About the company
At Swift Solar, we’re building the future of solar. We believe that solar energy has vast untapped potential to reduce inequity and protect planetary health in the face of global climate change. We believe that today’s solar technology is good but not good enough. And we believe that what we build today should serve humanity forever.
Swift’s perovskite tandem technology breaks through the performance limits of existing solar technologies. By making solar better—more efficient, more affordable, and more widely accessible—we are helping to create a world where all energy is clean energy.
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.
A day in the life
As a Process Technician focusing on Swift’s R&D line, you will be a core member, ushering our company to the next stage of development by helping operate and optimize our new research projects running through the R&D line at Swift. You will specialize in running and helping maintain two major thin-film deposition tools as your primary function in order to make sure the team maintains a high throughput and reliable process. Working at an early-stage startup, you will have the opportunity to get involved in many aspects of the company’s technical development and internal operations.
On a typical day, you will review experimental plans with Swift’s process engineers and scientists, execute these plans, document the experiments in detail, and report your results to other team members involved in the process. As an evening shift technician, you will cover the late shift on the perovskite deposition equipment. You will be responsible for helping evaluate data, documenting and reporting any observations made during operation, and giving input on followup experiments. You will help keep the lab running smoothly and efficiently; for example, you may perform some tool-related maintenance tasks, troubleshoot equipment breakdowns and work closely with the equipment team. As a primary operator, you will manage and communicate supply needs, workflows, results, and tool output to support other work at Swift. While operating R&D deposition equipment will be your primary responsibility, you will also help with shared technician team tasks like substrate preparation and sample storage. You’ll have the additional opportunity to learn to operate & maintain additional tools along the R&D line once you and your manager feel like you’re ready to take on more responsibility. Taking organized notes, documenting procedures, communicating your work, and managing your 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…
- Have 2+ years of hands on experience working as a technician in a technical field
- Are familiar with safety practices typical in a laboratory environment containing various chemicals
- Are able and willing to work a 1:30pm-10pm shift
- Take initiative without prompt, work independently and are self-reliant
- Communicate effectively and timely both in-person and online
- Have exceptional time management skills
- Are kind, empathetic, conscientious, and motivated to make an impact on climate change
- Love to learn and welcome constructive feedback
- Can follow complex and varying instructions and pay careful attention to details.
- Are able to stand for extended periods of time
A strong candidate might bring one or more of the following…
- Operating experience in a startup setting
- Glovebox maintenance experience
- Chemical handling experience
- Readiness to give feedback and have difficult conversations
- Experience with thin film deposition equipment operation and troubleshooting
The logistics
- Compensation: Competitive package including pay, equity, and benefits
- Expected Pay Range: $30.29 – $39.90 per hour + Shift differential
- Ideal start date: November – December 2023
- Job type: Full-time, Non-exempt, On-Site
- 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 100% of monthly premiums for HMO and PPO group healthcare plan options and 75% of dental and vision insurance costs for employees.
- Your future, supported: We offer 401(k) plans and match 100% of your retirement contributions up to 4% of your earnings.
- Clean commuter benefits: We’re all about clean energy. We make it easy and cheap 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!