Senior Space Solar Cell R&D Engineer

Rocket Lab USA; Albuquerque (NM); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Rocket Lab USA in Albuquerque, NM seeks a Senior R&D Engineer I to advance space and terrestrial solar cell technologies. You will lead qualification, reliability testing, and device analysis within a fast-paced R&D environment.

You will collaborate with R&D and manufacturing teams to plan testing, interpret results, and drive new solar cell concepts toward qualification and production readiness.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Physics, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, or related STEM field.
• 5+ years of experience in R&D.
• Strong understanding of solar cell device physics is preferred.
• Experience with environmental testing and reliability campaigns is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead space qualification, confidence, and reliability testing for solar cell technologies.
• Design and implement environmental tests for multi-junction solar cells.
• Analyze IV curves and device parameters to identify failure modes.
• Collaborate with R&D and manufacturing to plan testing activities and interpret results.
• Communicate findings through reports and presentations to stakeholders.

Skills

R&D experience

Environmental testing

IV curve analysis

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Physics, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, or related STEM field

Master's or PhD in Physics, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, or related field

Job description

Rocket Lab USA in Albuquerque, NM seeks a Senior R&D Engineer I to advance space and terrestrial solar cell technologies. You will lead qualification, reliability testing, and device analysis within a fast-paced R&D environment.

You will collaborate with R&D and manufacturing teams to plan testing, interpret results, and drive new solar cell concepts toward qualification and production readiness.