Process Technician | Night Shift

Swift Solar • San Carlos, CA

9d • $30 - $40 • Onsite

About The Position

At Swift Solar, our mission is to unlock the full potential of solar energy. We believe that solar energy has vast untapped potential to power our lives, fuel economies, and strengthen supply chains, while protecting planetary health in the face of global climate change. The reality is that today's solar technology is good, but not good enough. Swift Solar is making solar better with its breakthrough tandem technology that harnesses the power of perovskite materials to create solar solutions that are not only more efficient than traditional technology but also more versatile, enabling applications ranging from space solar to utility-scale power generation. Swift Solar is a mission-focused startup supported by the US government and backed by world-class investors. It’s a long journey to bring a new clean energy technology to market, and we’re in it for the long haul, together. Join our extraordinary team building the cutting-edge solar technology that will shape the future of the global solar industry. A night in the life As a Process Technician on our night shift (10:00 PM – 6:30 AM PST) at Swift, you will play a central role in advancing the next generation of solar technology. You’ll help operate, refine, and scale our thin-film deposition processes, directly supporting our transition from R&D to manufacturable, high-throughput systems. A typical night begins with a thorough review of the outgoing shift’s pass-down notes, carrying out experimental plans using the lab tools you’ve been trained on, and carefully documenting and sharing your results for the incoming day team. Because you’ll be one of a small number of people on-site, more of the role requires independent judgment—knowing when to troubleshoot on your own, when to escalate to an on-call engineer, and how to make sound decisions that keep experiments moving forward safely and accurately. Much of the role still involves repeatable, detail-oriented work, following procedures, recording parameters, and monitoring tool performance to ensure consistent output. As you grow in the role, you’ll also take on responsibilities such as tracking supplies, flagging workflow issues, helping refine procedures, and writing thorough shift handoff logs so the day team can hit the ground running. Because we’re an early-stage startup, you’ll get involved in many parts of the company. You’ll learn to adapt to new tools, experiments, and processes while contributing to Swift’s evolving technical capabilities. In this dynamic environment, you’ll find many opportunities to grow your skills, and we encourage you to take full advantage of them.

Requirements

• Have experience working in a hands-on laboratory environment
• Are comfortable working independently with minimal supervision
• Take ownership of your work and proactively flag issues rather than waiting to be told
• Excel at writing clear, thorough shift handoff notes, the day team depends on what you document
• Are eager to learn new skills and take initiative without being prompted
• Excel at multitasking and managing your time effectively
• Are excited to collaborate with scientists and support experimental work

Nice To Haves

• A strong motivation to make an impact on climate change
• Experience with vacuum-based deposition tools (e.g., CVD, PVD, evaporation, sputtering, or similar thin-film techniques)
• Experience in a semiconductor, R&D, or manufacturing environment
• Glovebox operation experience
• Experience handling chemicals safely and responsibly
• Skill in working with delicate samples and materials, including wafer or substrate handling
• Familiarity with SPC, MES, or other process monitoring and data systems

Responsibilities

• Operate, refine, and scale our thin-film deposition processes
• Review the outgoing shift’s pass-down notes
• Carry out experimental plans using the lab tools you’ve been trained on
• Document and share your results for the incoming day team
• Troubleshoot on your own
• Escalate to an on-call engineer
• Make sound decisions that keep experiments moving forward safely and accurately
• Follow procedures
• Record parameters
• Monitor tool performance to ensure consistent output
• Track supplies
• Flag workflow issues
• Help refine procedures
• Write thorough shift handoff logs so the day team can hit the ground running
• Adapt to new tools, experiments, and processes while contributing to Swift’s evolving technical capabilities

Benefits

• Have 100% of your monthly premiums for HMO / PPO group healthcare plan options and 75% of your dental and vision insurance premiums covered by us.
• Employees also benefit from 401(k) matching, clean commuter benefits, and meaningful equity.
• We’ll support you in attending conferences and taking online courses, as long as you share your new insights with the team.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed