PECVD Process Engineer, Solar Cells (Starlink)

PECVD PROCESS ENGINEER, SOLAR CELLS (STARLINK)

As a solar cell process engineer on Starlink, you will spearhead state of the art production processes for an internal solar cell production line, providing high efficiency and high-quality solar cells for both our latest generation Starlink satellites and for Starship missions to the Moon and Mars. You will work through the life cycle of setting up a greenfield solar cell production plant, including equipment procurement, plant design/layout, equipment commissioning and ramp-up, recipe and process development, and working to develop a world-class production team and environment.

As a PECVD Process Engineer, you will own the development, optimization, and scaling of Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) processes critical for depositing the intrinsic and doped hydrogenated amorphous and nanocrystalline silicon layers that passivate the wafer surface and form the carrier-selective contacts of high-efficiency SHJ cells. You will develop and iterate on the manufacturing processes and recipes to achieve a state-of-the-art silicon cell efficiency, low defect rate and cost, and high reliability cell for space-based applications. Your work will form the backbone of the Starlink network (photons of sunlight in is directly proportional to photons of data out to customers!) and help provide internet to tens of millions of customers all around the world.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Design, qualify, and optimize PECVD processes for SHJ intrinsic passivation layers and p-type/n-type doped layers, ensuring film thickness uniformity, passivation quality (minority carrier lifetime, implied Voc), doping efficiency, and contact resistivity at GW-scale volumes
• Lead process development for new toolsets and materials, including gas chemistry, plasma power and frequency, pressure, temperature, and electrode gap optimization to support state of the art efficiency cells
• Own chamber conditioning strategy, including seasoning, in-situ/remote plasma clean recipes, and clean intervals, to control particles, cross-contamination, and run-to-run drift while maximizing tool uptime
• Partner closely with the CVD Equipment Engineering team on tool qualification, chamber matching, preventive maintenance recovery, and throughput (UPH) improvements
• Responsible for developing, implementing, and maintaining new and/or improved manufacturing processes, equipment, technologies, and facilities
• Analyze production processes and machinery from a first principles, physics-based approach
• Develop experiments to diagnose and correct manufacturing problems, utilizing robust DOE and statistical methodologies. Optimize process conditions and materials to improve the optical and electrical quality of solar cells
• Perform defect characterization and analysis to determine root cause and develop action plans to improve yields
• Develop project plans, budgets, and cost/benefit analysis for implementation of new processes or machines
• Own and perform machine activation and testing with a small team of engineers and technicians
• Prepare detailed content for technical design reviews. Demonstrate extreme ownership of the production outcome of the Starlink solar factory across yield, uptime, and cost

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline
• 1+ years of experience in system design, analysis, and/or system implementation (internship and extracurricular experience is applicable)

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Master's degree or Ph.D. in chemistry, chemical engineering, materials science, physics, or related technical discipline
• 5+ years of hands-on experience in PECVD process engineering, preferably in SHJ/HJT or TOPCon solar, semiconductor, or display manufacturing
• Proven track record of scaling PECVD processes to high-volume production (>1GW/year equivalent)
• Strong understanding of vacuum systems, plasma physics, gas-phase and surface chemistry, and thin-film growth of amorphous and nanocrystalline silicon
• Deep understanding of SHJ surface passivation and carrier-selective contacts, including epitaxial growth suppression, hydrogen content and bonding, and band alignment at the a-Si:H/c-Si interface
• Hands-on experience with thin-film and PV characterization techniques (e.g., spectroscopic ellipsometry, FTIR, Raman crystallinity, dark/photo conductivity, Sinton lifetime, PL/EL)
• Experience safely handling pyrophoric, toxic, and flammable process gases (e.g., silane, phosphine, diborane)
• Experience with SPC, DoE, and lean manufacturing principles
• Ability to work in a cleanroom environment
• Hands-on experience working with complex fluid or mechanical based production systems in a professional setting
• Experience transitioning products from design to manufacturing and scaling to high volume as part of a cross-functional team
• Self-motivated with strong organizational, written, and oral communication skills
• Experience with solar cell manufacturing equipment, such as wet chemical processing equipment, PE-CVD equipment, PVD machines, metallization and final test equipment, and wafer inspection equipment. Experience in hot-wire CVD, evaporation tools, and ALD tools are a plus.
• Experience or expertise with perovskite solar cells or perovskite tandem solar cells
• Experience with micro-structure analysis tools (SEM, TEM, EDX, SIMS, etc.) and optical/electrical characterization tools (UV-VIS, I-V, Resistance, etc.)
• Familiarity with large-area, high-throughput PECVD platforms (in-line and cluster/batch) and automation/integration for inline production
• Proficiency in data analysis/scripting (Python, R, SQL) and plasma or device simulation tools (e.g., COMSOL, Quokka, AFORS-HET)
• Experience in cost-of-ownership modeling, capex justification, and fab ramp-ups to multi-GW scales
• Passion for sustainable energy and space technology; prior work in photovoltaics at GW-scale a plus

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Ability to travel frequently for work, potentially for extended periods of time during machine buyoffs and startup
• Ability to lift 25 lbs. unassisted
• Lifting, standing, climbing, bending, grasping, sitting, pulling, pushing, stooping, stretching, and carrying are generally required to perform the functions of this position
• Must be willing to work extended hours and weekends as needed

ITAR REQUIREMENTS:

• To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. a7 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. a7 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.