The opportunity
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.
What you'll do
Own and operate the solar cell reliability lab: equipment strategy, capability roadmap, calibration, maintenance, safety, throughput, and data integrity for HJT cell and coupon reliability testing
Define, execute, and continuously improve the space reliability test matrix: for HJT solar cells (e.g., thermal cycling, thermal vacuum, humidity/damp heat as applicable, UV/photo-stability, reverse bias / hotspot, mechanical shock/vibration at cell/coupon level, radiation exposure coordination, and accelerated life tests)
Build and own the reliability narrative for flight and program reviews: failure modes, physics of failure, acceleration models, life predictions, margins, and acceptance/qualification logic that ties lab data to on-orbit performance
Partner with HJT process and equipment engineering (texturing, PECVD/a-Si: stacks, TCO, metallization, module integration) to link process parameters, metrology, and in-line defects to reliability outcomes; drive corrective actions and design-for-reliability changes
Establish reliability gates for process changes, tool qualifications,: material substitutions, and supplier changes; own risk assessment (FMEA/PFMEA interfaces), sampling plans, and release criteria
Develop and maintain test methods, SOPs, fixturing, and automation for: high-throughput, statistically defensible reliability characterization; ensure methods are transferable and auditable
What they're looking for
- Lead root cause analysis on reliability failures (electrical, optical,: interfacial, mechanical, environmental) using SEM/FIB, EDS, FTIR, PL/EL, IV, quantum efficiency, adhesion, and other failure-analysis techniques; close the loop with manufacturing and design
- Define and track reliability KPIs (e.g., degradation rates, wear-out: distributions, infant mortality, lot-to-lot variation, correlation of accelerated tests to flight-like stress) and report status to leadership with clear recommendations
- Interface with power systems, structures, thermal, radiation effects,: quality, and flight reliability teams so cell-level reliability is coherent with array/module and spacecraft environments
- Support flight anomaly investigation and on-orbit performance trending;: update models and test strategies as flight data matures.
