Lead Solar Process Engineer: PVD & SHJ Cells

United States Digital Space LLC; United States; Remote; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

United States Digital Space LLC in the United States seeks a Principal Solar Process Engineer to lead PVD-based processes for high-efficiency SHJ cells on Starlink satellites. You will drive greenfield solar fabrication, from equipment procurement to ramp-up, ensuring tight process control and cost efficiency.

You will develop and optimize TCO/ITO deposition and other thin-film steps, build a cross-functional production team, and deliver space-grade solar cells with high reliability for GW-scale

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline.
• 10+ years of experience in chemical engineering design, analysis, and/or system implementation.
• Master’s degree or Ph.D. in chemistry, chemical engineering, materials science, environmental, or other STEM discipline (preferred).
• 10+ years of hands-on experience in PVD process engineering, preferably in thin-film solar or semiconductor manufacturing.
• Proven track record of scaling PVD processes to high-volume production (>1GW/year).
• Strong understanding of vacuum systems, plasma physics, sputtering dynamics, and thin-film characterization techniques.

Responsibilities

• Design, qualify, and optimize PVD sputtering processes for SHJ front and back contacts.
• Lead process development for new toolsets, target management, and defect reduction.
• Develop and implement manufacturing processes, equipment, technologies, and facilities.
• Analyze production processes from first principles and physics-based approaches.
• Develop experiments using DOE and statistical methods to diagnose issues.
• Optimize process conditions to improve optical and electrical quality of solar cells.
• Perform defect characterization and root-cause analysis to improve yields.
• Develop project plans, budgets, and cost/benefit analysis for new processes or machines.
• Own and test equipment with a small team of engineers and technicians.
• Prepare content for technical design reviews and drive production outcomes.

Skills

PVD process engineering

Thin-film solar (SHJ/PERC/CIGS)

Vacuum systems

Sputtering dynamics

DOE & statistics

Python scripting

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering

Master’s degree or Ph.D. in related STEM field

Tools

PVD sputtering equipment

XRD/SEM/Hall measurements

Lab instrumentation

Job description

United States Digital Space LLC in the United States seeks a Principal Solar Process Engineer to lead PVD-based processes for high-efficiency SHJ cells on Starlink satellites. You will drive greenfield solar fabrication, from equipment procurement to ramp-up, ensuring tight process control and cost efficiency.

You will develop and optimize TCO/ITO deposition and other thin-film steps, build a cross-functional production team, and deliver space-grade solar cells with high reliability for GW-scale