Electroplating Specialist

Company Description

Join an Australian founded company that’s set to become a world leader in solar technology.

Ever thought about joining a business that is on a mission to change the way we create energy? What if you could be a part of changing the future of solar and assist on the journey of making the world more sustainable?

You could be a part of that, all whilst working within an industry leading, fast paced, solar technology start-up here at SunDrive.

**Our Story**

SunDrive is a Sydney based solar technology start-up on a mission to unlock solar’s full potential. In September 2021, we produced the world’s most efficient commercial size solar cell using our very own revolutionary copper technology, showing that higher efficiencies for solar can also be reached.

Founded in 2015 by two university flatmates in a garage in Wollongong we have come a pretty long way. We recently secured $21 million in our Series A funding round and are backed by some of Australia’s top venture capital firms (Blackbird, Main Sequence, Virescent, Grok), tech founders, and the Australian Government, SunDrive has grown from a small Ph.D. project in a garage to now producing world leading solar technology.

After our recent round of funding, we are ready to show our cells to the world and are gearing up to go to market with large scale pilot manufacturing. Come with us on our journey?

**Job Description**:
Reporting directly to Head of Cell and Process Development, the purpose of this role is to assist in the optimisation of SunDrive’s novel electroplating technology to ensure successful scaling and commercialisation of SunDrive’s technology for market entry and beyond.

One of the core pillars of SunDrive’s technology advantage is its novel adhesion-enhancing copper electroplating process, which provides a unique solution to a technological hurdle that has prevented the adoption of copper plating in the solar industry.

Solar PV manufacturing does not currently exist in Australia, so this is a unique opportunity to learn and develop skills in solar cell manufacturing in an industrial environment and gain experience in the scaling of a unique processing technology to market entry.

The main responsibilities are:

- Develop and optimise SunDrive’s solar cell electroplating processes to maximise cell and process performance.
- Qualify novel electrochemistry for potential integration into SunDrive’s pilot-scale processing sequence.
- Develop electroplating waste management procedures (on-site treatment and disposal).
- Assist in the development, testing and operation of high throughput cell processing tools in SunDrive’s pilot production line.
- Designing and undertaking experiments to optimise SunDrive’s novel cell electroplating processes.
- Characterising and analysing the performance of electroplating processes.
- Facilitating transfer of technology developments to SunDrive’s pilot-scale production line and beyond.
- Implementing and updating operating procedures for SunDrive’s cell processing sequence.
- Updating and assisting in the maintenance SunDrive’s documentation of processing materials.

**Qualifications**:

- This role requires practical engineering experience Or science expertise (materials science/chemistry).
- Undergraduate degree in engineering or chemical sciences is highly preferred
- Previous experience in electrodeposition (either in a lab or industrial setting).
- An understanding/experience of the solar cell processing sequence would be beneficial.
- Ability to design, execute and analyse large processing experiments involving the characterisation of large numbers of individual solar cells.
- An understanding/experience of the solar cell processing sequence is recommended.
- Manufacturing experience, either in the solar industry or a relevant industry is highly desirable but not essential.
- Experience in a start-up environment with a rapid technology development cycle would be advantageous.

**Recipe for success at SunDrive**
- Above all, being honest, dependable, empathetic, and a person of integrity
- Highly organised, with excellent time management skills
- Effective communication skills to articulate results and discuss thoughts openly and objectively
- Ambition, curiosity and a learning mindset to rise to each new challenge as it presents itself
- Ability to take lead on work without the need for oversight is ideal.
- Good problem-solving skills, with high attention to detail.
- Genuine interest in clean energy and sustainability

Additional Information
**Why join us?**
- Join an internationally recognised company developing world-leading solar technology right here in Australia, adding the most exciting new chapter to Australia’s rich history of solar technology development
- Be part of a passionate team dedicated to bettering the world through clean energy
- Employee share/stock options. Jump in at the ground floor whilst SunDrive is still pre-revenue
- Fully stock