Thin-Film PV Materials Scientist

Responsibilities

• Develop and optimize precursor formulations and solution-processed deposition routes for perovskite solar cells
• Engineer charge transport layers, interfaces, and contact stacks to maximize cell efficiency and operational stability
• Drive root-cause investigations on yield, efficiency, and degradation issues by connecting chemistry to electrical and optical performance
• Develop environmental stability strategies regarding moisture, oxygen, thermal, UV, and radiation tolerance
• Characterize materials, interfaces, and devices using techniques such as XRD, XPS, photoluminescence, and IV/EQE
• Translate bench chemistry into stable, reproducible, high-yield processes in partnership with manufacturing engineering
• Simplify chemistries and reduce process steps to minimize unnecessary complexity

Requirements

• Master's or PhD in chemistry, materials science, chemical engineering, applied physics, or a related discipline
• Graduate research experience with perovskite, thin-film photovoltaic, or related optoelectronic materials
• Demonstrated ability to connect materials chemistry to device performance through characterization and analysis

Preferred Qualifications

• PhD with a research focus specifically on perovskite photovoltaics
• Direct experience with solution-processed deposition methods such as spin coating, blade coating, or slot-die coating
• Hands-on experience with precursor formulation, solvent engineering, and additive optimization
• Experience scaling perovskite chemistry from research scale to larger-area or pilot manufacturing
• Knowledge of perovskite degradation mechanisms and stability strategies
• Familiarity with glovebox and cleanroom operations and chemical safety
• Exposure to aerospace or high-reliability hardware environments

Benefits

• Competitive salary plus equity package
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Health, dental, and vision coverage

About the Company

Starpath develops and manufactures the technologies that will enable humans to live on the Moon and Mars. We are building robotic systems that locally produce essential commodities like water, power, and oxygen to support a self-sustaining civilization in space.