovskite solar cell research.
• Apply deep technical expertise, hands-on equipment development, software programming, and data analysis to deliver robust characterization infrastructure.
• Enable new measurement methods, improve up time, support safe laboratory operations, and mentor others on relevant subject matter.
• Develop new metrology to enable process monitoring and advanced characterization for perovskite solar cell research.
• Implement novel characterization setups utilizing internal and external vendors.
• Communicate effectively across the organization to explain existing techniques and to learn the demand for new characterization capabilities.
• Supervise continues improvement and development of characterization system’s software and hardware.
• Enable a system of preventive maintenance and cross-training that allows for minimal downtime of characterization infrastructure.
• Work closely with key stakeholders to enable implementation and continuous improvement of methods, recipes and data infrastructure.
• May train, mentor and manage junior and peers on specific subject matters.
• Comply with Company's Environmental, Quality, Safety or any other policies that have been enforced. Contributes to continuous improvement of said policies.
• Other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Equal Opportunity Employer Statement: First Solar is an Equal Opportunity Employer that values and respects the importance of a diverse and inclusive workforce. It is the policy of the company to recruit, hire, train and promote persons in all job titles without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity. We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a driving force in the success of our company.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level