Equipment Engineering Manager - Solar Cell Factory (Starlink)

The role

You will lead the development, installation, qualification, and sustainment of advanced manufacturing equipment for solar cell production lines. You will drive equipment strategy, reliability, and performance to support high-volume solar cell manufacturing.

What you will do

• Grow, lead, and mentor a team of equipment engineers
• Own equipment lifecycle management from installation through high-volume production
• Drive root-cause analysis and corrective actions for equipment downtime and yield excursions
• Collaborate with process engineering, manufacturing, and facilities teams
• Develop and execute equipment roadmaps to improve throughput and reduce cost per watt
• Establish and enforce equipment safety, cleanroom protocols, and change control processes
• Partner with vendors and internal designers to evaluate and integrate new equipment platforms
• Track and report key performance metrics to senior leadership
• Support new product introduction activities

Required qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, chemical engineering, or materials science
• 5+ years of experience in equipment engineering or maintenance in a high-volume manufacturing environment
• 5+ years of experience managing or leading a team of engineers
• Experience with thin-film deposition, vacuum systems, or wet processing equipment
• Must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. lawful permanent resident, Refugee, or Asylee, or be eligible to obtain required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State

Nice to have

• Experience specifically with silicon solar cell manufacturing equipment, processes, chemicals, and gases
• Strong background in semiconductor equipment (PECVD, PVD, ALD, etch, or CMP) or photovoltaic production lines
• Machine design and/or manufacturing background with proven track record of going from idea to working system
• Proven track record of improving equipment availability, reducing cost of ownership, and scaling manufacturing capacity
• Experience with statistical process control (SPC), data analytics platforms, and equipment automation (SECS/GEM, PLCs, SCADA)
• Knowledge of cleanroom operations, contamination control, and safety standards in a high-tech manufacturing setting
• Excellent leadership, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills

About the company

SpaceX is developing technologies to enable human life on Mars. The company was founded on the belief that a future where humanity is out exploring the stars is fundamentally more exciting.