Job brief: Sr. Materials Engineer, Thin Films

What JoRoute checked · Checked by JoRoute

• Listed on SpaceX's own job board. JoRoute does not take listings from job ads or recruiters.
• First seen by JoRoute 2026-11-04 (3 days ago); last confirmed on the board 2026-11-07.
• The apply link opens boards.greenhouse.io, the address SpaceX's board gives for this job.
• No other listing with this title and place on this board in the last 90 days.
• No layoff notices (WARN) under this name in the state files JoRoute reads.

What the listing says · Employer's own words, not checked

• Pay: Not published
• Job type: Not stated
• Where: Bastrop, TX
• Posted: 2026-09-23

What the job asks · Employer's own words, not checked

Level: Senior. The title says "Sr".

Must have

• Bachelor's degree in materials science, chemical engineering, electrical engineering, physics, or a STEM discipline
• 5+ years of professional experience with thin films, PECVD or other vacuum-deposited coatings, or electronic materials in a manufacturing or R&D environment
• Master’s degree or PhD in materials science, chemical engineering, electrical engineering, physics, or a STEM discipline
• Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S.
• § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S.

Conditions

• Partner with solar cell process engineering on PECVD thin films (e.g., passivation, anti-reflection, and related dielectric or semiconductor layers), developing materials requirem…
• Willingness to travel to other SpaceX sites and/or vendors as needed (up to 25%)
• Ability to lift up to 25 lbs unassisted
• Willingness to work extended hours and weekends as needed to support manufacturing, tool bring-up, and critical milestones

Main duties

• Partner with solar cell process engineering on PECVD thin films (e.g., passivation, anti-reflection, and related dielectric or semiconductor layers), develop…
• Build deep technical understanding of plasma-deposited film materials: composition, hydrogen content, density, stress, optical constants, passivation quality…
• Operate as the technical expert for thin-film materials: independently apply advanced materials concepts to highly complex issues, develop new characterizati…
• Set your own priorities from program needs; execute multiple complex, multi-month materials projects in parallel (new film stacks, materials qualification, y…
• Partner with process engineering on DOEs and process trials: define materials-relevant responses, interpret how plasma, chemistry, and hardware changes affec…

Lines copied from the posting, not rewritten. "Preferred" or "nice to have" items are not listed as must-haves.

How it compares · Compared by JoRoute from listings

• Typical listed pay for engineer jobs in Texas: $131k a year (341 listings, 31 employers). This listing does not publish pay to compare.
• Across SpaceX's 2,898 open listings, 59% of those with a posting date were first posted more than 60 days ago. How SpaceX hires

What nobody outside the employer knows · Not known

• Whether the role is already filled or on hold: employers often leave listings up.
• How many people applied, and who reads the applications.
• The pay an offer would carry.

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