Intern, Optical Packaging and Characterization Engineer - Milpitas, California, United States
Originally posted 2 June 2026 by the employer.
About the role
This role supports optical packaging and characterization work, assisting with optical microscopy, surface metrology, and related optical measurement under engineer supervision. Work involves documenting methods, collecting and summarizing measurement data, and using image analysis software or Python for measurement and reporting.
What you'll do
- Assist with optical microscopy setup, imaging, and consistent capture of measurement images and metadata. - Support image processing workflows such as contrast, alignment, and feature extraction using Python or similar tools to produce clear tables or plots. - Contribute to drafting and updating SOPs and work instructions for optical measurement and related procedures. - Organize experimental data, maintain lab notes, and support design-of-experiments summaries for the engineering team. - Participate in continuous improvement of documentation, data organization, and measurement repeatability.
What you'll need
- Currently pursuing (or recently completed) a bachelor’s degree in Optics, Optical Engineering, Photonics, Physics, or a closely related field. - Coursework or practical exposure to optical microscopy, including imaging modes, resolution, illumination, and basic alignment. - Strong attention to detail, clear written communication, and ability to follow instructions and work collaboratively in a lab environment.
Nice to have
- Familiarity with JMP (or similar statistical software) for data exploration, visualization, or basic design-of-experiments analysis. - Image processing experience and/or Python coding for data handling, scripting, or analysis. - Familiarity with mechanical bow / wafer or substrate warpage concepts and measurement context. - Interest or exposure to optical measurement methods, including optical alignment and beam matching, alignment sensitivity, and basic metrics.
This role has been open 141 days — well above the 51-day median for Hardware Systems Engineering roles.
Hardware Systems Engineering · AI ML Hardware
|
Open roles in category
1003
|
Median days open
51 d
|
Median salary
$155k
|
See the full market breakdown ▾Category comparison, and who else is hiring
| Metric | PsiQuantum | All employers we track in this specialty (1003 roles · 104 employers) |
|---|---|---|
| Open roles in this specialty | 17 | 1003 |
| Open roles in the wider Software, Firmware & Systems family | 32 | 6291 · 145 employers |
| Median days open | 127 d | 51 d (+76 d vs this employer) |
| Median salary (USD postings) | — | $155k |
Who's hiring in this category
- Intel Corporation · 72 open roles · median 34 d
- KLA Corporation · 63 open roles · median 48 d
- Teradyne · 61 open roles · median 34 d
- NVIDIA · 53 open roles · median 72 d
- Applied Materials · 51 open roles · median 70 d
- AMD · 46 open roles · median 52 d
How we counted: 1003 open Hardware Systems Engineering (AI ML Hardware) roles from 104 employers tracked in the SemiconductorJobs index, counted 22 Oct 2026. Specialty figures count only roles carrying this exact specialty label, so an employer's related work in neighbouring specialties is not included there — it is counted in the wider Software, Firmware & Systems family row. Figures refresh nightly.