Chemical / Materials Engineer – Space Solar

The role

You will work with senior chemists on materials and chemistries for solar cells and encapsulation systems. You will support development, characterization, and scale-up work by running experiments and building process workflows.

What you will do

• Support development and optimization of chemistries and processes across cell materials, polymer encapsulation, and barrier systems
• Run experiments, characterize materials, and analyze data to inform chemistry and process decisions
• Build and maintain lab workflows, sample tracking, and characterization pipelines
• Perform materials and device characterization using XRD, XPS, FTIR, DSC, TGA, SEM, photoluminescence, IV, and stability/degradation testing
• Partner with senior chemists on root-cause investigations
• Support scale-up of bench-level chemistry into manufacturing
• Contribute to environmental stability strategies
• Maintain lab safety, chemical inventory, and contamination control practices
• Simplify chemistries, reduce process steps, and cut overhead

Required qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in chemistry, chemical engineering, materials science, applied physics, or a related discipline
• 1+ years of hands-on experience with thin-film photovoltaic, optoelectronic, polymer, or related materials (internship and academic research applicable)
• Working knowledge of materials characterization techniques and the ability to interpret chemical, thermal, and electrical data
• Demonstrated ability to run experiments, collect and analyze data, and draw conclusions from bench work

Nice to have

• Master's degree in a relevant discipline
• Direct experience with thin-film PV, OLED, OPV, or related solution-processed optoelectronic materials
• Hands-on experience with polymer chemistry — encapsulants, adhesives, barrier films, or bonded joints
• Experience with solution-processed deposition methods (spin coating, blade coating, slot-die coating) or polymer curing and lamination
• Proficiency with common characterization techniques — XRD, XPS, FTIR, DSC, TGA, SEM, AFM, photoluminescence, IV, EQE
• Experience translating bench chemistry to larger-area or pilot-scale processes
• Familiarity with glovebox operations, cleanroom protocols, and chemical safety
• Experience using Python, MATLAB, or comparable tools for data analysis
• Exposure to aerospace, space, or other high-reliability hardware environments

Benefits

• Health, dental, vision, and retirement plans
• Paid time off, holidays, and flexible policies
• Professional growth opportunities through training and development
• The chance to own high-impact work that directly shapes the future of robotics & space!
• A collaborative, mission-driven culture where craftsmanship and innovation are celebrated

Before you apply

• To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, you 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)

About the company

Starpath develops and manufactures the technologies that will enable humans to live on the Moon and Mars. They are building robotic systems that locally produce water, power, and oxygen.