---
title: 'Expression of Interest at Sundrive'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/expression-of-interest-sundrive-sydney-7zx4qxx0s8bn'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-14'
---

# Expression of Interest at Sundrive

- **Company:** Sundrive
- **Location:** Sydney, Australia
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-09-16
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-14
- **Apply:** https://jobs.lever.co/sundrivesolar/d9fb84b3-80e0-44d2-bdbc-e2a28983b660

## Job description

Please note: This is an expression of interest only, and we do not currently have an open position. By applying, you’ll join our talent pool and may be contacted if a suitable opportunity becomes available.

About SunDrive: SunDrive’s proprietary technology enables the use of copper instead of silver for solar cell electrodes. This technological breakthrough has significant benefits, including greater efficiency, lower cost, a scalable supply chain and more environmentally friendly production. Founded in 2015, SunDrive is backed by some of Australia’s top venture capital firms (Blackbird, Main Sequence, Virescent and Grok), tech founders and the Australian Government (CEFC and ARENA). SunDrive has quickly grown from a UNSW PhD project in a garage to producing the world’s most efficient commercial-sized solar cells. We’re always keen to connect with talent from a range of disciplines who are excited about developing technology with real-world impact. By joining our talent pool, you’ll be considered for future opportunities to learn alongside experienced team and contribute to real-world R&D, manufacturing and commercial engineering projects. If you’re curious, hands-on and excited by the opportunity to help bring SunDrive’s novel technology from R&D into commercial deployment, we’d love to hear from you.

Example Roles at SunDrive: Mechatronics Engineer Mechanical Engineer Process Engineer PV Engineer Project Manager Operations & Administration

About You:

- For technical roles: You are currently studying or have completed a Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline, such as mechanical, mechatronics, electrical, software, chemical, process, materials or photovoltaics engineering
- You have a hands-on approach to problem-solving and an interest in applying your knowledge in a practical environment
- You are curious, proactive and keen to continue developing your skills.
- You are comfortable learning and collaborating in a fast-paced R&D environment

SunDrive Benefits

Meaningful Work & Ownership

- Access SunDrive’s Employee Stock Option Plan (ESOP) - real ownership in SunDrive’s growth (permanent employees only)
- Work on breakthrough solar technology with global impact
- Be part of a high-performing team where your ideas matter

Learning & Growth

- Company-wide L&D Fund for courses, coaching, and technical development
- 2 days of paid L&D leave per year

Leave & Flexibility

- Parental Leave: 13 weeks primary / 6 weeks secondary caregiver leave

Health & Wellbeing

- Free, confidential EAP support for employees and immediate family
- Regular sports sessions (pickleball, soccer, runclub, yoga)

Financial & Everyday Perks

- EV-only novated leasing
- Weekly transport (tolls and public transport) allowance
- Tuesday lunches
- Fully stocked snack kitchen
- Free Parking on-site
- Company merch

SunDrive Solar is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive and respectful workplace. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and do not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, cultural background, national or ethnic origin, or any other characteristic protected under applicable Australian laws. Please let us know if you require any adjustments or support at any stage.

## About Sundrive

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: SunDrive is an Australian solar technology company that has developed a breakthrough electrochemical process to replace silver with copper in solar cell manufacturing, significantly reducing costs while improving efficiency.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Multiple funding rounds completed)
- **Headquarters**: Sydney (Kurnell/Kirrawee), New South Wales, Australia
- **Founded**: 2015
- **Founders**: Vince Allen (Co-founder) — the company grew from a small PhD project in a garage.

## Core Business
- **Primary Industry**: Renewable Energy / Solar Technology
- **Target Customers**: B2B — solar cell manufacturers, equipment partners, and large-scale energy project developers (e.g., AGL).
- **Mission/Purpose**: To reduce the cost of high-efficiency solar cells while enhancing their performance and sustainability by utilizing abundant materials like copper instead of scarce silver.

