Senior Researcher – Device Fabrication & Process Engineering

Technology Innovation Institute; Abu Dhabi Emirate; On-site; AED 300,000 - 520,000; Full time

Job summary

Technology Innovation Institute in Abu Dhabi seeks a Senior Researcher to lead integrated development of thin film PV and optoelectronic devices, from vacuum-deposited materials to device-physics analysis and optimization. The role includes developing thermal evaporation and RF sputtering processes and owning high-vacuum equipment.

You will implement end-to-end process flows, perform comprehensive characterization, analyze losses, and guide improvements.

Qualifications

• PhD in Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field.

Responsibilities

• Lead development, optimization, scale-up, and qualification of integrated thin film PV and optoelectronic device fabrication processes.
• Design and fabricate solar cells, diagnostic test structures, and multilayer stacks using vacuum-based, solution-based, or hybrid flows.
• Develop robust deposition recipes for metals, oxides, semiconductors, interlayers, contacts, and coatings.
• Control thickness, uniformity, morphology, stress, adhesion, and optical/electrical properties as they relate to device performance.
• Develop end-to-end process flows integrating deposition, coating, patterning, annealing, and device testing.
• Conduct electrical and optoelectronic characterization including J-V, EQE/IPCE, spectral response, Suns-Voc, and stability testing.
• Analyze carrier generation, transport, recombination, and interface losses to guide improvements.
• Apply DOE and statistics to improve process windows and yield.
• Own vacuum deposition equipment, maintenance, and calibration; coordinate service history.
• Develop SOPs, maintenance plans, and training materials for vacuum and nanofabrication systems.
• Use profilometry, ellipsometry, SEM, XRD, UV-Vis, PL, and electrical testing for root-cause analysis.
• Collaborate with researchers, technicians, and external partners; document results in reports and presentations.

Skills

PV device physics

Thin-film fabrication

Vacuum processing

Device characterization

DOE / statistics

Team collaboration

Education

PhD in Materials Science / EE / Applied Physics

Tools

JMP

Origin

Minitab

Python

Job description

We are looking for an experienced, motivated, and technically proficient Senior Researcher to lead integrated development of thin film photovoltaic and optoelectronic devices, from vacuum-deposited materials and device fabrication through device-physics analysis and performance optimization. This person will develop reliable thermal evaporation and RF/DC sputtering processes, own the associated high-vacuum equipment, integrate materials and interfaces into functional device stacks, and use electrical, optical, and materials characterization to identify losses and guide improvements. The ideal candidate combines strong PV device physics with extensive hands-on experience in thin film fabrication, vacuum processing, equipment troubleshooting, and process qualification.

We are looking for someone who is deeply curious about why materials and processes behave as they do and energized by turning that understanding into useful solutions. They will be self-motivated, entrepreneurial, and comfortable challenging assumptions, crossing disciplinary boundaries, and spotting connections that create new technical or commercial opportunities. They will welcome difficult problems, learn quickly, and persist through uncertainty while working constructively with others.

You will work effectively within a team and independently, maintaining a positive, constructive attitude under pressure and when deadlines loom. Your teammates will recognize you as a highly motivated deliverer and a knowledgeable, practical researcher of high value to them and the wider company.

