--- title: 'Senior R&D Technician, Space PV Prototyping at Tandem PV' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-r-d-technician-space-pv-prototyping-tandem-pv-fremont-5z0x7fdf7rzj' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-10-16' --- # Senior R&D Technician, Space PV Prototyping at Tandem PV - **Company:** Tandem PV - **Location:** Fremont, CA - **Employment:** full-time - **Work type:** onsite - **Posted:** 2026-10-03 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-16 - **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/tandempv/681c749e-bc98-43b2-834c-19ac3de1051e ## Job description At Tandem PV, we are a team of people who are passionate about building a more sustainable world by bringing cost effective solar panels onto the market. We’re scaling metal-halide perovskite solar technology to make best-in-class mechanically stacked tandem modules.   We have built efficient, durable cells, monolithic multi-cell submodules, and packaged modules with our scalable, low-cost process. Our next focus is expanding our team to bring our product to market at scale. Job Summary: As a Senior R&D Technician, Space PV Prototyping, you will work with our engineers and technicians to build prototype solar devices for spacecraft on ultrathin and flexible substrates: preparing substrates, running deposition, coating and patterning tools, laminating covers, and measuring results. Much of what you handle is a fraction of a millimeter thick and hard to replace, so careful execution, exact adherence to written procedures and meticulous records are central to the role. Your work produces the consistent, well-documented sample sets that our development and test campaigns depend on. To be great at this role, you will have: - Clean, inspect, photograph and log substrates, and keep accurate inventory of limited, high-value materials. - Load and run sputter and evaporation processes, including bake-outs and controlled pump-down and vent sequences. - Coat and thermally process device layers to fixed recipes, and flag anything that looks different from previous runs. - Set up and run laser patterning steps, then inspect the result under a microscope and measure electrical isolation. - Laminate cover materials, including very thin ones, and inspect for voids and edge-seal quality; handle ultrathin substrates and release them from carriers once formally qualified. - Perform routine metrology: sheet-resistance mapping, transmittance, profilometry, optical microscopy, luminescence imaging and current-voltage measurement. - Keep run logs and per-part travelers (tools, recipes, temperatures, vacuum cycles, operator, timestamps), and prepare and ship sample batches to external test partners. - Build, label, mount and wire coupon sets for test campaigns and exposure chambers, and perform routine tool care, including early warning when a tool starts to drift. Qualifications: - Steady hands and patience for delicate manual work; this is the single most important qualification for the role. - Meticulous documentation habits: detailed, legible and consistent notes of processing conditions. - Follows written procedures exactly, and speaks up when a procedure does not match what is actually in front of you. - Problem-solving orientation and the ability to work autonomously once trained, as part of a team in a scientific or technical environment. - Adaptability across a wide range of laboratory tasks and willingness to learn new concepts, tools and measurements. - Comfortable with basic laboratory arithmetic, unit conversion, and reading a specification or drawing. - Ability to perform the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation, including working in a cleanroom environment while wearing required PPE and gowning; working on your feet for extended periods as required by laboratory activities; occasionally lifting, carrying, or moving materials weighing up to approximately 25 pounds; and safely working in laboratory and manufacturing environments where solvents, chemicals, and Class 4 laser systems may be present. Employees will be required to follow applicable safety procedures and complete required safety training. Preferred Experience: - Laboratory, cleanroom, semiconductor, display or precision manufacturing background, including handling thin glass, silicon wafers or display panels. - Operation of vacuum systems, thermal evaporation or sputter deposition, solution coating (blade or slot-die), or laser tools. - Experience in an ISO 9001, AS9100 or similarly controlled environment, or with fine assembly, soldering, precision dispensing or hermetic sealing. This position may require access to technology and/or technical data subject to U.S. export-control laws. Any eligibility or access requirements will be applied in accordance with applicable U.S. export-control laws, regulations, licenses or authorizations, government-contract requirements, and applicable anti-discrimination laws. Founded in 2016 by Stanford PhD graduates Colin Bailie and Chris Eberspacher, TandemPV is pioneering the next generation of solar technology through high-efficiency, mechanically stacked perovskite-silicon tandem panels. As an early leader in this technology, we're focused on delivering significantly greater power output than conventional solar panels while reducing costs and advancing American solar manufacturing. Headquartered in Fremont, California, TandemPV has grown to approximately 65 employees and operates a 65,000-square-foot R&D and manufacturing facility. With more than $100 million in funding raised, we're accelerating the transition from breakthrough research to commercial-scale manufacturing. Our experienced leadership team has successfully executed 10 federal and state-funded projects and continues to advance strategic partnerships, product development, and manufacturing innovation. Recognized as the 2025 Best Pre-Commercial Venture by the Industry Growth Forum and named among America's Top GreenTech Companies by TIME for three consecutive years, TandemPV is helping shape the future of clean energy. We're building a team of talented, driven individuals who thrive on solving complex challenges, developing innovative technologies, and turning ambitious ideas into real-world products. At TandemPV, you'll