Development Engineer III

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First Solar reserves the right to offer you a role most applicable to your experience and skillset

Basic Job Functions:

• Perform material and device research to enhance thin film solar cell performance and stability and to reduce manufacturing cost.
• Responsible for projects or functions that are highly complex, require significant innovation and critical to department objectives.
• Plan, execute and characterize development engineering experiments in the laboratory and manufacturing environment with strategic foresight. Drives actions with strategic foresight.
• Applies statistical and engineering methods to optimize organizational effectiveness. Improves methods for use by others.

Education/Experience:

• Associate's Degree in an engineering discipline or similar technical discipline and 20 years of relevant technical experience or 2 years of experience as a Development 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 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 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 at First Solar.

Required Skills/Competencies:

• In depth knowledge of innovative new material development & identification in order to enhance the surface/interface and bulk properties required for high efficiency PV devices.
• In depth knowledge of key material properties (such as doping, defects in bulk/interface, band bending) with material synthesis steps.
• Solid knowledge in vacuum technology and various thin film deposition including PVD, CVD, ALD, evaporation, coating, etc
• Technical expert and innovator in one area of photovoltaic processes and/or equipment development.
• Expert and hands on experience in laboratory or manufacturing environment.
• In depth knowledge in several fields from the list of photovoltaic device theory, materials science, process engineering, characterization techniques and other fields relevant to First Solar's technology.
• Strong sense of project ownership with hands-on and can-do attitude.
Strong communication skills across organizations.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Identify opportunities for improvement in solar cell efficiency, material selection and process/equipment design through engineering, scientific or empirical methods.
• Improve state of the art techniques for material analysis, statistical analysis of data, or execution planning of experiments. Develop a work plan that have unclear solution paths.
• May be responsible to determine and evaluate material specification for improved performance. May be responsible to determine and evaluate tool/equipment specifications.
• Effective communicator with internal and external partners and customers. Effective team member that can support cross-functional projects and take ownership of sub-deliverables.
• May train, mentor and manage junior and peers on specific subject matters.
• Complies with Company's Environmental, Quality, Safety or any other policies that have been enforced. Contributes to continuous improvement of said policies.
• Other duties as assigned.
• subject to change at any time.

Reporting Relationships:

• This position will report to Senior Member of Technical Staff

Estimated Salary Range:

• $100,000- $157,000 per year

US Physical Requirements:

Hybrid Physical Requirements:

• Will sit, stand or walk short distances for up to the entire duration of a shift
• Will climb stairs on an occasional basis
• Will lift, push or pull up to 27 pounds on an occasional basis
• Required to use hands to grasp, lift, handle, carry or feel objects on a frequent basis
• 20/40 vision in each eye, with or without correction, is required
• Must be able to comply with all safety standards and procedures
• May reach above shoulder heights and below the waist on a frequent basis
• May stoop, kneel, or bend, on an occasional basis
• 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)
All 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)

Potential candidates will meet the education and experience requirements provided on the above and excel in completing the listed responsibilities for this role. All candidates receiving an offer of employment must successfully complete a background check band any other tests that may be required.

Equal 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. We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a driving force in the success of our company.