Senior Solar Process Engineer

The role

You will develop, qualify, and optimize manufacturing processes for solar array systems. This includes owning process development for material systems and novel manufacturing processes as solar array design scales into production.

What you will do

• Develop, qualify, and optimize K2 solar array processes
• Research and evaluate conventional and novel processes for solar array applications
• Design and execute structured DOE and statistical analyses
• Use physics-based characterization to identify sources of variation and yield improvement opportunities
• Lead failure analysis, defect characterization, and root causes investigations
• Establish and drive corrective action plans
• Evaluate, perform cost/benefit analysis, and select manufacturing equipment
• Collaborate with production to develop specifications, work instructions, and tests
• Define qualification criteria, test envelopes, and characterization campaigns
• Partner with solar structures, thermal, avionics, and production teams

Required qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in materials science, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, physics, aerospace engineering, or a related technical discipline
• 5+ years of experience in materials and process engineering
• Strong foundation in materials science and engineering principles
• Hands-on experience with material characterization, testing, and process development for hardware applications

Nice to have

• Master's degree or PhD in materials science, chemical engineering, or a related field
• Prior experience developing and qualifying manufacturing processes for solar array systems across the full development lifecycle
• Hands-on experience across multiple solar array material systems
• Deep working knowledge of adhesive systems, composites, thin films, thermal interface materials, and coatings
• Working knowledge of AIAA S111/S112, SMC-S-016, NASA-STD-4005, NASA-STD-5017, and NASA-STD-6016
• Understanding of radiation effects on solar cell and module materials
• Depth across solar process disciplines including deposition, chemical etching, encapsulant deposition, corrosion control, outgassing compatibility, statistics, and failure analysis
• Hands-on proficiency with material characterization tools: SEM, EDS, FTIR, DSC, TGA, XRD, or equivalent
• Experience scaling manufacturing processes from prototype to high-rate production
• Python or MATLAB proficiency for test data analysis and degradation modeling

Benefits

• Paid time off
• Medical/dental/vision coverage
• Life insurance
• Paid parental leave
• Many other perks

Before you apply

• Must be a U.S. person as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.15 or otherwise eligible for a federally issued export control license

About the company

K2 is building the largest and highest-power satellites ever flown. The company is mass-producing high-power satellite platforms for missions from LEO to deep space.