Senior Thin Film Deposition Engineer

Solestial, Inc.; Tempe (AZ); On-site; USD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Premium benefits from day one

15 vacation days

5 sick days

10 paid holidays

401K with 4% match

Disability and life insurance

Work on space projects

Job summary

Solestial, Inc. in Tempe, AZ is seeking a Senior Thin Film Deposition Engineer to own and advance PVD/PECVD processes, optimize film performance, and maintain deposition equipment in a fast-paced manufacturing setting.

The role requires deep hands-on experience with sputtering, vacuum systems, and DOE-driven process development; you will collaborate with engineering and production to scale deposition tools for aerospace and satellite manufacturing.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's in a technical field; advanced degree a plus.
• Hands-on experience with PVD/PECVD and related equipment.
• Deep knowledge of vacuum systems and film properties.
• DOE, experiments, and data-driven process improvement.
• Ability to troubleshoot process and equipment interactions.

Responsibilities

• Own and optimize PVD/PECVD processes.
• Develop modified deposition processes to improve yield and throughput.
• Monitor performance and troubleshoot deposition issues.
• Maintain deposition equipment with hands-on support.
• Diagnose vacuum, gas delivery, and power system issues.
• Collaborate with engineering and manufacturing to keep tools running.
• Develop process recipes and controls; plan DOEs.
• Support production transitions for new/developed processes.

Skills

Troubleshooting

Problem solving

Independent work

Education

Bachelor's in Materials Science or related

Advanced degree a plus

Tools

PVD

PECVD

Sputtering

Vacuum systems

Gas delivery

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 on PVD 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 the process, 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.

Your Mission

• 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

What You Bring

• 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 between process and equipment

• Comfortable working directly with production equipment in a fast-paced manufacturing environment

What Gives You an Edge

• 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

Our 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!