SRINIVAS P. SISTA
Perrysburg,OH
Summary
Dynamic Principal Integration Engineer with a proven track record at First Solar, driving a 13% yield improvement through advanced process optimization and cross-functional collaboration. Expert in thin film device fabrication and team leadership, leveraging Six Sigma methodologies to enhance product reliability and efficiency in high-volume manufacturing environments.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
Work History
Principal Integration Engineer
First Solar
Perrysburg, OH
01.2024 - Current
- Led cross-functional project to transition new thin film solar technology from R&D into high-volume manufacturing (HVM), ensuring seamless ramp-up and production stability.
- Drove measurable improvements: increased efficiency by 2%, improved yield from 80% to 93%, and enhanced reliability by 50%.
- Collaborated closely with operations, tool owners, quality & reliability (QnR) teams, product management, and R&D to plan and execute DOEs and validate performance improvements.
- Qualified end-to-end process flow for manufacturing readiness-including Materials Handling, MES, process qualification (PQ), Efficiency, and reliability testing.
- Conducted in-depth data analysis to identify and mitigate factors impacting device performance and day-to-day wattage variation, reducing variability and improving product consistency.
- Defined and implemented control plans; documented key process outputs and interactions affecting device performance; and trained cross-functional teams on best practices.
- Managed and mentored a team of integration engineers, fostering technical growth and alignment with project objectives.
Senior Advanced Manufacturing Engineer
GE HEALTHCARE
Milwaukee
04.2017 - 01.2024
- Led R&D efforts from conception to implementation of new materials compositions, processing methods and testing methods to reduce cost, decrease lead time and enhance product quality of transparent ceramic scintillators.
- Developed Composition-Structure-Process-Property relationship for transparent ceramics and optimized upstream processes to reduce product life cycle.
- Mitigated incoming raw material dependent product quality issues through utilizing knowledge of defect physics of optical ceramics and Process optimization through DOEs.
- Eliminated materials related supply chain bottleneck through exhaustive analysis from component level to systems level, establishing process capability equivalence & product reliability via accelerated lifetime testing.
- Leverage data analysis, problem solving tools & six sigma techniques for troubleshooting production issues and improvement of manufacturing processes.
- Extensive experience in developing specification, commissioning and qualification (IQ/OQ/PQ, V&V, Software validation) of new production equipment used in processing of technical ceramics.
- Effectively work with cross-functional teams including Operations, Facilities and Quality and as well as global teams to drive business critical projects.
- Mentor junior manufacturing engineers in resolving production issues and six sigma methods.
Lead Materials Scientist
GENERAL ELECTRIC GLOBAL RESEARCH
New York
02.2010 - 03.2017
- Developed inorganic phosphor technology (GE RadiantRedTM) that has been adopted throughout LCD backlighting industry with multi-million dollar annual profits & licensing to over 17 LED manufacturers representing >80% LED chip manufacturers.
- Transitioned a variety of phosphor synthesis, processing, and material characterization techniques, including processes involving hazardous materials, to large-scale production at GE Lighting.
- Led efforts in developing processes and novel device structures for achieving high efficiency and long life White Organic Light Emitting Diodes (W-OLED) on lab scale.
- Created IP for inorganic phosphor materials processing and OLED devices leading to 8 issued patents & more than 18 patents filed.
Education
Ph.D. - Materials Science and Engineering
University of California, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CASkills
- Thin film device fabrication
- Semiconductor process understanding
- Materials processing and characterization
- Statistical analysis and data interpretation
- Six Sigma Green Belt, DOE, SPC, GRR
- Failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA)
- Problem-solving strategies
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Project management skills
- Team leadership
Awards
- CEO Award for Outstanding Performance 2016, Current Powered by GE
- Excellence Award for PFS Phosphor Program 2015, GE Ventures - GE Lighting
- Customers Determine our Success Award 2015, GE Global Research
- Technology Impact Award 2013, GE Global Research
- GE Analytics Engineer 2016
- Lean Six Sigma Green Belt - DFSS
Timeline
Principal Integration Engineer
First Solar
01.2024 - Current
Senior Advanced Manufacturing Engineer
GE HEALTHCARE
04.2017 - 01.2024
Lead Materials Scientist
GENERAL ELECTRIC GLOBAL RESEARCH
02.2010 - 03.2017
Ph.D. - Materials Science and Engineering
University of California, Los Angeles