Head of Manufacturing (San Francisco)
About Arinna
Arinna is building the energy core of Space 3.0 and frontier tech. Were pioneering ultra-light, power-dense solar platforms based on next-generation 2D semiconductors, enabling a step-change in how and where solar power can be deployed from satellites and high-altitude aircraft to lunar and Martian infrastructure. Spun out of Stanford University, Arinna combines breakthroughs in materials science, device physics, and scalable manufacturing to deliver the most power-efficient and lightweight solar technology ever built. With over $370M in LOIs/off-take agreements and a clear roadmap from pilot (2026) to gigawatt-scale production by 2030, were on a mission to power the next generation of space and terrestrial systems. Were backed by leading deep-tech investors and advised by industry pioneers. Our headquarters and pilot facility are in South San Francisco, CA, where were scaling our team across R&D, manufacturing, and systems integration.
About the role
The Head of Manufacturing will be one of Arinnas first technical leaders and a key contributor to the design and scaleup of our coating processes. You will transform labscale ink formulations into uniform, functional thin films that form the foundation of Arinnas photovoltaic architecture. Your work will center on developing and optimizing slotdie, blade, and related coating methods for solutionprocessed semiconductors and chargetransport layers. Youll collaborate closely with materials and device teams to link film quality to photovoltaic performance and guide the transition from R&D to pilotline production.
What Youll Do
- Develop, refine, and scale solution-based coating protocols (slot-die, blade, micro-gravure, etc.) for multilayer PV films.
- Translate ink formulations into high-quality coatings with controlled wetting, drying, thickness, uniformity, and continuity.
- Characterize thin films for their optical (UV/Vis, ellipsometry, etc.), electrical (4-point probe, Hall effect measurement, kelvin probe, IV, etc.) and physical (AFM, SEM, profilometry, etc.) properties to guide process optimization.
- Study the influence of ink chemistry and rheology, substrate surface energy and ink wetting, drying kinetics, and postdeposition processing on film continuity and performance.
- Collaborate with device and materials teams to link material inputs and deposition parameters to photovoltaic metrics (Jsc, Voc, FF, stability, etc.). Help design and scale experimental setups including deposition/drying systems (IR/convection drying, air-knife systems, and web handling, etc.) as well as film characterization systems.
- Document process parameters, yield data, and continuous-improvement learnings in a reproducible framework.
- Contribute to safety, workflow, and process documentation as Arinna scales toward pilotline production.
Qualifications
- M.S. or Ph.D. in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Applied Physics, or related field.
- 5+ years of handson experience with solutionprocessed thinfilm deposition (slot-die, blade, spin, or similar).
- Proven ability to produce continuous, uniform thin films (<500 nm) from nanoparticle or molecular inks.
- Strong understanding of wetting, viscosity, solvent systems, and drying kinetics in thinfilm processing.
- Experience with photovoltaic or semiconductor thinfilm materials strongly preferred.
- Familiarity with scaling processes from lab to pilot and integrating process control and inline metrology.
- Comfort working in a startup R&D environment selfdriven, experimental, and handson with equipment.
- Excellent communication and data documentation skills; ability to work crossfunctionally with materials, process, and device teams.
- Experience leading highperforming technical teams.
What Defines Success at Arinna
- Excellence in Execution: You bring rigor, precision, and attention to detail to every experiment.
- Collaborative Energy: You elevate those around you through positive engagement and open communication.
- Candor and Trust: You communicate with clarity and integrity to enable faster iteration and collective learning.
- Curiosity and Adaptability: You embrace the unknown as an opportunity to explore, experiment, and improve.
- Mission Focus: You are motivated by impact and driven to help build technology that advances the clean energy future.