First Solar reserves the right to offer you a role most applicable to your experience and skillset.
Basic Job Functions:
- Work cross-functionally with Development Engineering, Integrated Supply-Chain, Environmental-Health-Safety and Quality & Reliability teams to scale and qualify new technology into high volume manufacturing.
- Provide technical leadership across Photovoltaic Manufacturing Processes including design and development of process, equipment, and systems in a manufacturing setting.
- Define equipment and process requirements, refine vendor proposals, and lead the qualification of new process equipment through development and ramp to 24x7 manufacturing.
- Equipment and Process troubleshooting to meet and improve Safety, Throughput, Yield and Performance benchmarks.
- Use structured problem-solving (e.g., DMAIC, 8D) and statistical methods (DOE, SPC) to identify, test, and implement continuous improvements.
- Datamine and visualize process and equipment data using industry standard tools like SQL, Python, JMP, Power-BI; define and set-up visualization and data collection to enable process control.
- Author white papers for process and equipment changes per Change Management System needs.
Education/Experience:
- Associate's Degree in an engineering discipline or similar technical discipline and 12 years of relevant technical experience or 2 years of experience as a Development Engineer II or Manufacturing Engineer II at First Solar.
- Bachelor's Degree in an engineering discipline or similar technical discipline and 10 years of relevant technical experience or 2 years of experience as a Development Engineer II or Manufacturing Engineer II at First Solar.
- Master's Degree in an engineering discipline or similar technical discipline and 8 years of relevant technical experience or 2 years of experience as a Development Engineer II or Manufacturing Engineer II at First Solar.
- Ph.D. in an engineering discipline or similar technical discipline and 5 years of relevant technical experience or 2 years of experience as a Development Engineer II or Manufacturing Engineer II at First Solar.
- Prior experience in a Semiconductor or PV R&D or Mfg Setting in one or more of the following areas Thin-Film Deposition (Magnetron Sputtering, CVD, evaporation) OR Thermal processing in semiconductor or glass industry (continuous or batch ovens) OR Wet Coatings (Slot-Die, Ink-Jet, Roller or Blade Coating), Automation (Robots and AGV Material Handling) OR Laser Processing (Scribing, Cleaning, Marking) OR Process/ Device Integration (Semiconductor or PV R&D or Mfg Setting) is required.
Required Skills/Competencies:
Technical leadership in cross-functional and cross-site settings; ability to work with minimal supervision.
Outstanding knowledge in two or more areas including thin film deposition (PVD, ALD, CVD), thermal processing, wet coatings (ink-jet, spray, roll-coating), laser-material interactions, solar or IC device fabrication, process and device integration, and metrology.
Proficient with demonstrable experience in Process Maps, Process Documentation including Control Plans, Statistical Process Controls, FMEAs.
Experienced in technology development concepts like Robust Engineering, Design of Experiments and Design for Manufacturability.
Demonstrated Hands-On experience in Equipment and Process troubleshooting; excellent in structured methods for problem solving in a manufacturing environment.
Specifying New Equipment for Manufacturing, and Vendor engagement through Design, Build and Qualification.
Strong communication skills and ability to develop and deliver technical training and documentation.
Prior experience in Manufacturing or Technology development teams within Semiconductor, Photovoltaic, Flat-Panel Display, Architectural Glas