R&D Scientist

About the company

At Swift Solar, were building the future of solar. Solar energy has vast untapped potential to reduce inequity and protect planetary health in the face of global climate change. We believe that todays solar technology is good but not good enough. And we believe that what we build today should serve humanity forever.

Swifts perovskite tandem technology breaks through the performance limits of existing solar technologies. By making solar bettermore efficient, more affordable, and more widely accessiblewe hope to help create a world where all energy is clean energy.

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

A day in the life

Swift Solars R&D team is at the forefront of development of efficient, stable, and manufacturing-ready perovskite tandem solar cells. As an R&D scientist at Swift, you will join this team to advance the state of the art in perovskite solar PV technology. Your role will involve characterizing solar cell materials and devices to understand their limitations and designing materials or processing methods to overcome these. You will work to translate results from the latest academic literature into commercially viable and scalable technology. You will work closely with the rest of the team – with perovskite deposition scientists to understand materials and interfaces in our devices, with engineers to build experimental setups, and with external academic and industry collaborators to perform targeted characterization and development. You might also work with chemical suppliers to design new materials to achieve higher performance, stability, or scalability.

As an early hire, youll help craft Swifts culture. In this role youll 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. or equivalent research experience in materials science, chemistry, chemical engineering, or a related subject
• A positive and persistent attitude and a track record of good teamwork and collaboration
• Rigorous knowledge of scientific experimentation and analysis and clear communication of plans, scientific information, and results
• Demonstrated deep knowledge of solar cell device physics and of fabrication and characterization of efficient solar cells

A strong candidate might bring one or more of the following

• Deep knowledge of chemistry, especially around molecular design, processing, or characterization of selective contact layers in thin film solar cells.

• Knowledge of how they interact with halide perovskite materials is an added plus.

The logistics

• Compensation: competitive package including salary, equity, and benefits
  • Expected Pay Range: $95,000 – $155,000 per year
• Ideal start date: March – May 2024
• Job type: Full-time
• Location: San Carlos, CA (Swift Solar HQ)

What youll love about Swift

• Culture: We live by our values. Youll 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: Were all about clean energy. We make it easy and cheap to ride your bike or take public transit to work.
• Growth mindset: Youll grow your skills, your network, and your perspective at Swift. Well support you in attending conferences and taking online courses, as long as you share your new insights with the team.

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

Even if this isnt the right job for you, were always looking for good people. Please check out other career opportunities on our website and email us at [email protected] with any questions. And if you have a friend who would be a perfect fit, send them this link. Thanks!