## Products & Services
- **Copper Plating Technology**: A proprietary, patented manufacturing process that replaces the traditional silver electrode in solar cells with deposited copper. This creates thinner metal lines that allow more light into the cell, increasing electricity generation and significantly reducing material costs.
- **Automation & Tooling**: Full-stack capability including tooling design, software, and automation systems to integrate the copper plating process into existing high-volume solar cell production lines.
- **Full-Stack Engineering Capability**: Material science (chemistry for photoresist, pretreatment, plating), process development (analytical models and simulation), and equipment design (mechatronics, software, mechanical integration).

## Market Standing
- **Valuation**: Not publicly disclosed (Private company).
- **Key Metric**: Annual Revenue of **$9.8M USD** (estimated) | Total disclosed funding exceeds **$55M USD** across grants and equity rounds, led by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), Blackbird Ventures, and Main Sequence Ventures.
- **Notable Investors & Partners**: Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), Blackbird Ventures, Main Sequence Ventures, Virescent Ventures, AGL Energy, Capral Aluminium, Suzhou Maxwell Technologies (global equipment manufacturer), Vistar (equipment manufacturer).
- **Growth Signals**: Secured transformational funding from ARENA in 2025. Completed a commercial demonstration tool and began customer demos. Partnered with Chinese firms for rapid scale-up of HJT (Heterojunction) solar cells. Workforce distributed across Australia, Mexico, and the USA.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Proprietary IP**: Breakthrough copper plating chemistry and process that solves the solar industry's biggest upcoming problem—silver scarcity (solar already consumes >30% of global industrial silver).
- **Efficiency Gains**: Their process creates finer grid lines than traditional screen-printing, allowing more light to reach the cell and generating more electricity.
- **Full-Stack Integration**: Unlike single-point solution providers, SunDrive designs the chemistry, the process, and the hardware, offering clients a turn-key manufacturing solution.
- **Cost & Sustainability**: Copper is significantly cheaper and more abundant than silver, creating a powerful cost-reduction path for manufacturers.

## Strategic Focus
- **Commercial Scale-Up**: Moving from a development company to a commercial production partner. They are actively demonstrating their demo tool to customers and partnering with global equipment manufacturers (Maxwell, Vistar) to accelerate deployment.
- **Supply Chain Localization**: Partnered with Capral Aluminium in Australia to build a domestic solar PV supply chain.
- **Targeting HJT (Heterojunction) Cells**: Explicitly partnering with Chinese manufacturers to integrate copper plating into the next generation of high-efficiency HJT cell production lines.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Strong emphasis on "One team, human first" — acting with empathy, care, and respect. The founders value potential over experience. Described as a "team of doers" with a focus on real-world impact.
- **Work Model**: On-site roles at the Sydney facility (Kurnell/Kirrawee). Hands-on hardware and lab work is central to the role.
- **Engineering Focus**: Deep technical work spanning chemistry, mechatronics, software, and hardware. Engineers own full projects—from prototype to production deployment.
- **Impact**: Work directly on solving one of the most critical problems in global solar energy (silver scarcity) with technology that has the potential to be deployed at a gigawatt-scale globally.
- **Perks**: Team celebrations, competitive ping-pong, and a tight-knit team environment. 41 total employees, offering significant ownership and visibility.

## Sources
1. [sundrivesolar.com](https://www.sundrivesolar.com/)
2. [sundrivesolar.com/lifeatsundrive](https://www.sundrivesolar.com/lifesatsundrive)
3. [craft.co/sundrive-solar](https://craft.co/sundrive-solar)
4. [linkedin.com/company/sundrivesolar](https://linkedin.com/company/sundrivesolar)
5. [jobs.lever.co/sundrivesolar](https://jobs.lever.co/sundrivesolar)
6. [pv-tech.org](https://www.pv-tech.org)
7. [pv-magazine.com](https://www.pv-magazine.com)

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