Job Opportunity with SunEdison - Research Scientist, Solar Materials R&D

SunEdison Inc. provides innovative silicon based solar energy solutions around the globe. We specialize in the production of polysilicon, silicon wafers, solar modules, and provide solar energy services that integrate the design, installation, financing, monitoring, operation, and maintenance portions of the downstream solar market. SunEdison is a vertically integrated company that seamlessly combines solar materials with our energy services business. SunEdison's solar manufacturing primarily involves Czochralski growth of silicon single crystals, mechanical slicing of silicon crystals into wafers and production of high output solar modules. The development of effective solar plants demands deep knowledge of photovoltaics, power electronics, materials science, and mechanical engineering. In short, effective research and development in SunEdison requires understanding of various fields of science and engineering. Quantitative Silicon Research (QSR), a cross-functional group within SunEdison's R&D, specializes in conducting cross-functional research across various fields of applied science and engineering relevant to silicon processing.

QSR intends to hire a motivated expert in structural analysis with familiarity in quantitative fluid flow dynamics. The researcher is expected to be able to quantify and analyze the stress and strain fields in elastic and inelastic systems, dislocation formation and movement, and slip and fracture propagation in various systems. A familiarity with multiphysics based modeling of solid-state systems influenced by fluid flow is desired. A strong background in analysis of physical systems in addition to the capability to solve the system equations is also desired. The candidate's expertise in elastic and inelastic structural analysis and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) must be based on a clear understanding of secular and cross-functional idea of science and engineering. The candidate must have a quantitative understanding of materials behavior at different length scales, and should be able to develop and couple models using constitutive relations from atomistic to continuum scale. This is because the candidate is expected to eventually evolve as an expert in various specialties of mechanical engineering, materials science, chemical engineering, and solid-state physics.

In summary, the nature of the job is clearly the quantitative analysis of physical systems relevant to solar silicon processing. The job requires knowledge of elastic and inelastic structural analysis, fatigue and fracture analysis, flow dynamics (laminar, turbulent, single phase, and multiphase), reaction engineering, heat and mass transport and solidification processes. The candidate is expected to develop familiarity with popular software for structural analysis and flow simulations, such as ANSYS, MARC, FLUENT, CGSim, FEMag and CFX; the prior knowledge of these software is desired but not necessary. QSR does not expect the candidate to be an expert in all of the described fields, but expects her/him to have the capability to become an expert in all fields in a short period of time. QSR will provide significant guidance but the candidate must also be able to independently learn and teach. The candidate is expected to translate the results of the quantitative research into industrial application in a short period of time. Continuous support for the process development and tuning, on the basis of simulations, is expected from the candidate.

Over the long run, the candidate is free to define her/his areas of research and development and the nature of projects. The natural diversity of SunEdison's research, however, demands development of expertise in various fields of engineering and quantitative science.

Since the job is intellectually demanding, candidates with doctorates in quantitative science or engineering are encouraged to apply. Competent candidates who posses the described expertise can also apply independent of their degrees. Anybody with or without industrial experience can apply. The job position, title, and compensation will depend on the candidate's expertise and potential to generate value for SunEdison.

The interested candidates are requested to send their resumes to Balaji Devulapalli at bdevulapalli@sunedison.com. The details of the contact are listed below.

Dr. Balaji Devulapalli, Ph.D.
Fellow and Head of
Quantitative Silicon Research
Corporate Technology

Direct: (636) 474-7844
Email: bdevulapalli@sunedison.com

SunEdison
501 Pearl Drive
St. Peters, MO 63376
www.sunedison.com