Careers

Postdoctoral Position Available 
Highly Flexible Silicon Solar Cell Development

The successful candidate will be working across several teams at SFU, UBC and Solar Earth Technologies Ltd. You will be fully integrated into the Solar Earth collaborative culture and can expect to meet regularly with industry leaders and experts in the field of photovoltaics as you devise new ways to integrate thin film technology into photovoltaic cells.

Solar Earth Technologies is a clean energy company based in the lower mainland of Vancouver developing novel technologies in the field of photovoltaic solar roads & pathways. With our hardened solar modules that can withstand vehicle loads, Solar Earth Technologies is set to revolutionize the construction and energy industries.

This NSERC funded collaboration – between Simon Fraser University (SFU), the University of British Columbia (UBC) and Solar Earth Technologies – to develop novel solar cell solutions, has resulted in an opening for a postdoctoral researcher with an anticipated start date in Fall 2018. You will be expected to lead a flexible silicon solar cell technology development program that is already under progress with the goal of first-authored journal publications and patents.

Ideally you will be a recent Ph.D. graduate with expertise in microfabrication, semiconductor device physics, and electrical characterization. You will work primarily in the Burnaby campus lab of SFU under the direct supervision of Dr. Adachi in the School of Engineering Science and will regularly interact with academic collaborators at UBC (Dr. O’Leary) and industry experts from Solar Earth Technologies.

The position involves the development of highly flexible silicon based solar cells by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) using heterojunction Si device architectures, and may involve the development of graphene electrodes, light-management using nanostructures, or other material systems. The Solar cells your team produce will be fabricated using industrially-compatible fabrication processes including PECVD, magnetron sputtering, and wet-etching. Fabrication of solar cells will take place in the SFU Burnaby lab with some device characterization taking place at Solar Earth Technologies.

Desired Qualifications:

• Expertise in microfabrication in a cleanroom environment (thin film deposition, wet etching, photo-lithography, film thickness measurements)
• Expertise in semiconductor device physics with an emphasis on device design 
• Expertise with characterization of electrical devices and thin film materials (electrical conductivity measurements, electrical measurements of devices)
• Demonstrated communication skills
• Proven publication record in high impact journals
• Ability to work independently and with a team

The position will initially be a one-year contract with the possibility of a 2 year extension, to 3 years total.
Salary and benefits will be in line with SFU and NSERC guidelines.

Please apply electronically by sending your resume and a document summarizing your research and career interests to:

Dr. Michael Adachi (Email address: mmadachi@sfu.ca).

SFU is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from women, minorities and first nations. Preference will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents.