Optical Systems Student Engineer
FaST optical metrology technologies for thin film stack and critical dimension measurement.
Originally posted 5 November 2026 by the employer.
About the role
This role supports the research and development of novel optical metrology technologies within the Film and Scatterometry Technology (FaST) Advanced Development Group. The focus spans architecture analysis, modeling, simulations, and experimental prototype systems for front end of line semiconductor process critical dimensions and thin film stack metrology.
What you'll do
- Support the design and development of optical metrology systems led by research scientists and engineers.
- Conduct theoretical studies, modeling, and data processing to analyze and select system architectures and concepts.
- Assist in designing, specifying, and building complex electro-optical lab setups to evaluate new concepts.
- Execute structured work plans and test plans for feasibility and qualification of studied ideas.
- Collect and analyze experimental data to refine system designs and evaluate performance.
What you'll need
- Current enrollment in an M.Sc. or Ph.D. program in Physics or Optical Engineering with less than 1 year of related experience.
- Theoretical knowledge in physical optics, optical systems, lasers, plasma sources, detectors, and image sensors.
- Technical understanding of hardware technologies and systems engineering principles.
- Hands-on experience in the design, specification, and development of complex electro-optical setups.
- Ability to develop a system model and perform system error budget analysis.
- Experience with data collection and analysis using MATLAB, Python, or LabVIEW.
Nice to have
- Knowledge of semiconductor process and process control.
- Experience with X-ray, DUV, or VIS-IR metrology systems.
More semiconductor jobs: KLA Corporation jobs · Hardware design jobs · California jobs
This role has been open 0 days — well below the 47-day median for Hardware Systems Engineering roles.
Hardware Systems Engineering · AI ML Hardware
|
Open roles in category
1103
|
Median days open
47 d
|
Category median salary (all employers)
$150k
|
See the full market breakdown ▾Category comparison, and who else is hiring
| Metric | KLA Corporation | All employers we track in this specialty (1103 roles · 111 employers) |
|---|---|---|
| Open roles in this specialty | 64 | 1103 |
| Open roles in the wider Software, Firmware & Systems family | 213 | 6471 · 156 employers |
| Median days open | 59 d | 47 d (+12 d vs this employer) |
| Median salary (USD postings) | — | $150k |
Who's hiring in this category
- Intel Corporation · 81 open roles · median 31 d
- KLA Corporation (this employer) · 63 open roles · median 59 d
- NVIDIA · 58 open roles · median 71 d
- Teradyne · 56 open roles · median 48 d
- Applied Materials · 54 open roles · median 50 d
- ASML · 52 open roles · median 27 d
How we counted: 1103 open Hardware Systems Engineering (AI ML Hardware) roles from 111 employers tracked in the SemiconductorJobs index, counted 5 Nov 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.