Manufacturing Technician

About the company

At Swift Solar, we’re building the future of solar power. With our core technologies from leading groups that have pioneered perovskite solar cell research and a team of enthusiastic and friendly people, we make better solar panels—lightweight, flexible, more efficient, and more affordable—so solar energy can do more to improve lives and fight climate change. 

Swift Solar is a mission-focused startup funded by committed investors. We know it’s a long journey to take a new clean energy technology to market, and we’re in it for the long haul together. If you join us, you’ll play a meaningful role in taking Swift’s impact to the next level. 

We are committed to doing our best to ensure that every member of the team has a job that they love and an environment that supports them.

A day in the life 

As a Manufacturing Technician at Swift, you will be a core technical team member developing manufacturing processes for more efficient and reliable solar cells and keeping the lab running smoothly. Working at an early-stage startup, you will have the opportunity to get involved in many aspects of the company’s technical development and operations. 

On a typical day, you will review experimental plans with Swift’s process engineers and scientists, execute and document experiments, and report on your results. You will operate new tools to deposit and characterize thin films for use in solar cells, then help design follow-up experiments. You’ll also help keep the lab running smoothly and efficiently, for example by performing maintenance tasks and working closely with the engineering team. You will be expected to manage and communicate about supply needs, workflows, results, and tool output to support other work at Swift. Taking organized notes, documenting procedures, communicating your work, and managing time effectively are key parts of the job.

As an early hire, you will help craft Swift’s culture and technical direction. As our team grows, we’ll expect you to help mentor and set an example for new team members. You will find many opportunities to grow your own skills and capabilities, and we encourage you to take full advantage of them. 

You might be a good fit if you… 

• Are highly organized, patient, hard-working, and reliable 
• Take initiative to tackle problems you see around you, even if it’s not your job
• Work effectively and efficiently both in small teams and on your own 
• Can write and speak English effectively

A strong candidate might bring one or more of the following…

• Training and experience in the operation of vacuum deposition tools
• Experience working safely and effectively in a wet lab or semiconductor R&D/manufacturing environment
• Experience characterizing thin films and devices with XRF, UV-vis, XRD, SEM, PL, TRPL, XPS, AFM, FTIR, etc.
• Experience developing and optimizing thin-film deposition processes
• Hands-on experience with fixing various kinds of lab equipment
• Experience with hand/power tools, 3D printers, and other prototyping tools
• Appreciation for why solving climate change is an urgent and critical challenge

The logistics 

• Compensation: Competitive package including salary, benefits, and equity 
• Job type: Full-time, Hourly
• Location: San Carlos, CA (Swift Solar HQ)

What you’ll love about Swift 

• Culture: We live by our values. You’ll feel right at home if you want to serve the future, get better every day, respect your colleagues, and have fun. 
• Health benefits: We cover most medical, dental, and vision insurance costs. 
• Your future, supported: We match your 401(k) retirement contributions. 
• Clean commuter benefits: We’re all about clean energy. We make it easy and inexpensive to ride your bike or take public transit to work. 
• Growth mindset: You’ll grow your skills, your network, and your perspective at Swift. We’ll support you in attending conferences and taking online courses, as long as you share your new insights with the team. 

Apply for this job here

Swift is an equal opportunity employer. We value an inclusive work environment and welcome team members of all backgrounds and perspectives. 

Even if this isn’t the right job for you, we’re always looking for good people. Please check out other career opportunities on our website and email us at careers@swiftsolar.com with any questions. And if you have a friend who would be a perfect fit, send them this link. Thanks!