Full Job Description
We're looking for a Sr. Lab Engineer to own the test lab that supports our solar array development team. This isn't a device-physics role - it's a lab operations role for someone who has spent years running precision test equipment, keeping data clean and traceable, and being the person a team of scientists and engineers trusts to get a test set up right, run it correctly, and know when something looks off. Your primary customers will be senior solar scientists. You'll work with them, translating their test needs into well-run, well-documented lab operations, and giving them direct feedback on test setups, fixturing, and equipment capability.
Export Control Requirement: Due to applicable export control laws and regulations, candidates must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (i.e., current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.
Key job responsibilities
• Own the day-to-day operation of the photovoltaic test lab, including equipment calibration schedules, preventive maintenance, and lab readiness for solar cell and module test campaigns
• Partner directly with senior solar scientists to scope test requirements, then design and execute the test setups, fixturing, and data collection methods that meet those requirements
• Provide direct technical feedback on proposed test setups and equipment choices, drawing on hands-on experience to flag issues before they cost the team time
• Manage and prioritize concurrent test requests across multiple scientists and programs, communicating status, risk, and trade-offs clearly
• Own data integrity and traceability for all test outputs - consistent formatting, version control, calibration records, and documentation that others can pick up and trust
• Troubleshoot equipment and test setup issues at the root cause, working with vendors when equipment service is required
• Develop and maintain test procedures, work instructions, and lab documentation; train other lab staff on equipment and methods
• Drive lab-wide process improvements (layout, tooling tracking, calibration systems) and mentor other lab engineers
A day in the life
As a Sr. Lab Engineer, you'll split your time between hands-on equipment operation and coordinating with the scientists who rely on your lab. You might start the morning checking a solar simulator's calibration ahead of a test run, then sit down with a senior scientist to scope a new test fixture for an upcoming module characterization. Mid-day could involve troubleshooting a data acquisition issue on an environmental chamber, or reviewing test data with a colleague to make sure it's clean and properly logged before it feeds into someone else's analysis. You'll be the steady hand that keeps test campaigns moving accurately and on schedule, even as priorities shift.
About the team
The Amazon Leo Development Operations (DevOps) team supports the Satellite Vehicle Engineering organization's solar array development effort, providing the lab infrastructure, equipment, and test execution that our solar scientists depend on. The team supports multiple concurrent programs spanning production satellites, next-generation module development, and advanced solar cell R&D. Priorities shift quickly, and you'll take on new responsibilities as needed to keep the lab running and the team successful.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor's degree or above in Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial Engineering, or related STEM field
- 6+ years of experience operating and maintaining precision lab test equipment in an electrical, electro-optical, or similar high-precision test environment
- Demonstrated experience managing equipment calibration, preventive maintenance, and equipment uptime in a lab setting
- Experience designing and setting up test fixtures and data acquisition setups for complex electrical or electro-optical measurements
- Demonstrated ability to maintain clean, traceable, and well-organized test data and documentation
- Experience troubleshooting complex lab equipment and test setups to root cause
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience with photovoltaic or other electro-optical characterization equipment, such as solar simulators, I-V curve tracers, or spectral response/QE systems
- Experience developing measurement uncertainty budgets and calibration procedures, including reference standards, calibration chains, and drift monitoring
- Experience training or mentoring other lab technicians/engineers on equipment and methods
- Experience partnering directly with research scientists or PhD-level engineers to translate research needs into lab execution
- Familiarity with environmental test methods (thermal cycling, thermal vacuum, radiation testing) in an aerospace or R&D context
- Experience leading lab process improvement initiatives (tooling tracking, layout, documentation systems)
The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.
USA, WA, Redmond - 136,900.00 - 185,200.00 USD annually
