Sr. Systems Design Engineer (Optics, Opto-Mechanics, Motion Control Systems) - Milpitas, CA, United States
$159,500 - $271,200 USD yearly
Originally posted 3 August 2026 by the employer.
About the role
The Sr. Systems Design Engineer will work within the Broadband Plasma products, focusing on requirements analysis, system design, and testing of complex inspection systems.
What you'll do
- Define system architecture and develop requirement specifications and test plans.
- Define and review designs with functional groups.
- Execute test plans and perform analysis to validate system performance.
- Perform system-level troubleshooting and implement solutions with the functional team.
- Support internal and external customers in implementing processes to build and optimize tool performance.
- Lead troubleshoot efforts in manufacturing and in the field.
What you'll need
- Strong background in engineering or physical science with demonstrated analysis and problem-solving skills in complex optical imaging and control motion systems.
- Highly experienced with Python scripting for data collection and analysis.
- PhD with 3 years of related work experience; or Master's Level Degree with 6 years of related work experience; or Bachelor's Level Degree with 8 years of related work experience in applied optics, mechanical/electrical engineering, physics or related disciplines.
Nice to have
- Experience with image processing and/or a good understanding of signal/imaging process algorithm.
Skills: optical imaging, control motion systems, inspection systems, system architecture, test plans
This role has been open 75 days — well above the 39-day median for Semiconductor Equipment Engineering roles.
Semiconductor Equipment Engineering · Optical Laser Systems
|
Open roles in category
43
|
Median days open
39 d
|
Median salary
$164k
|
See the full market breakdown ▾Category comparison, skills in demand, and who else is hiring
| Metric | KLA Corporation | All employers we track in this specialty (43 roles · 11 employers) |
|---|---|---|
| Open roles in this specialty | 16 | 43 |
| Open roles in the wider Process, Fab & Equipment family | 455 | 9897 · 109 employers |
| Median days open | 116 d | 39 d (+77 d vs this employer) |
| Median salary (USD postings) | — | $164k |
Skills observed across this category: optical imaging, control motion systems, inspection systems, system architecture, test plans
Who's hiring in this category
- KLA Corporation (this employer) · 16 open roles · median 115 d
- ASML · 9 open roles · median 15 d
- Applied Materials · 7 open roles · median 29 d
- MKS Instruments · 4 open roles · median 61 d
- Aeva Technologies · 1 open role · median 74 d
- Camtek · 1 open role · median 117 d
How we counted: 43 open Semiconductor Equipment Engineering (Optical Laser Systems) roles from 11 employers tracked in the SemiconductorJobs index, counted 18 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 Process, Fab & Equipment family row. Figures refresh nightly.