Crystalline Photovoltaic Materials and Device Scientist

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Position Overview  

The employee will develop III-V/Si and related materials and solar cell devices using bonding and epitaxial-growth techniques; and perform extensive characterization, modeling, and analysis of the resulting materials and devices.

Responsibilities 

• Primary duties will focus on development of two distinct architectures for III-V tandem solar cells on silicon: by direct epitaxy, and by layer separation and bonding.
• The epitaxy-based approach will involve designing and conducting metal-organic vapor-phase epitaxy (MOVPE) growth of near-lattice-matched GaP/Si, and of lattice-mismatched GaAs/Si using nanoimprint-lithography-enabled selective-area growth techniques to obtain interfaces and epilayers with the structural and electronic properties needed for high-efficiency photovoltaic devices.
• The bonding approach will involve development of technologies for bonding III-V junctions to Si junctions and passivating the silicon junctions, as well as multi-physics modeling of novel tandem device architectures.
• An additional component of the job duties will include the development of techniques for photoelectrochemical characterization of novel semiconductor materials for optoelectronic device applications.
• Beyond these specific responsibilities, the successful candidate will be adept at identifying new research directions, starting new projects, and winning proposals to fund the new work. Dissemination of the work through publication in refereed journals, and other means as appropriate, is expected. 

Qualifications  

Required Skills: 

• PhD or equivalent relevant experience in Physics, Chemistry, Material Science, Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering or related field with specific experience in semiconductor materials, device physics, and epitaxy.
• Demonstrated skills and experience in the growth, characterization, and analysis of III-V and silicon photovoltaic and photoelectrochemical materials and devices, as well as novel fabrication techniques including nanoimprint lithography; basic working knowledge of a multi-physics semiconductor device-modeling software package.
• Deep understanding of nucleation-related defects in III-V/Si growth.
• Record of initiative and success in developing new research directions; developing partnerships with researchers outside the candidate's home institution; and writing strong winning proposals to funding agencies.
• Experience mentoring graduate students. 

Required Education, Experience, and Skills: 

• Relevant PhD or equivalent relevant education/experience.
• Or, relevant Master's Degree and 3 or more years of experience or equivalent relevant education/experience.
• Or, relevant Bachelor's Degree and 5 or more years of experience or equivalent relevant education/experience.
• Demonstrates complete understanding and wide application of scientific technical procedures, principles, theories and concepts in the field.
• General knowledge of other related disciplines.
• Demonstrates leadership in one or more areas of team, task or project lead responsibilities.
• Demonstrated experience in management of projects.
• Very good technical writing, interpersonal and communication skills. 

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Demonstrated skills, experience, and publication record in several of the following fields: growth and characterization of semiconductor microwire materials and devices; and electrodeposition; development of photoelectrochemical devices and testing techniques; heteroepitaxial MOVPE growth of III-V semiconductors on silicon using selective-area-growth techniques; characterization and analysis of high-efficiency crystalline photovoltaic devices. 

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