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Virginia, United States
Onsite
Not Available
We are seeking a skilled and detail-oriented PV Design Engineer to be responsible for the design, optimization, and analysis of photovoltaic modules and electrical architectures for space applications.
This role focuses on module layout, electrical interconnection strategies, degradation analysis, environmental robustness, and long-term performance prediction under harsh operating conditions including radiation exposure, thermal cycling, vacuum, and UV exposure.
This engineer will work closely with process, manufacturing, and systems teams to ensure photovoltaic products meet mission performance, reliability, and integration requirements.
Design and optimize photovoltaic module layouts, including series and parallel interconnection architectures.
Define electrical configurations based on power, voltage, redundancy, and mission requirements.
Analyze module performance using IV curves, efficiency data, degradation data, and environmental test results.
Study and evaluate degradation mechanisms caused by radiation, UV exposure, thermal cycling, vacuum exposure, and mechanical stress.
Support design decisions using modeling, experimental data, and reliability analysis.
Designs systems that are manufacturable and scalable.
Develop qualification and validation activities for harsh-environment and aerospace applications.
Work on tools, models, and simulations for long-term performance prediction and power generation estimation.
Define design rules, electrical margins, and failure mitigation strategies for PV assemblies.
Support root-cause analysis related to electrical performance or reliability degradation.
Document design assumptions, performance calculations, and engineering decisions.
BS or MS in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Aerospace Engineering, Materials Science, or related field.
Minimum 5 years of experience designing or analyzing photovoltaic systems for aerospace, satellite, or harsh-environment applications.
Strong understanding of photovoltaic device behavior, module electrical architecture, and system integration.
Experience analyzing IV curves, degradation mechanisms, and long-term performance data.
Understanding of environmental effects on photovoltaic systems including radiation, thermal cycling, and UV exposure.
Experience working with engineering data, simulations, and reliability analysis.
Ability to work in multidisciplinary engineering and manufacturing environments.
Experience with space or satellite photovoltaic systems.
Experience supporting qualifications or validation for aerospace applications.
Knowledge of radiation effects on photovoltaic materials and devices.