The Position

The Device Physicist is responsible for setup, developing recipes, measurement, and training team members on advanced characterization methods of semiconductor materials and devices. Using feedback from the CTO and other technical team members, the device physicist will assist in the characterization and data processing and thus understanding of novel materials and devices, especially perovskites and perovskite solar cells. The insights yielded by analysis of measured properties will provide feedback in a cycle of fabrication and characterization that informs new development.

The Device Physicist will be part of an elite team of R&D scientists and device engineers, and will have ample opportunity to work closely with other subject and process experts, as well as a larger team of electrical, mechanical, and software engineers. Internal collaboration as well as with external parties and equipment vendors is an essential element of the job.

This position reports directly to the Team Cell Project Technology Lead, but you will have the opportunity to interface with virtually all facets of the business, from research to process development to manufacturing and quality control, and your efforts will be visible to the entire company, ranging from technicians to senior management.

The Requirements

• Ph.D. (or BS/MS with 10+ years experience) in Physics, Physical Chemistry, Chemical Physics, or Electrical Engineering
• Competence in the setup, maintenance, and training for most of these core instruments: source meters, LCR meter, X-ray diffractometer, spectrometers, spectrophotometer, spectrofluorometer, profilometer, thermoelectric chiller, cameras.
• Competence in the measurement of most of these basic characterization methods: current-voltage, admittance, capacitance-voltage, equivalent-circuit analysis, X-ray diffraction pattern, UV-Vis-NIR absorption, transmission, and reflection, photoluminescence, surface roughness.
• Additionally, the candidate should be an expert in at least one of the following specializations: o Advanced electronic characterization: Seebeck effect, Hall effect, carrier mobility, carrier lifetime, carrier concentration, energy level offsets, band alignment, defect transition energies, scanning probe techniques, eddy current probe, photoelectron spectroscopy, low-temperature measurements, temperature-dependent measurements,
  • Advanced optical characterization: Ellipsometry, Laser-beam induced current, Dark lock-in infrared thermography, transient absorptance, transient reflectance, time-resolved photoluminescence, time-resolved microwave conductivity
  • Electrochemical methods: cyclic-voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, Mott-Schottky Analysis
  • Vapor-phase deposition methods: either Atomic Layer Deposition or Sputtering.
  • Data science: Machine learning, (un)supervised learning, programming (python and C/C++/C# preferred), analysis of large data sets, creating data dashboards, clustering, regression, classification
  • If a strong case can be made that another specialization would provide critical information about the materials and properties of a perovskite solar cell that would be considered as well.
• Respond to characterization, modeling, and analysis needs within a fast-paced R&D environment
• Experience with photovoltaics especially perovskites is a significant advantage. Device fabrication experience preferred but not required.
• Stand, sit, or walk for long periods of time performing laboratory work
• Complete tasks in a timely fashion
• Communicate the findings to technical staff in presentation format
• Exemplify team work and strong work ethic