High-Throughput Solar Cell Equipment Engineer

SpaceX; Bastrop (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

SpaceX is seeking an Equipment Engineer, Solar Cell Metallization (STARLINK) to own screen printing and metallization hardware for large-scale silicon cell manufacturing.

You will drive uptime, lead maintenance strategies, and collaborate with process teams to scale tools for Starlink production. Expect responsibilities across tool selection, vendor collaboration, and rigorous reliability metrics.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of hands-on experience owning and maintaining screen printing or metallization equipment in a high-volume environment.
• Experience handling flammable, toxic, corrosive, and/or hazardous chemicals safely (pastes, solvents, etc.).
• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, Materials Science, or related technical discipline.

Responsibilities

• Install, qualify, maintain, and continuously improve high-throughput screen printing equipment for heterojunction silicon solar cell manufacturing.
• Drive equipment reliability and uptime to support very large volume production with minimal downtime; analyze data to improve capacity and defect performance.
• Develop and execute preventive and predictive maintenance strategies, spare parts programs, and tool matching protocols for high-volume manufacturing.
• Lead root cause analysis and corrective actions on all equipment-related issues, including print heads, squeegee systems, alignment/vision systems, conveyors, drying ovens, and automation.
• Partner with Process Engineers to implement new process requirements on existing and future equipment platforms.
• Evaluate and select next-generation high-throughput screen printing tools capable of supporting 1GW+ per tool scale production.
• Work with vendors on equipment design improvements and custom solutions for heterojunction solar cell requirements.
• Establish equipment performance metrics (OEE, MTBF, MTTR) and implement SPC for hardware stability.
• Ensure all equipment meets cleanroom, safety, and high-reliability manufacturing standards.

Skills

Screen printing

Metallization

Process engineering

Equipment uptime

Reliability engineering

Project management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering

Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering

Tools

JMP

Minitab

Job description

SpaceX is seeking an Equipment Engineer, Solar Cell Metallization (STARLINK) to own screen printing and metallization hardware for large-scale silicon cell manufacturing.

You will drive uptime, lead maintenance strategies, and collaborate with process teams to scale tools for Starlink production. Expect responsibilities across tool selection, vendor collaboration, and rigorous reliability metrics.