FRANK OBERHOLTZER

** ***** ****, *********, *** Hampshire 03054

603-***-**** • mn3pl5@r.postjobfree.com

OBJECTIVE

Accelerate product / process development from R&D to full scale commercialization in an engineering position at a vibrant company which leverages my technical expertise and Six Sigma statistical skills.

PROFILE

Proven ability to identify new technologies, design experiments, optimize performance and introduce new processes into high volume manufacturing. Multifaceted engineer with over 20 years of experience in a variety of high-tech industries. Organized, highly motivated and detail oriented problem solver. Data driven decision maker with strong root cause problem solving and statistical analysis skills. Seasoned project leader capable of directing multiple tasks effectively and resolving complex issues.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Evergreen Solar, Devens, MA, April 2010 - Present

Metallization Development Engineer

Key member of the advanced manufacturing team which increased solar cell efficiency from 14.7% to 15.1% and revenue by $9.6M/year in 6 months by optimizing diffusion, screen printing and metallization processes.

Designed, executed and analyzed experiments to increase cell efficiency by testing metallization pastes, screen meshes, screen print parameters, front metal grid patterns and firing profiles. These new materials and processes will increase cell efficiency by an additional 0.3% which is worth $7.2M/year in revenue.

Evaluated, qualified and implemented several metallization pastes to reduce raw material costs by $2.8M/year while maintaining and/or increasing solar cell efficiency.

Evergreen Solar, Marlborough, MA, June 2006 – March 2010

Member of the Technical Staff, R&D

Developed a fine line screen printing and metallization process for a new high power solar panel and successfully transferred this technology from R&D to manufacturing.

Coordinated final acceptance testing, installation and qualification of production scale inline silver plating process.

Co-authored and presented a paper titled “Efficiency improvements of String Ribbon silicon solar cells employing texturization, high sheet resistance emitter and Light-induced silver plating on screen-printed front grid” at 22nd European PV Solar Energy conference in Milan, Italy.

Designed experiments to optimize solar cell efficiency and throughput by varying the front metal grid pattern and plating process parameters. Analyzed data and concisely presented findings to management.

Implemented a bench scale light induced silver plating process which was critical to the success of technology demonstration that enabled R&D to exceed a vital business goal. Recognized with an employee impact award.

Amphenol – Teradyne Connection Systems, Nashua, NH, July 1996 – May 2006

Senior Process Development Engineer, April 2003 – May 2006

Certified Six Sigma DMAIC Green Belt; acquired 80 hours of Black Belt training.

Achieved top ranking in an Industry Standard Statistical Capability Test for electroplated blind vias and conductor width & spacing.

Implemented a Laser Direct Imaging process to improve outerlayer registration and feature capability from 5 to 3 mil conductor and spacing. Employed statistical tools to reduce electrical shorts scrap rate by 50%.

Developed and standardized production practices to deliver consistent, reliable and predictable periodic reverse pulse plating performance for high aspect ratio through vias (20:1) and blind vias (1.5:1).

Partnered with Rohm & Haas to beta test their pulse plating chemistry, worked closely with them to characterize process performance and simplify process control. Optimized plating process and transferred to production.

Conducted pilot testing to evaluate and select chemical & rectification equipment suppliers for pulse plating process.

Project Manager, January 1999 – March 2003

Entrusted with over $10M to manage several capital projects to introduce new technologies to capture new business opportunities, increase capacity of bottleneck processes to meet division revenue plans and improve process capability to reduce defects.

Prepared technical specifications, selected chemical & equipment vendors, reviewed and scrutinized equipment designs and build schedules, performed factory acceptance tests, coordinated facilitization projects and equipment installations to minimize impact on production, debugged, characterized and qualified processes and then ramped up processes to full scale production.

Sr. Process Engineer, July 1996 – December 1998

Identified root causes of major conveyor problems on a newly installed Develop-Etch-Strip line using Pareto analysis. Established team to redesign a major OEM design flaw that reduced the capacity of this bottleneck process by 80%. Launched short term containment measures to increase capacity to 50% of target and had long term corrective actions in place to restore process throughput to target within 8 weeks.

Employed Total Quality Management principles to reduce defects and introduce new processes.

Developed visual process control tools to enable operators to restore process parameters to within specification.

University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, August 1994 – June 1996

Research Assistant

Conducted electrochemical research, designed test apparatus and conducted experiments to study interfacial dynamics in dendritic electrodeposition.

Presented research findings at a natural science foundation seminar at the University of Barcelona, Spain

Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, ME, March 1987 – June 1994

Nuclear Test Engineer

Coordinated and evaluated shipboard testing of nuclear reactor equipment for submarine refueling overhauls.

Identified reactor plant status incompatibilities and resolved discrepancies expeditiously to maintain schedule.

Prepared technical work documents and test procedures to assure personnel and reactor plant safety.

EDUCATION

University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, August 1994 – June 1996

M.S. Chemical Engineering

GPA 3.9

Thesis: "Interfacial dynamics of electrochemical deposition of copper in thin cells"

Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, August 1982 – January 1987

B.S. Chemical Engineering

GPA 3.4

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