Equipment Maintenance Engineer

San Carlos, California, United States

About the company

At Swift Solar, our mission is to unlock the full potential of solar energy. We believe that solar energy has a vast, untapped potential to power our lives, fuel economies, and strengthen supply chains, while protecting planetary health in the face of global climate change. The reality is, today's solar technology is good, but it's not good enough. 

Swift Solar is making solar better with its breakthrough tandem technology that harnesses the power of perovskite materials to create solar solutions that are not only more efficient than traditional technology but also more versatile, enabling applications ranging from space solar to utility-scale power generation. 

Swift Solar is a mission-focused startup supported by the US government and backed by world-class investors.. It’s a long journey to bring a new clean energy technology to market, and we’re in it for the long haul, together. Join our extraordinary team who is building the cutting-edge solar technology that will shape the future of the global solar industry.

A day in the life

As an Equipment Maintenance Engineer at Swift, you’ll play a crucial role in maintaining and optimizing the solar cell R&D and manufacturing equipment that powers our mission. You’ll work closely with our R&D, Process Engineering, and Equipment Engineering teams to drive the success of Swift's technology.

On a typical day, you might oversee Swift’s maintenance management software platform, creating a repair history log for a tool and documenting lessons learned. You might help a Process Engineer troubleshoot vacuum equipment, reaching out to external equipment suppliers for support or leveraging your experience with local vendors to aid in repairing parts. You’ll share your knowledge with other team members, training them on tool maintenance and quick fixes for common repairs. To maximize equipment uptime, you’ll develop preventative equipment maintenance processes and you might start executing some of these tasks. You will be vital to keeping operations running smoothly, which could include maintaining gloveboxes, implementing a new EHS equipment protocol, and planning a contractor visit for a facility upgrade.

As an early hire, you’ll help craft Swift’s culture and technical direction. In this role, you’ll be interacting with every part of our lab, which will naturally lead to many opportunities to grow your own skills and responsibilities. We encourage you to take full advantage of those opportunities.

You might be a good fit if you... 

  • Have 10+ years of tool maintenance experience in industries such as vacuum coating (PVD), semiconductor manufacturing, or related field
  • Possess hands-on experience performing vacuum leak detection, troubleshooting mechanical systems, and repairing high- and low-voltage electrical subsystems
  • Have a fundamental understanding of vacuum chamber pumping (including mechanical, turbo, and cryogenic pumps) and familiarity with vacuum gauges and valves
  • Have knowledge about typical semiconductor lab facilitation
  • Are organized, growth-minded, and eager to step up when help is needed
  • Value cross-functional collaboration and embrace the challenges and learning opportunities that come with working at a startup

A strong candidate might bring one or more of the following…

  • A working knowledge of thin film deposition processes
  • Experience in rebuilding mechanical and cryogenic pumps
  • Experience in a startup environment
  • Knowledge of EHS standards and codes
  • Direct experience with Beckhoff and/or Omron PLC and distributed I/O
  • A passion for sustainability, contributing to Swift’s mission of unlocking the full potential of solar energy

The logistics

  • Compensation: Competitive package including salary, equity, and benefits
    • Expected Pay Range: $95,000-$160,000 per year
  • Ideal start date: June-July 2025
  • Job type: Full-time
  • Location: San Carlos, CA (Swift Solar HQ)

What you’ll love about Swift

  • Work with purpose: Join our mission to unlock the full potential of solar energy and make a global impact. 
  • Lead with innovation: Be part of an extraordinary team building cutting-edge solar technology - growth mindset; culture
  • Thrive with benefits: Have 100% of your monthly premiums for HMO / PPO group healthcare plan options and 75% of your dental and vision insurance premiums covered by us. Employees also benefit from 401(k) matching, clean commuter benefits, and meaningful equity. 
  • Invest in your career: You’ll grow your skills, your network, and your perspective at Swift. We’ll support you in attending conferences and taking online courses, as long as you share your new insights with the team.

We acknowledge that candidates from underrepresented backgrounds often hesitate to apply if they don’t meet all the criteria. If you’re excited about this role and believe you can contribute to our team, we encourage you to apply—even if you don’t meet every qualification listed. We're eager to meet people from all backgrounds, and your unique skills and experiences could be exactly what we need.

If you believe in our mission, but this isn’t the right job for you, please check out other career opportunities on our website and email us at careers@swiftsolar.com with any questions. And if you have a friend who would be a perfect fit, send them this link. Thanks!

Swift is an equal opportunity employer. We value an inclusive work environment and welcome team members of all backgrounds and perspectives.

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