First Solar reserves the right to offer you a role most applicable to your experience and skillset.

Basic Job Functions:

The reliability engineer is responsible for ensuring that the product continuously meets or exceeds First Solar, customer, certification, and regulatory body expectations. Responsible to ensure that new process, suppliers, and designs complete the required First Solar qualification plan with acceptable results prior to release to customer production shipments, through a regimented approach of documentation, analysis and clear conclusions/recommendations related to the performance of the change. Responsible for assisting in the documentation and development of specific qualifications programs.

Education/Experience:

• BS in engineering or physics (EE, Mech Eng, Chem E)
• Master's degree in one of the above disciplines is preferred.
• 5-7 years' experience as a lead reliability engineer role is required.
• Product reliability testing and modeling
• Design of reliability demonstration and modeling tests and automation systems for data logging, analysis, and reporting.
• Experience in a photovoltaic /semiconductor industry is preferred.

Required Skills/Competencies:

• Experience in using reliability analysis methods.
• Proficient in statistical data analysis, multivariate analysis, regression analysis, Design of Experiments (JMP preferred) and database queries (SQL)
• Experience in PV Cell, Module, and Field level performance testing
• Product reliability testing and modeling (accelerated stress & field testing, Weibul++, ALTA)
• Design of reliability tests and automation systems for data logging, analysis, and reporting.
• Proven understanding of Continuous Improvement/Quality tools, Robust Engineering, Design of experiments, SPC, 6 Sigma, and FMEA.
• Deep understanding of the function, characteristics, measurement, and application of PV Modules
• Proven competency in root cause analysis, lifetime prediction and stress test correlation factor (ReliaSoft)
• Knowledge of polymer material characterization and analysis
• Possess excellent data handling skills and proven communication skills.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Responsible for conducting reliability testing, design validation/verification & life testing of new product designs.
• Reliability technical lead for new product/process/component development, process, and technology optimization.
• Responsible for collaborating with supplier quality and development groups to ensure that supplier quality issues do not negatively impact the long-term reliability of the product.
• Technical resource to design reliability test plans to qualify new product and processes, evaluate testing failures and ensure consistent adherence to high quality standards by application of reliability techniques.
• Standardize statistical data analysis, summary reports and feedback procedures.
• Responsible for specifying and helping build reliability capabilities (tests, procedures, and infrastructure), training, knowledge sharing, establishing metrics best practices and across global organization.
• Responsible for implementing the reliability database or knowledge management system to manage all reliability testing, track reliability test data and simplify querying test data output for analysis/reporting. Responsible for establishing standard metrics and automate generation of outputs/reports.
• Responsible for determining, planning, and ensuring product compliance to required internal and external (National & International) standards and codes.

Reporting Relationships:

• This position will report to Head- Quality and Reliability Development

Travel:

• No travel is required.

Estimated Salary Range:

• $73,500 - $100,000 Annual Salary

US Physical Requirements:

• Will sit, stand, or walk short distances for up to the entire duration of a shift.
• Will climb stairs on an occasional basis.
• Will lift, push, or pull up to 27 pounds on an occasional basis.
• Required to use hands to grasp, lift, handle, carry or feel objects on a frequent basis.
• 20/40 vision in each eye, with or without correction, is required.
• Must be able to comply with all safety standards and procedures.
• May reach above shoulder heights and below the waist on a frequent basis.
• May stoop, kneel, or bend, on an occasional basis.
• Ability to wear personal protective equipment is required (including but not limited to; steel toed shoes, gloves, safety glasses, hearing protection, protective jacket or apron and arm guards)

Potential candidates will meet the education and experience requirements provided on the above job description and excel in completing the listed responsibilities for this role. All candidates receiving an offer of employment must successfully complete a background check band any other tests that may be required.

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement: First Solar is an Equal Opportunity Employer that values and respects the importance of a diverse and inclusive workforce. It is the policy of the company to recruit, hire, train and promote persons in all job titles without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity. We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a driving force in the success of our company.