Senior Thin Film Deposition Engineer

Solestial, Inc.; United States; On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Benefits from day one

Paid time off: 15+10 days

401K with match

Insurance: disability & life

Space-focused mission

Job summary

Solestial, Inc. seeks a Senior Thin Film Deposition Engineer to own and advance PVD/PECVD processes for scalable manufacturing. You will troubleshoot, optimize, and maintain deposition equipment, partnering with engineering and production teams to ensure reliable, high-yield film production.

The role emphasizes hands-on work with sputter deposition, vacuum systems, and process development. A strong background in materials science and a manufacturing setting is essential for success.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a technical field (materials/engineering).
• Significant hands-on PVD/PECVD experience in manufacturing.
• Deep knowledge of thin film deposition and vacuum systems.
• Experience in DOE and data-driven process improvement.
• Hands-on maintenance and modification of deposition equipment.
• Ability to troubleshoot process–equipment issues in production.
• Comfortable working with production equipment in fast-paced settings.

Responsibilities

• Own and optimize PVD/PECVD processes.
• Develop and modify deposition processes to improve film performance.
• Monitor process performance and troubleshoot issues.
• Maintain deposition equipment including preventive maintenance.
• Diagnose vacuum, gas delivery, and chamber issues.
• Partner with engineering and manufacturing to minimize downtime.
• Develop process recipes, parameters, and controls.
• Plan and execute DOE experiments to optimize performance.
• Support equipment modifications as needs evolve.
• Analyze data to identify trends and root causes.
• Document processes, specifications, and maintenance procedures.
• Support transfer of processes from development to production.

Skills

PVD deposition

PECVD deposition

DOE experiments

Troubleshooting

Data analysis

Process optimization

Vacuum systems

Education

Bachelor's degree in a technical field

Tools

PVD equipment

PECVD equipment

Vacuum pumps

Gas delivery systems

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!