Fluid Systems Engineer, Solar Cell Factory (Starlink)

United States Digital Space LLC; Bastrop (TX); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

United States Digital Space LLC is seeking a Fluids Systems Engineer for the Solar Cell Factory (Starlink) to design, build, and optimize fluid systems for gases and chemicals in solar cell fabrication, with emphasis on safe handling of hazardous materials in a high-volume plant.

You will own cradle-to-grave projects, collaborate with process engineers, and ensure compliance with OSHA/ASME/SEMI standards while improving delivery rates, purity, and recycling of process fluids to support

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, chemical, aerospace, or related engineering field.
• 1+ years hands-on build or design experience (internships, clubs, or competition teams qualify).

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and activate fluids systems for the distribution of key gases, chemicals, and exhaust systems used in solar cell processes.
• Cradle-to-grave project ownership including requirement definition, design, justification of key decisions, equipment procurement, build coordination, commissioning and project management throughout
• Design modular systems capable of being manufactured at scale for future solar production facilities
• Apply fluids/mechanical engineering skills such as P&ID development, equipment sizing, detailed fluid and thermal analysis, system-level CONOP development, structural analysis, materials and component selection
• Perform safety/hazard assessments (e.g., FMEAs, HAZOPs) to ensure appropriate hazardous system design, including emergency shutdown CONOPs, redundancy, and compliance with safety standards
• Design, build, and deploy data acquisition and control systems for fluid facilities control and monitoring
• Collaborate with process engineers to integrate fluid systems with manufacturing equipment and optimize delivery rates, purity, and recycling of process fluids to support high-yield production
• Support installation, commissioning, and troubleshooting of fluid systems, working with facilities operations, EHS, automation, and procurement teams
• Ensure regulatory compliance with OSHA, EPA, ASME, NFPA, and SEMI standards for chemical and gas handling in semiconductor-like environments
• Track system performance metrics and contribute to continuous improvement initiatives, such as lean manufacturing and sustainability efforts for fluid reuse

Skills

Fluid systems design

Hazardous materials handling

Safety and risk assessment

HVAC integration

CAD tools: AutoCAD/SolidWorks

ANSYS Fluent

Process safety management

Regulatory compliance

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering

Advanced degree (preferred)

Tools

AutoCAD

SolidWorks

ANSYS Fluent

Job description

the company was founded under the belief that a future where humanity is out exploring the stars is fundamentally more exciting than one where we are not. Today the company is actively developing the technologies to make this possible, with the ultimate goal of enabling human life on Mars.

FLUIDS SYSTEMS ENGINEER, SOLAR CELL FACTORY (STARLINK)

The Solar Cell team is revolutionizing power generation for space applications through advanced solar cell manufacturing. We're scaling production of high-efficiency solar cells to support sustainable energy solutions for Starlink constellations, launch vehicles, and beyond. As a Solar Cell Factory Fluids Engineer, you will design, build, and optimize fluid systems for the delivery of critical gases and chemicals in solar cell fabrication. This role requires a detail-oriented engineer passionate about safe handling of hazardous materials in a high-volume manufacturing environment, ensuring reliable supply to processes like vacuum deposition and etching while minimizing risks and maximizing efficiency in our cutting-edge solar cell factory.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Design, build, and activate fluids systems for the distribution of key gases (e.g. specialty and bulk gases), chemicals (e.g., hydrofluoric acid, solvents) and exhaust systems used in solar cell processes, including tanks, pumps, heat exchangers, gas panels, valves, scrubbers, and abatement systems
• Cradle-to-grave project ownership including requirement definition, design, justification of key decisions, equipment procurement, build coordination, commissioning and project management throughout
• Design modular systems capable of being manufactured at scale for future solar production facilities
• Apply fluids/mechanical engineering skills such as P&ID development, equipment sizing, detailed fluid and thermal analysis, system-level CONOP development, structural analysis, materials and component selection.
• Perform safety/hazard assessments (ex. FMEAs, HAZOPs) to ensure appropriate hazardous system design, including emergency shutdown CONOPs, redundancy, and general compliance with hazardous material safety standards
• Design, build, and deploy data acquisition and control systems for fluid facilities control and monitoring
• Collaborate with process engineers to integrate fluid systems with manufacturing equipment and optimize delivery rates, purity levels, and recovery/recycling of process fluids to support high-yield production
• Support installation, commissioning, and troubleshooting of fluid systems, working closely with facilities operations, EHS, automation, and procurement teams to resolve issues and implement improvements
• Ensure regulatory compliance with OSHA, EPA, ASME, NFPA, and SEMI standards for chemical and gas handling in semiconductor-like environments
• Track system performance metrics (e.g., flow rates, contamination levels, downtime) and contribute to continuous improvement initiatives, such as lean manufacturing and sustainability efforts for fluid reuse

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, aerospace engineering, or other engineering discipline
• 1+ years of hands-on build or design experience (internship, club, and competition team experience qualifies)

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Advanced degree in engineering or related field
• 2+ years of experience in fluid systems design, particularly with gases or hazardous chemicals in manufacturing or semiconductor industries
• 2+ years of experience in photovoltaic, semiconductor, or thin-film deposition manufacturing
• Knowledge of safety protocols for handling pyrophoric materials (e.g., silane) and toxic gases/chemicals (e.g., phosphine, HF)
• Knowledge of ASME B31.3, SEMI S2/S8 standards and experience with cleanroom HVAC integration for fluid systems
• Familiarity with cleanroom fluid systems, gas cabinets, scrubbers, and wastewater neutralization for solar cell fabrication
• Familiarity with air separation units (ASUs) for gaseous nitrogen production.
• Certification in process safety (e.g., CSP, Six Sigma Green Belt) or hazardous materials handling
• Proficiency in fluid dynamics software (e.g., ANSYS Fluent, Pipe-Flo) and CAD tools (e.g., AutoCAD, SolidWorks) for system modeling and diagramming
• Experience with process safety management, including risk assessment and regulatory compliance
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, iterative environment and collaborate across multidisciplinary teams
• Ability to work independently, take initiative, and communicate effectively
• Ability to rapidly change roles/responsibilities while maintaining a high sense of urgency in a demanding work environment
• Creativity to imagine and design for reliability, efficiency, and maintainability from scratch

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Ability to travelfrequentlyfor work, potentially for extended periods of time during machine buyoffs and startup
• Ability to lift 25 lbs. unassisted
• Lifting, standing, climbing, bending, grasping, sitting, pulling, pushing, stooping, stretching, and carrying aregenerally requiredto perform the functions of this position
• Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed to support critical milestones

ITAR REQUIREMENTS:

• To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.

the company is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with the company is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

Applicants wishing to view a copy of the company’s Affiramtive Action Plan for veterans and individuals with disabilities, or applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application/interview process should reach out to [e-mail].