Metrology Specialist, Solar Cells (Starlink)
Job description
About the role
SpaceX is building a large-scale solar cell manufacturing facility in Bastrop, Texas, to support orbital AI data centers, and this role keeps another measurement of that pipeline honest. As a Metrology Specialist, you will manage, calibrate, and troubleshoot the measurement tools that decide whether each solar cell lives up to its specification. Metrology sits at the center of production quality: virtually every process step moves along on data from the IV testers, photoluminescence systems, and inspection stations. If a sensor drifts or a stage misaligns, the line can produce thousands of cells before anyone notices. Your job is to keep that from happening, and to make the measurements trustworthy enough for engineers to act on them. The role is hands-on and technical: you will maintain tooling that lives inside cleanrooms, dig into trends to catch drift early, and partner with engineering so measurement accuracy stays aligned with what the process actually produces. Solar cell performance is defined by measurement, so your daily work has a direct line to the efficiency and yield numbers the factory is measured against.
Key facts
What you'll do
- Maintain and calibrate the metrology fleet, including IV testers, photoluminescence systems, AOI tools, and sheet resistance meters.
- Perform preventive maintenance on the tools used in texturing, PECVD, PVD, metallization, and final testing.
- Track metrology data trends to identify deviation and support root cause analysis for cell efficiency and performance.
- Work with engineering to create and improve operating procedures and tighten measurement accuracy over time.
- Manage equipment startup and shutdown inside ISO-classified cleanrooms.
- Dispose of nonconforming cells correctly based on measurement results. You are the final check on whether a cell ships or gets handled, so the disposition is only as good as the calibration behind it.
- Own spare parts inventory and give leadership a clean status picture of equipment health.
- Work closely with the engineering team to mirror measurement results back into process improvements, keeping the loop between tooling, data, and action closed.
Requirements
- High school diploma or equivalent.
- Minimum 2 years of hands-on technical experience, or an associate degree in a STEM field.
- ITAR eligibility: must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, refugee, or asylee.
- Ability to stand 6 hours, lift 25 pounds, and work in industrial settings with noise, chemicals, and confined spaces.
- Availability to work one of two alternating shifts: Sunday to Wednesday (day shift) or Wednesday to Saturday (day shift).
Nice to have
- Inspection experience in solar, semiconductor, or precision manufacturing.
- Understanding of electrical, optical, and materials characterization such as ellipsometry and IV testing.
- Ability to read P&IDs, schematics, and technical manuals.
- Proficiency in statistical process control and data analysis.
- Cleanroom protocol, chemical safety, and lock-out/tag-out experience.
- Comfort with Microsoft Office and digital work instructions.
- Familiarity with the basics of how solar cells are manufactured, from wafer texturing through metallization, so the measurements are understood in context.
Skills & tools
- IV testers, photoluminescence and AOI systems, sheet resistance meters, thickness testers
- Statistical process control (SPC)
- P&IDs and technical schematics
- Microsoft Office
Practical notes
- This role requires strict adherence to safety and quality standards in a demanding production environment.
- Work takes place on-site in the Bastrop manufacturing facility.
- Flexible accommodation requests for the application process are available through the company Equal Opportunity Employer outreach. Contact EEOCompliance@spacex.com for accommodations or a copy of the Affirmative Action Plan.
About the company
Based in Starbase, Texas, a company pursues work in spaceflight, telecom, and artificial intelligence. A unit handles rocket launches, leading yearly orbital counts beyond other national and commercial teams. Another unit runs Starlink, a satellite communications firm. A third area, through SpaceXAI, advances Grok and AI integration with X, while managing data center operations. Roles often cross these paths. Candidates with engineering, software, or operations backgrounds may find chances to join projects that span launch, connectivity, and machine learning efforts in this Texas-based enterprise.