Sr. Materials Engineer (Starlink)
Core
Own critical consumables for end-to-end solar cell manufacturing (ingot growth through cell fabrication) to enable high-volume, high-reliability production for the Starlink satellite constellation.
Role type
Senior IC Materials Engineer (Manufacturing)
Builds
High-efficiency solar cells for Starlink satellites
Domain
Aerospace / Solar Energy Manufacturing
Deliverable
production ML models | product features | dashboards & analysis | research | client delivery | infrastructure | physical/clinical work
Required skills
Materials fundamentals (metals, polymers, crystals, ceramics, coatings), supplier qualification, material characterization (SEM-EDS, XRD, FTIR, XPS, microscopy), root cause analysis, process trials, production readiness reviews, cross-functional leadership, first principles thinking
Preferred skills
Master's or PhD in materials science/chemical engineering, high-volume manufacturing experience, hands-on floor presence, dual-sourcing strategy, mentoring
Technologies
SEM-EDS, XRD, FTIR, XPS, optical microscopy
Responsibilities
Drive strategy for consumable materials from supplier selection through production hand-off; lead cross-functional efforts to source and qualify critical materials; define material requirements and acceptance criteria; execute material qualification programs; lead root cause investigations; apply materials fundamentals to anticipate failure modes and unlock performance gains; mentor peers on materials problem solving; communicate technical status and risks to leadership.
Seniority
Senior, hands-on IC