Engineer- Manufacturing Technology Scaling II USA

Basic Job Functions

Develop, scale-up, and transfer of new and emerging thin-film manufacturing processes that may include vacuum deposition, wet coatings and cleans, laser process and module packaging, lamination and electrical testing processes.

Qualify and sustain new process equipment in a 24x7 manufacturing environment.

Participate in 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.

Collaborate with cross-functional teams for problem solving and technology scaling.

Datamine and Visualize process and equipment data using industry standard tools like SQL, Python, JMP, PowerBI.

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 I or Manufacturing Engineer I at First Solar.
• Bachelor’s Degree in an engineering discipline or similar technical discipline and 5 years of relevant technical experience or 2 years of experience as a Development Engineer I or Manufacturing Engineer I at First Solar.
• Master’s Degree in an engineering discipline or similar technical discipline and 3 years of relevant technical experience or 2 years of experience as a Development Engineer II or Manufacturing Engineer I at First Solar.
• Ph.D. in engineering discipline or similar technical discipline or 2 years of experience as a Development Engineer I or Manufacturing Engineer I at First Solar.

Required Skills/Competencies

• Demonstrated experience and knowledge in one or more areas including thin film deposition (PVD, ALD, CVD), thermal processing, wet coatings (ink-jet, spray, roll-coating), laser processing, and metrology.
• Demonstrated Hands-On experience in Mechanical and Process troubleshooting.
• Demonstrated Hands-On experience executing experiments in laboratory or manufacturing setting.
• Strong communication skills across technical and non-technical teams.
• Ability to collaborate effectively in cross-functional global teams.
• Strong organizational skills and ownership of assigned responsibilities.

Essential Responsibilities

• Adhere to all safety procedures, protocols and contribute to EHS/Quality improvements.
• Develop, improve, and document robust solar module manufacturing processes.
• Serve as a subject-matter expert for process or equipment sets assigned.
• Design and execute process experiments; analyze and present results.
• Work with equipment OEMs; evaluate, install, and qualify tools.
• Execute continuous improvement plans using Six Sigma methodologies.
• Mentor junior engineers and technicians and provide technical training to operational teams.
• Develop Process Control Plans, FMEAs, Work Instructions, and Troubleshooting Guides.
• Maintain effective cross-functional communication including leadership.

Pay

Estimated Salary Range: $80,700-$115,000 Annually.

Schedule

Travel: 10% - 20%

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 37 pounds on an occasional basis.
• To best service our customers, internal and external, all associates must be able to communicate face-to-face and on the phone with or without reasonable accommodation.

Office Physical Requirements

• All positions in our office require interaction with people and technology while either standing or sitting.

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.