First Solar reserves the right to offer you a role most applicable to your experience and skillset. Basic Job Functions: Sustain sputter deposition equipment and process for R&D coupon line. Drive improvements in throughput, yield, uptime, and process capability within functional area. Perform focused material and device research to enhance thin film solar cell performance/stability and to reduce process variation. Primary/secondary ownership of projects or functional areas within the group. Education/Experience: High School Diploma or equivalent and 20 years of relevant technical experience or 2 years of experience as an Associate Engineer or Development Engineer Technician III at First Solar. Associate's Degree in an engineering discipline or similar technical discipline and 10 years of relevant technical experience or 2 years of experience as an Associate Engineer or Development Engineer Technician III at First Solar. Bachelor's Degree in an engineering discipline or similar technical discipline and 3 years of relevant technical experience or 1 year of experience as an Associate Engineer or Development Engineer Technician III at First Solar. Master's Degree in an engineering discipline or similar technical discipline and 1 year of relevant technical experience or 1 year of experience as an Associate Engineer at First Solar. Required Skills/Competencies: Comprehensive and applied knowledge of plasma sputtering, vacuum systems, thin film photovoltaics, and/or material science. Ability to make and execute detailed plans to achieve objectives with strong sense of ownership. Understands and can apply statistical process controls techniques such as Six Sigma. Skills and hands-on experience in design and execution of experiments in laboratory or manufacturing environment. Statistical and analytical skills to interpret data and derive conclusions. Good communication skills across organizations. Strong interpersonal skills with the capability of collaborating with and developing others. Ability to work with minimum supervision to achieve goals. Essential Responsibilities: Develop and maintain process specifications, work instructions, maintenance plans, and tool fingerprints. Apply statistical process control (SPC) techniques to ensure low process variation and identify opportunities to further improve process capability. Work with maintenance and sputter teams to ensure sputter tools are well maintained and maintenance plans/schedules are being followed. Perform process space mapping to understand how key process inputs are related to key process outputs. Utilize learnings to optimize solar cell performance and define healthy process window. Identify opportunities for improvement in solar cell efficiency, material selection and process/equipment design through engineering, scientific or empirical methods. Apply state of the art techniques for material analysis, statistical analysis of data or execution/planning of experiments. Develop a work plan that can address problems with well understood solution paths. May be responsible to determine and evaluate material specification for improved performance. May be responsible to determine and evaluate tool/equipment specifications. Effective communicator and coordinator within the organization. Effective team member that can support cross-functional project and take ownership of sub-deliverables. May direct work of hourly associates and coach them. Complies with Company's Environmental, Quality, Safety or any other policies that have been enforced. Other duties as assigned. Job description subject to change at any time. Reporting Relationships: Reports to Development Engineer or Development Manager. May have direct reports. Travel: 0% - 5% (On occasion/as needed for training, etc.) Estimated Salary