External Process Development Engineer - Asia
Position Details
Location: Carson, CA & Asia
Employment Type: Full-time
Department: Starlight Solar
Travel: 75%The Mission
Starpath is developing our own photovoltaic cells and ultra-thin solar blankets, working with external laboratories and fabrication partners while building our internal manufacturing capability. External Process Development Engineer - AsiaAs an External Process Development Engineer, you will own the execution of cell and materials development work through our partners in Asia. You will work closely with our materials R&D team to translate experimental goals into executable work, troubleshoot process issues, and bring complete results and practical process knowledge back to Starpath.
Responsibilities:
Translate research hypotheses and proposed recipes into vendor work packages with defined process conditions, samples, measurements, deliverables, and schedules. Identify and evaluate laboratories and fabrication partners based on their equipment, technical capabilities, execution quality, and capacity. Drive external experiments from kickoff through completion, resolving technical questions, tracking progress, and escalating blockers. Review process records, raw data, and sample histories to identify deviations, assess result quality, and determine follow-up work with the R&D team. Coordinate complementary experiments with our USA development team and maintain consistent documentation and measurement requirements. Transfer recipes, equipment requirements, process limitations, and lessons learned to Starpath’s internal process and equipment engineers. Coordinate sample movement and commercial needs with operations and procurement.
Required Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree in materials science, chemical engineering, electrical engineering, physics, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience. Hands-on experience developing or executing processes for photovoltaic devices, thin films, semiconductors, or related materials. Experience managing technical work through external laboratories, suppliers, or manufacturing partners. Ability to interpret experimental data, troubleshoot process problems, and distinguish execution issues from changes in material or device behavior. Strong technical documentation and communication skills, with the ability to drive work across organizations and time zones. A desire to make humans a multi-planet species.
Preferred Qualifications:
Experience working directly with laboratories or fabrication partners in Asia Experience with perovskite photovoltaics, thin-film deposition, device characterization, encapsulation, or environmental testing. Experience transferring a process between facilities or from external development into internal production.
EAR Requirements:
To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, you must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C.1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C.1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.
Equal Opportunity:
Starpath is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.
Benefits:
At Starpath Robotics, base pay is just one part of your total rewards package. We also offer:
Generous benefits including health, dental, vision, and retirement plans.
Paid time off, holidays, and flexible policies to support balance.
Professional growth opportunities through training and development.
The chance to own high-impact work that directly shapes the future of robotics & space!
A collaborative, mission-driven culture where craftsmanship and innovation are celebrated.