{"id":3180589,"url":"https://alion.io/job/first-solar-engineer-development-i-usa","title":"Engineer- Development I USA","company":{"id":47033,"name":"First Solar","domain":"firstsolar.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/first-solar","size_band":"1001-5000","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Oracle","truth_index":{"grade":"A","score":85,"open_postings":104,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":0.817,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":6,"computed_at":"2026-10-29T05:49:05Z"}},"role":"Industrial Engineering","role_family":"Industrial Engineering","seniority":"staff","employment_type":null,"work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"explicit","locations":["Santa Clara, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":89440,"max":null,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":89440},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":10,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"AutoCAD","optional":false},{"name":"Ellipsometry","optional":false},{"name":"JMP","optional":false},{"name":"MATLAB","optional":false},{"name":"Minitab","optional":false},{"name":"Python","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-10-23T11:40:33Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-23","last_verified_at":"2026-10-29T04:06:19Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":6,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":6},"description":"First Solar reserves the right to offer you a role most applicable to your experience and skillset.\nBasic Job Functions:\nPerform material and device research to enhance thin film solar cell performance and stability and to reduce manufacturing cost.\nResponsible for projects or functions that are highly complex require significant innovation and critical to department objectives.\nPlan, execute and characterize development engineering experiments in the laboratory and manufacturing environment with strategic foresight. Drives actions with strategic foresight.\nApplies statistical and engineering methods to optimize organizational effectiveness. Improves methods for use by others.\nEducation/Experience:\nAssociate’s Degree in an engineering discipline or similar technical discipline and 10 years of relevant technical experience or 2 years of experience as an Associate Engineer or Development Engineer Technician III at First Solar.\nBachelor’s Degree in an engineering or material science discipline and 3 years of relevant technical experience or 2 years of experience as an Associate Engineer or Development Engineer Technician III at First Solar.\nMaster’s Degree in an engineering or material science discipline and 1 year of relevant technical experience or 2 year of experience as an Associate Engineer at First Solar.\nRequired Skills/Competencies:\nRequired experience: Hands-on experience in laser-scribing development, laser equipment operation/troubleshooting for thin film devices.\nGood insight for thin film materials, multilayer device structures, and experience with process integration in relevant fields (PV, display, semiconductor)\nAbility to experimental design, data analysis, and root-cause analysis to optimize processes.\nWorking knowledge with characterization methods, such as microscopy, profilometry, or electrical testing, SEM, XRD, TOFSIMS, XRF, Ellipsometry etc.\nStrong technical documentation (SOP, QCP, training matrix), communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.\nFamiliarity with DOE and statistical analysis tools such as JMP, Minitab, MATLAB, or Python.\nFamiliarity with AutoCad for precision design\n\nPreferred experience:Experience with perovskite solar cells or modules.\nExperience with inkjet printhead operation, waveform optimization, jetting stability, and functional inks.\nAbility to correlate laser and printing processes with PV device efficiency, FF, resistance, yield, and reliability, and implement improvement\nExperience transferring processes from laboratory development to pilot-line or manufacturing environments.\n\nAbility to work independently with no supervision.\nAbility to follow Safe Work Practices. Full understanding of LOTO.\nAbility to communicate on a regular basis with all levels of associates. \nExcellent written and oral presentation skills.\nDemonstrated strength in critical thinking, attention to detail.\nGood team player, accountable, agile, and go-getter.\nWilling to work after hours or long hours when responding to deadlines or urgent situations.\nEssential Responsibilities:\nOwner of patterning process development for perovskite solar modules, including laser scribe process and inkjet print process.\nDevelop, optimize, and qualify laser-scribing processes for perovskite solar cells and interconnected modules. Evaluate nano-, pico-, and femtosecond laser technologies for selective material removal. Evaluate laser sources, beam-delivery optics, galvanometer scanners, translation stages, vision systems, extraction systems, and process-monitoring technologies. \nEstablish robust process windows for scribes, edge deletion, perimeter isolation, contact opening processes, without damaging underlying electrodes, substrates, or adjacent functional layers. Minimize laser-induced defects. \nOptimize laser parameters, such as wavelength, pulse duration and energy, repetition rate, scan speed, pulse overlap, spot size, beam profile, focus position, number of passes, etc.\nDevelop alignment strategies between laser patterns, printed features, coated layers, and substrate fiducials, etc. \nOptimize layout, including scribe width, overlap, and interconnect geometry to maximize active area, module geometric resistance , & efficiency.\nEstablish SOP and PM procedure for laser processes and tool maintenance.\nTroubleshoot laser process related issues, improve yield and thruput.\nExtra responsibility may include development of inkjet print process\nEvaluate printheads, nozzle technologies, fluid-delivery systems, waveform-control capabilities, drop-watchers, substrate handling, and environmental controls.\nDevelop stable jetting conditions by optimizing: printhead waveform, drop volume and velocity, jetting frequency, ink/printhead temperature, nozzle-to-substrate distance, printing speed, drop spacing, print resolution, number of passes, printing sequence and direction, etc.\nCharacterize ink properties, including viscosity, surface tension, density, particle size and distribution, solvent evaporation behavior, shelf life, chemical compatibility with printhead components, etc.\nOptimize interactions among ink, substrate, and deposited device layers.\nControl wetting, coalescence, drying, crystallization, and surface/interface quality.\nOptimize drying, annealing, curing, or photonic post-treatment to achieve required film properties without degrading sensitive device structures underneath.\nDevelop alignment strategies for area selective printing or patterning.\nPrevent and resolve printing issues, including missing jets, nozzle clogging, satellite droplets, non-uniform line width, line breaks, etc.\nDevelop SOP and PM procedure.\n\nSupport laser scribe and inkjet print operations. Own and respond to urgent tool recovery needs.\nComply with Company's Environmental, Quality, Safety or any other policies that have been enforced.\nOther duties as assigned\nJob description subject to change at any time.\nReporting Relationships:\nReports to Development Engineer III or Manager- Device Research\n\nMay have direct reports.\nTravel:\nUp to 10% domestic and international\n\nEstimated Salary Range:\n89,440 USD per year- 127, 400 USD per year\n\nUS Physical Requirements:\nWill sit, stand or walk short distances for up to the entire duration of a shift.\nWill climb stairs on an occasional basis.\nWill lift, push or pull up to 37 pounds on an occasional basis.\nRequired to use hands to grasp, lift, handle, carry or feel objects on a frequent basis.\n20/40 vision in each eye, with or without correction, is required.\nMust be able to comply with all safety standards and procedures.\nMay reach above shoulder heights and below the waist on a frequent basis.\nMay stoop, kneel, or bend, on an occasional basis.\nThe ability to wear personal protective equipment is required (including but not limited to; steel toed shoes, gloves, safety glasses, hearing protection, protective jacket or apron and arm guards).\nAll associates working on the production floor may be required to wear a respirator at any given time and thus, the ability to wear a respirator is a condition of employment and continued employment (requires little or no facial hair).\nPotential candidates will meet the education and experience requirements provided on the above job description and excel in completing the listed responsibilities for this role. All candidates receiving an offer of employment must successfully complete a background check and any other tests that may be required.\nEqual Opportunity Employer Statement: First Solar is an Equal Opportunity Employer that values and respects the importance of a diverse and inclusive workforce. It is the policy of the company to recruit, hire, train and promote persons in all job titles without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity. 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