Materials Engineer: Ingot, Wafer & Solar Cell Manufacturing

SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP; Bastrop (TX); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

SpaceX is seeking a Materials Engineer to own consumables across ingot, wafer, and solar cell manufacturing lines, partnering with supply chain on sourcing and qualification. You will define material requirements, run qualification campaigns, and hand off proven materials to high‑volume production.

The role requires a bachelor’s in a STEM field and 1+ years in materials engineering, with preferred advanced degrees and hands‑on experience in metals, polymers, crystals, ceramics, or coatings.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a STEM field such as materials science or chemical engineering.
• 1+ year of materials engineering or manufacturing materials experience.

Responsibilities

• Own consumable materials used across ingot, wafer, and/or solar cell manufacturing lines—from sourcing through qualification and production hand-off.
• Partner with supply chain to identify, evaluate, and qualify suppliers for critical process materials.
• Define material requirements, specifications, and acceptance criteria with cross-functional teams.
• Plan and execute material qualification campaigns including characterization and trials.
• Communicate status, risks, and recommendations to leadership.

Skills

Materials engineering

First principles

Supplier development

Education

Bachelor's degree in materials science or related STEM field

Master's degree (preferred)

PhD (preferred)

Tools

SEM-EDS

XRD

FTIR

Optical microscopy

Mechanical testing

Job description

SpaceX is seeking a Materials Engineer to own consumables across ingot, wafer, and solar cell manufacturing lines, partnering with supply chain on sourcing and qualification. You will define material requirements, run qualification campaigns, and hand off proven materials to high‑volume production.

The role requires a bachelor’s in a STEM field and 1+ years in materials engineering, with preferred advanced degrees and hands‑on experience in metals, polymers, crystals, ceramics, or coatings.