Material Development Engineer

Description

Title: Material Development Engineer

Location: White, GA, USA

Job Family / Function: Engineering

Employment Type: Regular

Reporting Line: Team Leader

SUMMARY

The Material Development Engineer will play a key role in developing, evaluating, and qualifying materials for solar module products. This position supports new material development projects for polymer materials such as encapsulant, backsheet, silicone, sealant, adhesive, tape, and related material combinations. The role includes fabricating test modules, evaluating material compatibility and manufacturability, and conducting reliability analysis to verify long-term module performance. This position collaborates closely with suppliers, internal manufacturing and quality teams, and overseas counterparts to ensure reliable material performance and timely project execution.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Material Development Engineer is responsible for supporting material development, evaluation, supplier coordination, and technical problem solving. Key responsibilities include:

• Develop and evaluate polymer materials for solar modules, including encapsulant, backsheet, sealant, and related components.
• Fabricate pilot and test modules using new polymer material combinations and evaluate process compatibility during module production.
• Perform reliability testing and analysis, including damp heat, thermal cycling, humidity-freeze, UV exposure, mechanical load, and post-test visual / EL / power evaluation.
• Plan and execute material characterization using laboratory equipment such as FTIR, UV-Vis spectrometer, DSC, TGA, tensile tester, and microscopy tools.
• Analyze test results, summarize technical findings, and prepare reports to support material selection and qualification decisions.
• Coordinate with suppliers, internal engineering, manufacturing, quality, purchasing, and overseas teams in Korea and Germany.
• Support new material development projects for G12, TOPCon, G2G, and new encapsulant / backsheet / glass combinations.
• Respond to supplier issues, quality concerns, and production-related material topics in a timely manner.
• Participate in cross-functional discussions to reduce project delay risk and improve material development efficiency.
• Travel to Korea, Germany, and domestic U.S. sites as needed for supplier meetings, technical alignment, and project support.

REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor's degree in Materials Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Polymer Science, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field.
• Experience in material development, material evaluation, solar module engineering, manufacturing engineering, or a related field.
• Understanding of polymer materials, material characterization methods, and manufacturing-related material requirements.
• Ability to interpret laboratory test data and translate results into practical engineering decisions.
• Strong communication skills and ability to work with suppliers and cross-functional teams.
• Ability to manage multiple development projects and respond quickly to technical issues.
• Self-motivated, detail-oriented, and able to work independently in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience in the solar module, semiconductor, electronics, chemical, or advanced materials industry.
• Hands-on experience with FTIR, UV-Vis, DSC, TGA, tensile testing, microscopy, or other material analysis tools.
• Experience with encapsulant, backsheet, glass, sealant, adhesive, or other module-related materials.
• Experience working with global suppliers and overseas engineering teams.
• Korean language capability or experience working with Korean counterparts is a plus.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to work in laboratory and manufacturing environments as required.
• Ability to stand and walk through production and laboratory areas during the workday.
• Ability to lift, carry, push, or pull materials and samples within company safety limits.
• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.