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Qcells
Sr Director, Space PV Systems R&D
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What they do
A Director of Research and Development is responsible for overseeing their organization's research and development department(s). Responsible for ensuring that the organization meet their objectives for researching and developing new products or technologies and improve existing products.
$228,703 / year median in Georgia
+11% projected growth
Job Description
Sr Director, Space PV Systems R D Qcells
- 2.8 Atlanta, GA Job Details Full-time $219,400
- $329,200 a year 6 hours ago Qualifications Product development research management Product design project leadership Customer communication New product introduction engineering projects Renewable energy system design Securing research funding Program development Research and development in electrical engineering Managing engineering teams Managing teams of scientists Engineering research Photovoltaic system design Research & development Program budgeting Organizational budget management Senior leadership Mechanical product development projects Full Job Description Description
POSITION DESCRIPTION
Hanwha Qcells is establishing its first U.S- based Space Photovoltaic Systems R D organization, co-located with Georgia Tech Research Institute in Atlanta.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Organizational Leadership Build and lead the U.S- based Space PV Systems R D organization — recruiting, developing, and retaining a team of Principal and Staff-level R D engineers — and establish critical partnerships and necessary R D facilities.
U.S. R D
priorities with German and Korea-based cell development and Hanwha Systems engineering teams. Technical Direction Set and own the system-level architecture for Qcells PV modules — cell interconnection strategy, substrate selection, power hookup design, and spacecraft interface standards — with final technical approval authority across electrical and mechanical design decisions. Drive the technology development path from bench prototype to qualification-representative hardware, defining key milestones and go/no-go criteria; serve as executive technical lead for SSTEF-1 (lunar demonstration withGTRI/AEGIS
Aerospace) and follow-on flight programs. Maintain technical awareness of competitive developments in space PV technology; provide technology leadership input to Qcells' global space solar product strategy Build the Georgia Tech and GTRI research collaboration; leverage university access to radiation test facilities, materials characterization resources, and graduate student talent Ensure radiation research findings are systematically translated into design and material selection guidance for the module engineering team Government Programs & External Partnerships Identify and pursue U.S. government R D funding —NASA, DOD
(AFRL, DARPA, MDA), DOE, and federal university partnerships — and lead all major competitive proposals from the U.S. team. Manage strategic relationships with NASA Glenn Research Center, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, AFRL Space Vehicles Directorate, National Lab of the Rockies, and key industrial and university partnersREQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
M.S. or Ph.D. in electrical engineering, materials science, mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, or a closely related field Due to expected participation in programming sponsored by the U.S. government, this position is reserved for U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents. 10+ years of progressive R D and engineering leadership experience in aerospace, defense, or high-reliability hardware; including 4+ years managing technical teams or departments at the senior engineer, principal, or director level Demonstrated ability to lead multi-disciplinary hardware R D organizations — directly managing engineers across both electrical and mechanical domains Track record delivering hardware from early R D through qualification-ready configurations in a structured engineering environment Experience developing and managing multi-million-dollar R D program budgets, headcount plans, and capital equipment investments Proven success winning and managing government-funded R D programs (NASA, DOD, or equivalent); experience with cooperative agreement vehicles a strong plus Depth in photovoltaic device physics or space power systems sufficient to technically lead engineering teams and make authoritative design decisions Excellent communication skills at executive, government customer, and academic partner levelsPREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
Direct experience leading space hardwareR D:
spacecraft power systems, space solar arrays, satellite subsystem development, or space component qualification programs Familiarity with radiation effects on photovoltaic or semiconductor materials: degradation mechanisms, radiation test planning, and EOL performance modeling Experience operating within ITAR-controlled technical organizations Established network across the U.S. space solar and satellite power community: NASA, AFRL, Aerospace Corporation, and/or aerospace prime contractors Prior experience standing up a new R D team or laboratory organizationCOMPENSATION
In accordance with applicable pay transparency laws, the anticipated annual base salary for this position is: Zone 1 (Bay Area, NYC): $263,300- $329,200 Zone 2 (CA, NJ, NY): $241,300
- $301,700 Zone 3 (All others): $219,400
- $274,300 The applicable salary range is based on the employee's primary work location.