have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact as we scale our technology, expand U.S. manufacturing, and bring next-generation solar solutions to market. Tandem PV is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply. ## About Tandem PV ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: Tandem PV manufactures high-efficiency perovskite-silicon tandem solar panels in the U.S., designed to deliver significantly more power than conventional silicon panels for utility-scale solar projects. - **Entity Type**: Private (Series A & Venture Capital backed) - **Headquarters**: San Jose, California, United States - **Founded**: 2016 - **Founders**: Colin Bailie (CTO), Chris Eberspacher (Managing Director) ## Core Business - **Primary industry/industries**: Renewables & Environment, Advanced Solar Manufacturing, Clean Energy Technology - **Target customers**: Independent Power Producers (IPPs) for utility-scale solar deployments; established solar manufacturers seeking to integrate perovskite technology into their existing silicon panel designs - **Mission or purpose statement**: To accelerate to net zero with perovskite solar panels, restoring U.S. leadership in clean energy, driving down the cost of power, and fueling the next wave of innovation, including the AI revolution. ## Products & Services - **Tandem Perovskite-Silicon Solar Panels (Utility-Scale)**: High-efficiency, standard-size solar panels that combine a silicon base with a thin-film perovskite layer. They deliver roughly 40% more power than conventional panels in the same form factor, reducing labor, installation, and land costs. Designed for high-volume U.S. manufacturing. - **Technology Licensing & Partnership**: Tandem PV partners with established solar manufacturers to integrate its perovskite layer and process expertise into existing panel designs, enabling manufacturers to commercialize higher-efficiency tandem modules without reinventing their manufacturing stack. ## Market Standing - **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed (Private company). - **Key Metric**: Total funding of **$87 million** (combining venture capital, debt, and government grants) raised from leading investors and agencies. Estimated annual revenue of **$5.4 million** (per LinkedIn). - **Notable Investors/Partners**: Eclipse Ventures (lead), Constellation Energy, Trellis Climate, Bioeconomy Capital. Government & research partners include the U.S. Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, California Energy Commission, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. - **Growth Signals**: - Recently opened a commercial demonstration factory in Fremont, California. - Employee headcount has grown **67.9% year-over-year** (to 33 employees). - Commercial panels expected from the Fremont facility soon, with a target for high-volume manufacturing in 2028. - Holds a portfolio of 11+ patents in core perovskite-layer technology, system design, and durability. - Awarded 16 government grants. ## Competitive Advantages - **Proprietary Tandem Technology**: The company's patented perovskite-silicon tandem panels have demonstrated **30% efficiency** in labs with a clear path to further gains, significantly outpacing the ~22% efficiency of standard silicon panels. - **Demonstrated Durability**: Unlike many perovskite contenders, Tandem PV has shown less than 1% annual degradation in accelerated testing, meeting the lifetime expectations for long-term solar deployment. - **Manufacturing Integration Expertise**: The company's technology is designed to integrate seamlessly into existing solar manufacturing supply chains, lowering the barrier to commercial scale. - **U.S.-Based Manufacturing**: A key differentiator in the current clean energy policy environment, focusing on domestic production and energy security. ## Strategic Focus - **Commercialization & Scaling**: Moving from lab breakthrough and pilot production to commercial manufacturing at the new Fremont demonstration factory, targeting high-volume production by 2028. - **Cost Leadership**: Focusing on delivering more power per panel at a similar cost-per-watt, which lowers the total cost of ownership (balance of system costs) for utility-scale developers. - **Partnership Development**: Actively seeking to license its technology to established solar manufacturers to accelerate market penetration. ## Why Work Here - **Mission-Driven Impact**: Employees work on a technology that directly addresses climate change, energy security, and the massive energy demands of AI and electrification. - **Cutting-Edge Science & Engineering**: The company is at the forefront of materials science and solar technology, offering a chance to work on a true breakthrough from the lab through to mass production. - **Strong Backing & Trajectory**: Backed by $87 million in funding, a new demo factory, and double-digit headcount growth, indicating strong momentum and stability. - **Collaborative & Lean Team**: The company is described as a "close-knit team," and the current size (~33 employees) suggests opportunities for outsized impact and visibility across disciplines. - **Locations**: Headquarters in San Jose, CA. Currently hiring roles including a Director of Space Solar Technology (suggesting an adjacent venture), Quality Engineer, and R&D Technician. ## Sources 1. [Tandem PV Official Website](https://www.tandempv.com/) 2. [Tandem PV About Page](https://www.tandempv.com/about) 3. [Tandem PV Careers Page](https://www.tandempv.com/careers) 4. [Tandem PV LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/tandem-pv) 5. [CB Insights - Tandem PV Profile](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/tandem-pv) ## Other roles at Tandem PV - [Process & Quality Engineering Technician](https://feeny.ai/job/process-quality-engineering-technician-tandem-pv-fremont-s0ahr7tgvbj4) — Fremont, CA - [HTL Materials Synthetic Chemist](https://feeny.ai/job/htl-materials-synthetic-chemist-tandem-pv-fremont-gv9w0gadyrxv) — Fremont, CA - [Senior R&D Engineer, Space PV Product Design & Prototyping](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-r-d-engineer-space-pv-product-design-prototyping-tandem-pv-fremont-9jvg36973rp1) — Fremont, CA - [R&D Technician (Swing Shift)](https://feeny.ai/job/r-d-technician-swing-shift-tandem-pv-fremont-krtey9k5agqq) — Fremont, CA