Materials R&D Technician - Level 4/5

About the role

As a Materials R&D Technician, Silicon Wafer Engineering on Starlink, you will partner directly with engineering to rapidly bring online state-of-the-art silicon wafer fab R&D lines to develop and refine recipes for producing high-quality wafers. These wafers will feed internal solar cell fabrication for our next generation Starlink satellites and Starship missions to the Moon and Mars. You will be responsible for silicon wafer fabrication equipment commissioning, process development, monitoring and troubleshooting equipment, characterizing wafer quality, and transferring a stable process to the production teams.

Responsibilities

• Partner with engineering to rapidly bring online state-of-the art silicon wafer fab development lines that include wafer slicing, grinding, cleaning, degumming, and inspection stations.
• Drive equipment commissioning, calibration, troubleshooting, and maintenance.
• Perform hands-on wafer processing tasks (ingot cropping, slicing, cleaning, degumming, surface conditioning) to produce low-defect, high-reliability wafers.
• Execute DOEs to optimize silicon recycling procedures and minimize contamination of raw materials.
• Test and evaluate supplier materials (slurries, wires, adhesives, wet process chemicals) through contamination analysis and performance checks.
• Perform silicon wafer characterization; ensure associated lab equipment is maintained and calibrated.
• Safely handle chemicals and adhere to all EHS protocols to maintain a safe work environment.
• Ensure 5S standards and cleanroom protocols are upheld by maintaining a clean and organized work area.
• Participate in training exercises for production silicon wafer fabrication technicians, as needed.

Basic Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent certification.
• 5+ years of hands-on experience in semiconductor wafer manufacturing, cleanroom operations, or high-tech production (photovoltaics or silicon processing).
• 1+ years of experience handling flammable, toxic, corrosive, and/or hazardous chemicals safely.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Bachelor's or associate's degree in a STEM field.
• 7+ years of hands-on experience in silicon wafer manufacturing, with focus on slicing, cleaning, defect mechanisms, contamination control (metallic, organic, particulate), and surface chemistry.
• Experience using and maintaining silicon wafer characterization techniques and equipment, including ICP-MS, GDMS, XRT, SEM/TEM, FTIR, resistivity mapping, and minority carrier lifetime testing (PL).
• Proven ability to understand and accurately follow complex manufacturing procedures and adhere to safety requirements; strong attention to detail.
• Strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills to work closely with engineering, other technicians, and cross-functional teams.
• Ability to identify and maintain priorities for work scope.
• Ability to rapidly change roles/responsibilities while working independently in a high-paced, challenging work environment with minimal oversight.

Additional Requirements

• Must be open to work all shifts, overtime and/or weekends as needed.
• Must be comfortable working in a production environment using hazardous chemicals such as acids, alkalis, and solvents.
• Must be able to wear appropriate PPE for lab and electro-chemical manufacturing environment.
• Must be able to walk and stand for long periods of time.
• Must be able to lift 25 lbs. unassisted.
• Must be comfortable with climbing up and down ladders, grasping, standing, lifting, bending, pulling, pushing, stooping, stretching, carrying, crawling, and maneuvering in tight spaces.

Itar Requirements

• To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.