Solar Cell Quality Engineer (Starlink)

SpaceX was founded under the belief that a future where humanity is out exploring the stars is fundamentally more exciting than one where we are not. Today SpaceX is actively developing the technologies to make this possible, with the ultimate goal of enabling human life on Mars.

SOLAR CELL QUALITY ENGINEER (STARLINK)

Starlink believes in providing fast, reliable internet to those that need it most. We design, build, and launch the world's largest and most advanced satellite constellation that is capable of delivering high-speed internet to even the most remote locations. As we vertically integrate critical hardware, we are building and scaling heterojunction (HJT) solar cell production to power spacecraft and constellation assets with higher efficiency, lower mass, and proven reliability in the space environment.

We are looking for a Solar Cell Quality Engineer who will own the quality of the solar cell fab—and ensure no defective cells escape downstream or to space. You will own inline and offline cell metrology (offline metrology lab, inline IV test, EL/PL, and related inspection/sort) and define the test methods, sampling frequency, and acceptance logic the factory runs to. Your work will form the backbone of the Starlink network (photons of sunlight in is directly proportional to photons of data out to customers!) and help provide internet to tens of millions of customers all around the world. Your work will ensure our solar cells deliver unmatched power density and durability for Starship, Starlink, AI Sat, and deep-space missions. Your work will form the backbone of the Starlink network (photons of sunlight in is directly proportional to photons of data out to customers!) and help provide internet to tens of millions of customers all around the world.

• Own quality of the solar cell fab: prevent escapes to module assembly, satellite integration, and flight; drive containment and disposition when product or process is out of family

• Own inline and offline cell metrology as a system, including the offline metrology lab, inline I-V testers, EL/PL, and related inspection equipment (ellipsometry, SEM/EDS, Raman, FTIR, microscopy, 4pt probe, hall effect measurement, optical measurements, etc.).

• Define test methods, sampling frequency, acceptance criteria, and reaction plans for in-process and end-of-line cell measurements

• Own sorter/binning from a process and quality standpoint: bin definitions, grade gates, retest rules, and hold/release logic

• Establish and maintain MSA/GR&R, calibration, correlation, and golden-sample programs so inline and lab data can be trusted

• Build SPC, spec limits, and out-of-control action plans on the metrics that catch yield, reliability, and flight risk

• Own documentation for quality and metrology tools and methods (SOPs, work instructions, PMs, training) and be the SME for those tools through install, commissioning, and ramp

• Partner with process and equipment engineering (texturing, PECVD/a-Si stacks, TCO, metallization) so in-process metrology catches drifts before they become lots of scrap—or lots of escapes

• Partner with the solar cell reliability engineer so factory screens (I-V, EL/PL, visual, mechanical) protect the space-qualification envelope rather than duplicating or missing it

• Lead root cause analysis on quality escapes and metrology failures (electrical, optical, interfacial, mechanical) using I-V, EL/PL, lifetime, sheet resistance, ellipsometry, and other characterization; close the loop with manufacturing

• Define and track quality KPIs (e.g., escape rate, first-pass yield, metrology OEE, GR&R, lot-to-lot variation, containment cycle time) and report status to