Solar Cell Characterization Engineer: Materials & Metrology

SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP; Bastrop, Northern (TX, KY); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

SpaceX is seeking a Materials Engineer for solar cell characterization in Bastrop, TX. You will own offline metrology, build measurement recipes, and analyze data to drive yield and cost improvements across insourced solar cells.

You will collaborate with process, quality, and production teams, applying first-principles thinking and rigorous root-cause analysis. Travel to SpaceX sites and vendors may be required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in materials science, materials engineering, chemical engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• 1+ years of professional experience in materials characterization, failure analysis, semiconductor/PV metrology, or a related laboratory or manufacturing role.

Responsibilities

• Own characterization and metrology strategy for insourced solar cells across cell interfaces—from method development and tool qualification through production-ready measurement recipes.
• Build and maintain a suite of offline electrical, optical, and materials characterization techniques to quantify cell performance, reliability, and yield-limiting defects (e.g., I-V, quantum efficiency, PL/EL imaging, lifetime, SEM-EDS, optical microscopy, spectroscopy).
• Lead root cause analysis for performance and yield excursions: design experiments, execute failure analysis, correlate process history with metrology signatures, and drive corrective actions to first principles.
• Define measurement requirements, sampling plans, gauge R&R, calibration, and acceptance criteria in partnership with process, quality, and production engineering.
• Stand up and develop processes for offline metrology equipment; own data integrity, tool matching, and measurement uncertainty so results can be trusted for process decisions.
• Translate characterization results into clear material and process recommendations that improve efficiency, reliability, cost, and manufacturability.
• Partner with process engineering on DOEs and golden-line development; provide rapid feedback loops during recipe, materials, and equipment changes.
• Document methods, specifications, FA reports, and best practices; communicate status, risks, and recommendations clearly to cross-functional partners and leadership.
• Champion a culture of safety and quality in all sample preparation, chemical handling, lab operations, and production support activities

Skills

Metrology

Materials analysis

Root cause analysis

Data analysis

Python MATLAB

Communication

Safety culture

Education

BS in materials science/engineering

MS/PhD preferred

Tools

SEM-EDS

I-V

Suns-Voc

EQE/IQE

Photoluminescence

EL

Ellipsometry

XPS

XRD

Job description

SpaceX is seeking a Materials Engineer for solar cell characterization in Bastrop, TX. You will own offline metrology, build measurement recipes, and analyze data to drive yield and cost improvements across insourced solar cells.

You will collaborate with process, quality, and production teams, applying first-principles thinking and rigorous root-cause analysis. Travel to SpaceX sites and vendors may be required.