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Development Engineer II - Wet Processing

First Solar Inc

Perrysburg, OHJob$81–115K/yrSeen 1w agoSeen in employer's feed 2 days ago

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At a glance

Compensation
$81–115K/yr
Location
Perrysburg, OH
Work Authorization
Not specified

Olive lists jobs from US employers, including remote roles you can work from the United States.

Job overview

The Development Engineer II conducts material and device research to improve thin-film solar cell performance and stability while reducing manufacturing costs. The role plans and characterizes laboratory experiments, interprets results, and recommends improvements to materials, processes, and equipment. It applies statistical and engineering methods, supports departmental projects, communicates across the organization, and may train or mentor junior associates.

Skills & qualifications

RequiredNice to have

Skills

Thin-Film Solar Cell ResearchLaboratory ExperimentationMaterials ScienceSputteringData AnalysisStatistical AnalysisExperimental PlanningAnalytical SkillsPlanningCommunicationTeamwork

Qualifications

Associate's in Engineering or Similar Technical Discipline15 Years Relevant Technical Experience2 Years as Development Engineer IBachelor's in Engineering or Similar Technical Discipline5 Years Relevant Technical ExperienceMaster's in Engineering or Similar Technical Discipline3 Years Relevant Technical ExperiencePh.D. In Engineering or Similar Technical Discipline37-Pound Lifting Ability20/40 Vision

Full job description

First Solar reserves the right to offer you a role most applicable to your experience and skillset. Basic Job Functions: - Perform material and device research to enhance thin film solar cell performance and stability and to reduce manufacturing cost. - Responsible for projects or functions that are enablers to department goals and deliverables. - Plan, execute and characterize laboratory experiments. Communicate results across organization. Accountable for experimental conclusions and recommendations. - Applies statistical and engineering methods to optimize organizational effectiveness. Improves methods for use by others. Education/Experience: - Associate's Degree in an engineering discipline or similar technical discipline and 15 years of relevant technical experience or 2 years of experience as a Development Engineer I at First Solar. - Bachelor's Degree in an engineering discipline or similar technical discipline and 5 years of relevant technical experience or 2 years of experience as a Development Engineer I at First Solar. - Master's Degree in an engineering discipline or similar technical discipline and 3 years of relevant technical experience or 2 years of experience as a Development Engineer I at First Solar. - Ph.D. in an engineering discipline or similar technical discipline, without prior technical work experience. Required Skills/Competencies: - Comprehensive understanding of functional business units' core area (e.g., sputter or materials science), with expert knowledge in at least one area. - Skills and hands-on experience in execution of experiments in laboratory or manufacturing environment. - Analytical skills to interpret data and derive conclusions. - Ability to make and execute detailed plans to achieve objectives with strong sense of ownership. - Good communication skills across organizations. Essential Responsibilities: - Identify opportunities for improvement in solar cell efficiency, material selection and process/equipment design through engineering, scientific or empirical methods. - Apply state-of-the-art techniques for material analysis, statistical analysis of data or execution/planning of experiments. Develop a work plan that can address problems with well understood solution paths. - May be responsible to determine and evaluate material specification for improved performance. May be responsible to determine and evaluate tool/equipment specifications. - Effective communicator with internal and external partners and customers. Effective team member that can support cross-functional projects and take ownership of sub-deliverables. - May train, mentor and manage junior associates. - Complies with Company's Environmental, Quality, Safety or any other policies that have been enforced. - Other duties as assigned. - Job description subject to change at any time. Reporting Relationships: - This position will report to Development Engineer or Development Manager. Travel: - 0% - 5% (On occasion/as needed for training, etc.) Estimated Salary Range: - $80,700 - $115,000 Annually US Physical Requirements: Will sit, stand or walk short distances for up to the entire duration of a shift. Will climb stairs on an occasional basis. Will lift, push or pull up to 37 pounds on an occasional basis. Required to use hands to grasp, lift, handle, carry or feel objects on a frequent basis. 20/40 vision in both eyes together, with or without correction, is required. Must be able to comply with all safety standards and procedures. May reach above shoulder heights and below the waist on a frequent basis. May stoop, kneel, or bend, on an occasional basis. Ability to wear personal protective eq

How this job compares

Set against the 708 open Process Engineering jobs on Olive Jobs, counted October 31, 2026.

Pay
  • This posting$81–115K/yr
  • US median$108–150K/yr289 salary ranges

This range's midpoint, $98K, is 22% below the US median midpoint ($126K) — in the lowest quarter of Process Engineering salary ranges across the US.

Openings
Olive Jobs lists 60 open Process Engineering jobs in Ohio and 708 across the US. 2% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
Hiring the most in Ohio
Experience
This posting asks for at least 2 years of experience — less than three in four Process Engineering postings that state a minimum ask for (median 5 years, across 413 postings).
Education
337 of the 708 open Process Engineering jobs (48%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.

Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on October 31, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.

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