R&D Engineer/Scientist
Company: Swift Solar
Location: San Carlos
Posted on: February 17, 2026
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Job Description:
Job Description Job Description About the company At Swift
Solar, our mission is to unlock the full potential of solar energy.
We believe that solar energy has vast untapped potential to power
our lives, fuel economies, and strengthen supply chains, while
protecting planetary health in the face of global climate change.
The reality is that today's solar technology is good, but not good
enough. Swift Solar is making solar better with its breakthrough
tandem technology that harnesses the power of perovskite materials
to create solar solutions that are not only more efficient than
traditional technology but also more versatile, enabling
applications ranging from space solar to utility-scale power
generation. Swift Solar is a mission-focused startup supported by
the US government and backed by world-class investors. It's a long
journey to bring a new clean energy technology to market, and we're
in it for the long haul, together. Join our extraordinary team
building the cutting-edge solar technology that will shape the
future of the global solar industry. A day in the life Swift
Solar's R&D team is at the forefront of development of
efficient, stable, and manufacturing-ready perovskite tandem solar
cells. As an R&D Engineer/Scientist at Swift Solar, you will
drive the development of processes, metrology, and materials for
key thin film layers in the solar cell stack. The work will
emphasize identifying shortcomings within the existing device stack
and its constituent layers, followed by the independent development
of strategies to overcome these limitations. You will perform
systematic experiments to develop and optimize scalable deposition
materials and processes in collaboration with other
engineers/scientists and technicians at Swift Solar. You will
develop and use advanced metrology techniques to quantify the
resulting materials properties. Success in this role will require
ownership of continued maintenance, upkeep, and training of
critical deposition and characterization processes. This work will
feed into developing advanced solar cell stacks for efficiency,
long-term stability, and scalability to gigawatt-level
manufacturing, and will involve developing unit process
specifications for thin film materials and processes to reach high
reproducibility. Your input will be crucial to its translation to
high-volume manufacturing. You might also work with chemical
suppliers to source and qualify materials for manufacturing, and
design new materials to achieve higher performance, stability, or
scalability. As an early hire, you'll help craft Swift Solar's
culture. In this role you'll be interacting with every part of the
company, which will naturally lead to many opportunities to grow
your own skills and responsibilities. We encourage you to take full
advantage of these opportunities. You might be a good fit if you
Have a Ph.D. in chemistry, materials research, physics or related
fields, or Masters degree plus at least two years of directly
relevant R&D experience Have 2 years of experience in thin-film
deposition and characterization (e.g., XRD, XRF, PL, JV, and
advanced methods) Are comfortable with ambiguity, and excited to
independently drive open-ended R&D projects that might go
beyond your immediate area of expertise Are proactive,
hard-working, and motivated to make an impact on climate change
Have expert knowledge of metal halide perovskite materials and
their characterization A very strong candidate might bring one or
more of the following 2 years of experience in vapor deposition of
functional materials via different methods 2 years of experience in
a thin film production environment Fundamental understanding of the
working principle of solar cells with a strong focus on device
chemistry The logistics Compensation: Competitive package including
salary, equity, and benefits Expected Pay Range: $110k- $160k per
year The actual offer, reflecting total compensation and benefits,
will be determined by factors such as relevant experience, skills,
and other qualifications Ideal start date: November 2025 – January
2026 Job type: Full-time Location: San Carlos, CA (Swift Solar HQ)
What you'll love about Swift Solar Work with purpose : Join our
mission to unlock the full potential of solar energy and make a
global impact. Lead with innovation : Be part of an extraordinary
team building cutting-edge solar technology - growth mindset;
culture Thrive with benefits : Have 100% of your monthly premiums
for HMO / PPO group healthcare plan options and 75% of your dental
and vision insurance premiums covered by us. Employees also benefit
from 401(k) matching, clean commuter benefits, and meaningful
equity. Invest in your career : 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. We recognize that candidates
from underrepresented backgrounds often hesitate to apply if they
don't meet all the criteria. If you're excited about this role and
believe you can contribute to our team, we encourage you to
apply—even if you don't meet every qualification listed. We're
eager to meet people from all backgrounds, and your unique skills
and experiences could be exactly what we need. If you believe in
our mission, but this isn't the right job for you, 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! Swift is
an equal opportunity employer. We value an inclusive work
environment and welcome team members of all backgrounds and
perspectives.
Keywords: Swift Solar, Oakland , R&D Engineer/Scientist, Science, Research & Development , San Carlos, California
