Senior Thin Film Deposition Engineer

Solestial; Tempe (AZ); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Excellent benefits day one

Generous PTO and holidays

401K with employer match

Disability and life insurance

Space project impact

Job summary

Solestial in Tempe, AZ, seeks a Senior Thin Film Deposition Engineer to own and advance PVD/PECVD deposition processes for space-grade solar power technologies. You will work hands-on on deposition tools, optimize processes, and collaborate with engineering and manufacturing to keep equipment running reliably.

The role requires deep experience with sputter deposition, vacuum systems, and the interaction between process and equipment, focusing on repeatability, yield, and throughput as production

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher in a technical field related to materials science, engineering or physics.
• Hands-on experience with PVD and PECVD processes and equipment in manufacturing.
• Deep knowledge of thin film deposition, plasma behavior, vacuum systems and film properties.
• Experience developing, optimizing and troubleshooting deposition processes in production.
• Maintaining, troubleshooting, and modifying PVD/sputtering equipment.
• Strong understanding of vacuum components, pumps, gas delivery and measurement.
• Applied DOE and data analysis to improve process performance.
• Ability to troubleshoot issues at the intersection of process and equipment.
• Comfortable working directly with production deposition tools in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Own and optimize PVD/PECVD processes for film performance and yield.
• Develop and modify deposition processes to improve throughput and quality.
• Monitor process performance and troubleshoot excursions and variability.
• Maintain deposition equipment from process and engineering perspectives.
• Diagnose vacuum, gas delivery, power supplies, targets and chamber issues.
• Collaborate with engineering and manufacturing to minimize downtime.
• Develop process recipes, parameters and controls.
• Plan experiments and DOEs to map process windows.
• Support upgrades to deposition equipment as needs evolve.
• Analyze data to identify trends and root causes, producing documentation.

Skills

PVD and PECVD knowledge

Hands-on troubleshooting

DOE & data analysis

Vacuum systems understanding

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's in Materials Science, Chemical/Mechanical Engineering, Physics, or related field

Advanced degree a plus

Tools

PVD equipment

PECVD equipment

Vacuum systems components

Sputtering equipment maintenance

Job description

The Company:

Solestial is pioneering the future of space-based solar power by developing advancedsolar technologies optimized for the harsh conditions of space. Our innovative, low-cost,and scalable solar arrays are engineered for next-generation satellites, spacecraft, andorbital infrastructure. We are driven by a mission to power the space economy andunlock limitless opportunities in orbit and beyond.

The Role:

As a Senior Thin Film Deposition Engineer, you willown and advance our thin film deposition processes, with a strong focus onPVD and PECVD. This role will be responsible for maintaining stable, repeatable deposition processes while also driving process development, optimization, and equipment modifications as we scale manufacturing.

This is a hands-on engineering role. The ideal candidate has deep experience with sputter deposition and understands the relationship between theprocess, equipment, materials, and resulting film properties. They should be comfortable troubleshooting from both a process and equipment perspective and working directly on deposition tools to keep them operating reliably.

Key Responsibilities

• Own and optimize PVD/PECVD processes.
• Develop and modify deposition processes to improve film performance, repeatability, yield, and throughput
• Monitor process performance and troubleshoot deposition issues, excursions, and variability
• Maintain deposition equipment from a process and engineering perspective, including hands-on troubleshooting and preventative maintenance
• Diagnose equipment-related issues involving vacuum systems, gas delivery, power supplies, targets, chambers, and other deposition system components
• Partner with engineering and manufacturing teams to keep deposition tools running reliably and minimize downtime
• Develop process recipes, operating parameters, and process controls
• Plan and execute experiments and DOEs to understand process windows and optimize performance
• Support modifications and upgrades to existing deposition equipment as manufacturing needs evolve
• Analyze process and equipment data to identify trends, root causes, and opportunities for improvement
• Develop and maintain process documentation, specifications, work instructions, and equipment maintenance procedures
• Support the transition of new or modified deposition processes from development into production

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, or a related technical field; advanced degree a plus
• Significant hands-on experience with physical vapor deposition (PVD) and plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) processes and equipment
• Deep technical knowledge of thin film deposition, including process parameters, plasma behavior, vacuum systems, target/material interactions, and thin film properties
• Experience developing, optimizing, and troubleshooting thin film deposition processes in a manufacturing or production environment
• Hands-on experience maintaining, troubleshooting, and modifying PVD/sputtering equipment
• Strong understanding of vacuum equipment and components, including pumps, valves, pressure measurement, gas delivery, and related systems
• Experience using structured problem-solving, DOE, and data analysis to improve process performance
• Ability to independently troubleshoot complex issues that cross the boundary betweenprocess and equipment
• Comfortable working directly with production equipment in a fast-paced manufacturing environment

Preferred Experience

• Experience with thin film deposition for semiconductor, photovoltaic, aerospace, or other high-reliability applications
• Experience scaling deposition processes from R&D or development into manufacturing
• Experience with equipment upgrades, retrofits, or custom modifications
• Familiarity with SPC and manufacturing process controls
• Experience with additional vacuum deposition or thin film characterization techniques

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Generous, high-qualitymedical, dental, and vision coverage on day one of employment
• 15 vacation days, 5 sick days, and 10 paid holidays annually - with an extended holiday break at year’s end
• 401K with employer match up to 4% of salary
• Employer-paid short-term and long-term disability and employer-sponsored life insurance
• Your work will literally go to space!