What are the responsibilities and job description for the PV Co-Op (BS/MS/PhD) position at Aluminio Inc?
Solar power project overview: Silver consumption is the top concern of solar cell manufacturers. Silver used on silicon cells accounts for 17% of global demand and represents 10% of the total module cost. The solar industry currently spends >$5 Bn/yr purchasing silver metallization pastes. Solar production is expected to rise 3-10x over the next 10 years and may be unsustainable without significant silver reduction. Furthermore, next generation solar cells use 50%-150% more silver than conventional (PERC) cells preventing higher efficiency modules from entering the market. We have created novel foils that are used in the “Aluminio” process to replace silver lines in next generation cells, which would enable cell makers to mass produce them.
Why Aluminio? There are few opportunities to get involved early in a clean tech company that is well funded, can quickly make a meaningful impact, has a strong value proposition and well-established customer relationships. We are hiring researchers who will help build fully functional prototypes and test with customers in 2024. What we are trying to do is audacious and hard, but it is the cheapest and most scalable solution to vitally important problems. We need help to make this technology successful, but if we make it work with our customers then we will have strong margins in a high-volume business that will meaningfully impact climate change.
What you’ll be doing: We are looking for people that enjoy working in a small, motivated team on a variety of projects. As a member of the Aluminio team, you will have many opportunities to think critically about challenging problems, help build new equipment, optimize pilot manufacturing processes, optimize the Aluminio process on solar cells, characterize materials, and work in China with customers.
Skills We Value
* Working towards a BS/MS or PhD in Engineering or Science field
* Desire and ability to work at least six months (8-12 months strongly preferred)
* Desire to hack, build, and troubleshoot physical prototypes for quick feedback loops and testing
* Hands on lab experience running experiments and critically thinking about results
* Enjoys spending long hours in the lab making incremental improvements daily
* Familiarity with Python programming and common scientific packages (e.g., numpy, scipy, pandas, etc.)
* Independent thinker and strong communicator
* Desire to travel abroad and work for a week at a time
Bonus
* Mandarin speaker
* Desire to optimize processes
* Experience automating tools
* Experience rebuilding/repairing used equipment
* Experience using SEM/EDX, XRD and profilometer
* Experience working with plumbing/Swagelok
* Experience design and operating optical/laser setups
* Experience fabricating and/or testing solar cells and lithium-ion batteries
Perks & Benefits
* Competitive Salary
* Medical Insurance