Sr Materials Engineer, Wet Processing (Ingot/Wafer)

SR MATERIALS ENGINEER, WET PROCESSING (INGOT/WAFER)

Starlink is building the world's largest satellite constellation to deliver fast, reliable internet to people who need it most-and powering that constellation starts on the factory floor. We are insourcing solar cell manufacturing end-to-end, from crystal growth and ingot production through wafering and cell fabrication, to drive performance, cost, and scale at every step. High-efficiency, high-reliability cells made in-house are the backbone of the Starlink network: more photons in means more data out to customers around the world.

As a Sr. Materials Engineer for wet processing, you will set the technical bar for the chemistry, materials, and surface-quality outcomes of the wet steps that turn silicon ingots into production-ready wafers. That includes degumming, saw-damage etch, wafer cleaning, surface conditioning, chemical recycle/reclaim, and the wet-process chemicals that feed them. You will own the wet-process strategy from path-finding through golden-line and high-volume hand-off; solve the hardest contamination, etch, and supply-chain problems that stand between us and reliable wafer production at rate; and mentor partner teams on first-principles wet chemistry. If you are passionate about solving hard problems, anchor your engineering judgment with first-principles thinking, and are relentless about acting with urgency, this role is for you.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Own and drive strategy for wet-process materials and chemistry across silicon ingot and wafer production-degumming, saw-damage etch, cleaning, surface conditioning, and silicon recycle/reclaim-from path-finding and tool/recipe qualification through production-ready baths, specs, and long-term lifecycle management
• Lead cross-functional efforts with process, equipment, quality, production, supply chain, and water treatment to source, qualify, and dual-source critical wet chemicals and consumables that reduce risk and support aggressive scale and cost targets
• Define and own chemical requirements, bath recipes, concentration windows, lifetime limits, and acceptance criteria; ensure they accurately reflect process needs, contamination budgets, quality standards, and manufacturability at rate
• Architect and execute rigorous wet-process qualification programs-including characterization, process trials, reliability assessment, and production-readiness reviews-then drive clean hand-off into manufacturing
• Serve as the primary technical escalation for wet-process, contamination, and surface-quality issues; lead root cause investigations to first principles and implement durable, data-driven corrective actions with urgency
• Apply deep materials and surface-chemistry fundamentals (etch kinetics, oxide/HF chemistry, metal gettering and contamination, particle adhesion, bath aging) to anticipate failure modes, guide selection, and unlock performance or cost gains
• Identify and champion path-finding opportunities-alternative chemistries, new suppliers, bath-life extension, recycle/reclaim, or process changes-that deliver measurable improvements in wafer quality, cell efficiency, yield, uptime, and cost, while remaining compatible with UPW and closed-loop/ZLD wastewater constraints
• Stand up wet-process and wet-lab capability at a high technical bar; own bath monitoring strategy, filtration and chemical-delivery requirements, data integrity, and SPC so results can be trusted for process decisions
• Mentor peers and partner teams on wet-process problem solving, engineering judgment, and qualification best practices; hold a high bar for technical rigor, safety, and chemical handling across the organization
• Communicate technical status, risks, and strategic recommendations to leadership; align priorities and secure support for critical wet-process initiatives. Champion a culture of safety, quality, and extreme ownership in all chemical handling, wet-bench, lab, and manufacturing activities

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in materials science, materials engineering, chemical engineering, or a STEM discipline
• 5+ years of professional experience in wet chemical processing, surface chemistry, semiconductor/PV wafer processing, process materials, or manufacturing materials support

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Master's or PhD in materials science, materials engineering, chemical engineering, or in a related technical discipline
• Proven track record owning silicon wet processes from development through qualification and high-volume production (alkaline and/or mixed-acid etch, RCA or equivalent cleans, HF last, degumming, slurry or diamond-wire coolant chemistry, wafer surface conditioning)
• Deep hands-on experience owning bath chemistry-concentration control, lifetime optimization, filtration, rinse/dryer performance, and particle control-on wet benches or inline wet tools in a 24/7 manufacturing setting
• Strong expertise in contamination control (metallic, organic, particulate) and linking surface/chemical state to minority-carrier lifetime and downstream cell performance
• Strong expertise in materials characterization (e.g., ICP-MS / TXRF / VPD, FTIR, TOC, SEM-EDS, XPS, optical microscopy, surface roughness, particle inspection, four-point probe, QSSPC/PL lifetime) and linking material/process variables to performance
• Experience partnering with supply chain on technical sourcing, supplier development, dual-sourcing, and reducing single-source risk for critical wet chemicals and consumables
• Experience with chemical delivery systems, wet-process equipment, pumps, filtration, temperature control, and hazardous chemical handling/abatement; familiarity with scaling wet tools from pilot to high volume
• Experience with UPW quality requirements and industrial wastewater constraints for PV/semiconductor wet processes (fluoride, silica, metals, COD), including closed-loop/ZLD tradeoffs
• Demonstrated ability to lead ambiguous, high-scope technical problems; apply first principles, iterate rapidly, and deliver durable solutions under aggressive timelines
• Hands-on experience in a high-volume manufacturing or fab environment; comfortable on the production floor and partnering closely with operators, process engineers, equipment engineers, and quality teams
• Comfortable with data analysis (Python, JMP, MATLAB, or equivalent) and SPC for bath and wafer metrics
• Passion for building, mentoring, and owning outcomes end-to-end; thrives in a fast-paced, scrappy environment with tight timelines and aggressive schedules
• Thorough, detail-oriented engineer who still acts with urgency and ships solutions
• Excellent written and interpersonal communication skills; able to influence and convey technical concepts across all levels of the organization
• Self-motivated with strong organizational skills and a bias toward action

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Willingness to travel to other SpaceX sites and/or vendors as needed (up to 25%)
• Ability to lift up to 25 lbs unassisted
• Ability to stand/walk for extended periods in the lab and on the manufacturing floor
• Willingness to work extended hours and weekends as needed to support manufacturing, tool bring-up, and critical milestones
• Must be comfortable working in a production and laboratory environment using hazardous chemicals such as acids, alkalis, oxidizers, and solvents
• Must be able to wear appropriate PPE for lab and electro-chemical manufacturing environments