Reliability & Failure Analysis Team Leader

Qcells; Cartersville (GA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Qcells seeks a Reliability & Failure Analysis Team Leader in Cartersville, GA to lead the Reliability & Failure Analysis Team within the Quality Excellence Office. You will own the module reliability test strategy, manage the failure analysis lab, and drive improvements based on field data.

You will build and mentor a technical team, set direction, and partner with development, manufacturing, and global teams to translate reliability insights into design and process enhancements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant engineering field (Materials, Chemical, Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Physics, etc.).
• 8+ years of experience in reliability engineering, failure analysis, or quality.
• Experience in solar modules reliability testing and standards.
• Hands-on lab experience with failure analysis and equipment.
• Strong data-driven analytical, statistical, and root cause problem-solving skills.
• Experience leading a technical team and cross-functional projects.
• Excellent teamwork and communication abilities.

Responsibilities

• Establish and operate a reliability test strategy for solar modules.
• Define and report reliability KPIs and benchmark degradation.
• Lead failure analysis lab, perform root cause analysis on field returns.
• Develop corrective actions with cross-functional teams.
• Build global field test beds across diverse climates and monitor energy yield.
• Model degradation mechanisms and lifetime predictions; present reports to management.

Skills

Leadership

Data analysis

Root cause analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Statistical analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering (Materials/ Chemical/ Electrical)

Tools

Failure analysis laboratory

Job description

Description

Reliability & Failure Analysis Team Leader

Location: Cartersville, GA

SUMMARY

The Reliability & Failure Analysis Team Leader leads the Reliability & Failure Analysis Team within the Quality Excellence Office (Development Quality) and is accountable for securing the long-term reliability of Qcells solar modules and preventing field quality issues. The role owns the module reliability test strategy, the failure analysis laboratory, the global field test bed program, and degradation mechanism research used to predict field lifetime. The Team Leader manages and develops the team, sets technical direction, and partners with development, manufacturing, and global counterparts to translate reliability findings into design and process improvements.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Reliability & Failure Analysis Team Leader requires strong technical and managerial skills. Key responsibilities include:

Reliability Evaluation & Strategy

• Establish and operate the reliability test strategy for solar modules.
• Define, track, and report reliability KPIs.
• Benchmark competitor degradation and failure rates and develop response strategies.
• Verify the reliability of new technologies such as TOPCon and tandem.

Failure Analysis

• Set up, operate, and manage the failure analysis laboratory and its equipment.
• Lead root cause analysis of field returns and in-house failures.
• Apply a broad range of failure analysis techniques to isolate failure mechanisms.
• Define and validate corrective and recurrence prevention measures with the responsible functions.

Global Field Test Bed

• Build and integrate field test beds representing diverse climate environments.
• Monitor energy yield and environmental conditions on a daily basis.
• Track degradation trends through power measurement at STC conditions.
• Verify field reliability of new models and analyze correlation with laboratory test results.

Degradation Research & Lifetime Prediction

• Analyze and model key degradation mechanisms.
• Correlate accelerated test results with field data.
• Build and maintain degradation and lifetime prediction models.
• Prepare and present detailed reliability reports to management and internal stakeholders.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant engineering field (Materials, Chemical, Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Physics, etc.).
• Minimum of 8 years of experience in reliability engineering, failure analysis, or quality roles.
• Reliability experience with solar modules or a comparable industry.
• Working knowledge of solar module reliability testing and applicable standards.
• Hands-on experience operating a failure analysis laboratory and performing failure analysis.
• Strong data-driven analytical, statistical, and root cause problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated ability to lead a technical team and manage cross-functional projects.
• Excellent teamwork and communication abilities.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience in solar module development or quality.
• Understanding of glass, encapsulation, and cell technologies.
• Experience in reliability and degradation modeling.
• Experience with global certification bodies and standards (IEC, UL, etc.).
• Quality or reliability certifications (ISO, Six Sigma, CQE/CRE, etc.).
• Preference for Korean speaker (not mandatory).

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to stand and walk the production and laboratory areas throughout the workday
• Capable of reaching, pushing, pulling, or lifting as required within limits set by QCells
• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally to field test bed and partner sites

Hanwha Q CELLS provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics.