Systems Engineer IV - (E4) | Electrical Interconnections and Subsystem Communications - Santa Clara, CA, United States
$161,000 - $221,000 USD yearly
Originally posted 5 October 2026 by the employer.
About the role
This role involves designing, integrating, and optimizing complex systems that drive the semiconductor industry forward, with a focus on electrical interconnect architecture and subsystem communications for a complex optical system.
What you'll do
- Define the system-level electrical interconnect architecture, including harness and cable topology, connector and pin-out standards, power distribution, grounding, shielding, and routing constraints.
- Derive electrical and communication requirements from customer and system requirements, documenting them in interface control documents (ICDs).
- Define and own subsystem communication architecture and protocols (e.g., Ethernet/GigE, EtherCAT, CAN, serial, USB, camera/frame-grabber links).
- Develop and maintain error and noise budgets (EMI/EMC, signal integrity, power integrity, timing) and define subsystem-level requirements.
- Define and execute system test plans for prototype acceptance and qualification of cables, harnesses, power, and communication subsystems.
- Troubleshoot and root cause complex system-level electrical, communication, and HW/SW integration issues in manufacturing and the field using oscilloscopes, protocol analyzers, and system logs.
What you'll need
- BS, MS, or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Physics, or a related field.
- 7+ years of relevant experience with a BS, 5+ years with an MS, or 2+ years with a PhD.
- Hands-on experience designing, building, and debugging electrical interconnects and electro-mechanical systems (cable/harness design, connectors, power distribution, grounding, and shielding).
- Working knowledge of industrial and embedded communication interfaces and protocols (Ethernet, EtherCAT, CAN, RS-232/485, USB, camera interfaces) and of timing and trigger signal distribution.
- Experience reading and creating electrical schematics, wiring diagrams, and interface control documents.
- Experience with test and measurement equipment (oscilloscopes, logic and protocol analyzers, DMMs, network analyzers).
- Experience designing and executing test plans and concept and feasibility studies.
- Strong troubleshooting skills, including system and subsystem level SW debugging based on error messages and SW logs.
- Proficient with data analysis and visualization; strong scripting experience such as Python or Matlab.
Nice to have
- Experience with EMI/EMC and signal integrity analysis, mitigation, and compliance testing (SEMI S2, CE).
- Experience with semiconductor equipment, precision motion systems, or imaging platforms; familiarity with SECS/GEM and fab integration.
- Experience with EDA or harness design tools (for example EPLAN, SolidWorks Electrical, or Zuken).
- Familiarity with high-speed imaging data paths (high-speed cameras, frame grabbers, CoaxPress/Camera Link).
- SW automation experience and AI tools experience (Claude Code and others) a plus.
Skills: electrical interconnect architecture, subsystem communications, optical system, EMI/EMC, test plans
This role has been open 3 days — well below the 53-day median for Semiconductor Equipment Engineering roles.
Semiconductor Equipment Engineering · Manufacturing Equipment
|
Open roles in category
3718
|
Median days open
53 d
|
Median salary
$126k
|
See the full market breakdown ▾Category comparison, skills in demand, and who else is hiring
| Metric | Applied Materials | All employers we track in this specialty (3718 roles · 82 employers) |
|---|---|---|
| Open roles in this specialty | 615 | 3718 |
| Open roles in the wider Process, Fab & Equipment family | 1090 | 9729 · 107 employers |
| Median days open | 53 d | 53 d (same as this employer) |
| Median salary (USD postings) | — | $126k |
Skills observed across this category: electrical interconnect architecture, subsystem communications, optical system, EMI/EMC, test plans
Who's hiring in this category
- Applied Materials (this employer) · 613 open roles · median 52 d
- Lam Research · 545 open roles · median 43 d
- Micron Technology · 269 open roles · median 44 d
- KLA Corporation · 254 open roles · median 66 d
- ASML · 198 open roles · median 64 d
- ASM International · 157 open roles · median 78 d
How we counted: 3718 open Semiconductor Equipment Engineering (Manufacturing Equipment) roles from 82 employers tracked in the SemiconductorJobs index, counted 9 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.