For our part, we will provide the environment, tools, resources, challenges, and responsibility to allow you to demonstrate that you are that person.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the development, optimization, scale-up, and qualification of integrated thin film PV and optoelectronic device fabrication processes.
• Design and fabricate solar cells, low-light PV devices, diagnostic test structures, and multilayer device stacks using vacuum-based, solution-based, or hybrid process flows.
• Develop robust deposition recipes using thermal evaporation, RF sputtering, DC sputtering, and related vacuum techniques for metals, transparent conductive oxides, semiconductors, interlayers, contacts, optical coatings, and other functional films.
• Control and correlate film thickness, uniformity, morphology, microstructure, stress, adhesion, conductivity, optical properties, and interface quality with device performance and process reproducibility.
• Develop end-to-end process flows integrating deposition, coating, patterning, annealing, plasma treatment, contact formation, encapsulation, and device testing.
• Conduct electrical and optoelectronic characterization, including light and dark J-V, EQE/IPCE, spectral response, Suns-Voc or light-intensity-dependent measurements, indoor-light performance, and stability testing.
• Analyze carrier generation, transport, recombination, interface and contact losses, parasitic absorption, and other performance-limiting mechanisms using equivalent-circuit, drift-diffusion, and loss-analysis methods.
• Design experiments and diagnostic structures that distinguish bulk, interface, contact, optical, and charge-transport limitations and translate findings into actionable device and process changes.
• Apply design of experiments and statistical analysis tools such as JMP, Origin, Minitab, or Python to improve process windows, yield, repeatability, and device performance.
• Own high-vacuum and ultra-high-vacuum deposition equipment through daily operation, process qualification, fault diagnosis, calibration, preventive and corrective maintenance, and recommissioning.
• Troubleshoot pumps, chambers, vacuum gauges, valves, gas-delivery and mass-flow systems, plasma sources, RF/DC power supplies, cooling systems, safety interlocks, and deposition-rate controls; coordinate vendors and maintain service history and equipment logs.
• Develop and maintain deposition recipes, standard operating procedures, preventive-maintenance plans, risk controls, safety protocols, and training materials for vacuum, thin film, and device-fabrication equipment.
• Use materials and film characterization such as profilometry, ellipsometry, SEM, XRD, sheet resistance, UV-Vis, PL, and electrical testing to support root-cause analysis and process decisions.
• Collaborate with materials scientists, device and simulation engineers, technicians, and external partners to translate material concepts into manufacturable device stacks; document results in technical reports, patent applications, and stakeholder presentations.

Required Qualifications:

• PhD in Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
• 5+ years of relevant R&D experience spanning thin film PV or optoelectronic devices, semiconductor processing, vacuum deposition, and device fabrication, preferably in an industry environment.
• Demonstrated hands-on experience fabricating thin film solar cells or optoelectronic devices and developing integrated process flows.
• Strong practical experience with thermal evaporation and RF/DC sputtering, including chamber preparation, pump-down, leak checking, base-pressure control, gas delivery, plasma ignition, substrate handling, process monitoring, and deposition optimization.
• Ability to diagnose, service, and maintain vacuum hardware, including turbomolecular, dry, scroll, or cryogenic pumps; valves; gauges; seals; mass-flow controllers; power supplies; cooling systems; and safety interlocks.
• Strong understanding of PV device physics, semiconductor materials, thin film growth, interfaces, adhesion, stress, defects, microstructure, contacts, and optical and electrical loss mechanisms.
• Experience interpreting device diagnostics such as J-V, EQE/IPCE, spectral response, intensity-or temperature-dependent measurements, Suns-Voc, transient measurements, impedance, or capacitance data.
• Ability to translate material, film, and device-physics analysis into changes in layer thickness, interfaces, contacts, architecture, material selection, equipment settings, and fabrication conditions.
• Experience with relevant film and device characterization, such as profilometry, ellipsometry, SEM, XRD, sheet resistance, UV-Vis, PL, and stability testing.
• Experience using structured experimentation and statistical analysis to identify root causes and improve process reproducibility, yield, and device performance.
• Proven laboratory-safety awareness and experience developing and following SOPs, maintenance plans, equipment logs, and safe operating procedures for vacuum and nanofabrication systems.
• Strong problem-solving, communication, and technical-writing skills, with a proactive, detail-oriented approach and the ability to work independently and across multidisciplinary teams.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment, learn new techniques quickly, manage competing priorities, and deliver high-quality results under pressure.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with indoor or low-light PV, space PV, perovskite, organic, CIGS, CdTe, silicon heterojunction, or other emerging thin film PV technologies.
• Experience with cleanroom tools and processes such as photolithography, shadow masking, lift-off, etching, plasma treatment, ALD, CVD, or laser patterning.
• Experience installing or commissioning vacuum tools, qualifying processes after maintenance, managing vendors, or developing pilot-scale and manufacturable thin film processes.
• Experience with stability and reliability testing under thermal, humidity, UV, illumination, low-light, or space-relevant conditions.
• Familiarity with optical modeling, device simulation, structure-property-performance correlations, PV module design and assembly, and solar-module manufacturing materials and processes.
• Track record of publications, patents, or technology development in PV, optoelectronics, semiconductor devices, thin film materials, or vacuum processing.