Applications Development Engineer (Inspection Products)

Onto Innovation is a leader in process control, combining global scale with an expanded portfolio of leading-edge technologies that include: 3D metrology spanning the chip from nanometer-scale transistors to micron-level die-interconnects; macro defect inspection of wafers and packages; metal interconnect composition; factory analytics; and lithography for advanced semiconductor packaging. Our breadth of offerings across the entire semiconductor value chain helps our customers solve their most difficult yield, device performance, quality, and reliability issues. Onto Innovation strives to optimize customers’ critical path of progress by making them smarter, faster and more efficient.

Job Summary & Responsibilities

Onto Innovation is seeking an Applications Development Engineer specializing in optics, imaging sensors, illumination systems, and system integration. This role is part of the Applications Engineering organization and works closely with Optics Engineering, Sensor Integration, and Systems teams to bring advanced hardware concepts into production-ready semiconductor inspection and metrology applications.

Unlike the ML-focused sister role, this position is centered on understanding, characterizing, and optimizing the hardware stack—optical subsystems, sensors, light sources, acquisition paths, and system-level performance. You will help define application requirements, guide optical/sensor integration, and identify opportunities where new hardware technologies can unlock novel inspection or metrology capabilities.

This role is ideal for engineers passionate about optics, imaging science, and sensor technology who want to help shape next-generation semiconductor tools.

Key Responsibilities

Optics & Imaging Sensor Integration

• Partner with Optics and Systems Engineering to evaluate, integrate, and optimize imaging sensors (CMOS/CCD/TDI, area-scan/line-scan) and optical subsystems.

• Characterize imaging performance: MTF, SNR, contrast, dynamic range, illumination uniformity, resolution, and sensitivity.

• Support optical path alignment, calibration, focus strategies, illumination tuning, and synchronization with motion stages and sensor timing.

• Troubleshoot image quality issues (focus, aberrations, stray light, polarization artifacts, integration noise, timing faults).

Illumination Systems & System-Level Performance

• Work with illumination teams to optimize LED, laser, broadband, or multi-channel illumination for specific applications.

• Evaluate and refine illumination geometry (brightfield, darkfield, structured light, polarization) for defect detection or metrology needs.

• Perform system-level experiments to quantify performance vs. application requirements (throughput, sensitivity, depth-of-focus, inspection coverage).

Application Development Support

• Contribute to recipe development, test plans, and application validation using new optical/sensor configurations.

• Partner with application and product teams to translate wafer-level requirements into optical/sensor performance targets.

• Provide hardware-informed guidance for application tuning, measurement strategies, and tool configurations.

• Collaborate with the sister ML Applications Engineer to ensure hardware outputs deliver the data quality needed for ML-based features (ADC, anomaly detection, regression).

New Sensor Technology Exploration

• Evaluate emerging sensor and optical technologies (e.g., hyperspectral, SWIR, polarization imaging, high-speed cameras, tunable filters, SPAD arrays).

• Identify where new sensors/optics can create new inspection or metrology applications or unlock improvements in speed, sensitivity, or resolution.

• Build proof-of-concept experiments, quantify gains, and generate application recommendations.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Engage with Optics, Sensor, Mechanical, Systems, and Product Engineering teams throughout platform development cycles.

• Participate in New Product Introduction (NPI) activities, including hardware validation, documentation, and field support during alpha/beta testing.

• Provide optics/sensor expertise to field teams and customers as needed.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Optical Engineering, Physics, Electrical Engineering, Imaging Science, or related field.

• Hands-on experience with optical systems, imaging sensors, illumination systems, or system integration.

• Strong understanding of image formation, lens behavior, sensor characteristics, and optical metrology fundamentals.

• Proficiency with analysis tools such as MATLAB, Python, JMP, or equivalent.

• Ability to run structured experiments, analyze complex datasets, and generate actionable insights.

• Strong communication skills for collaboration across hardware, software, and applications groups.

• Willingness to travel (10–25%).

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with semiconductor inspection, metrology, thin-film analysis, or wafer-level imaging.

• Familiarity with optical modeling software (Zemax, Code V, LightTools).

• Understanding of high-speed acquisition systems, trigger timing, and embedded/motion synchronization.

• Exposure to advanced sensor technologies or multi-channel imaging methods.

• Experience bridging hardware behavior with algorithmic or application requirements.

• Knowledge of system-level performance optimization (throughput vs. sensitivity vs. resolution).

• Experience with API/SDK use for sensor control or image acquisition.

Why Join Onto Innovation?

At Onto Innovation, we believe your work should matter—and so should your well-being. That’s why we offer competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package designed to support you and your family. From health, dental, and vision coverage to life and disability insurance, PTO, and a 401(k) with employer match, we’ve got you covered. You’ll also enjoy access to our Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP), wellness initiatives, and cutting-edge tools—all within a collaborative, inclusive culture where your contributions are valued and recognized.

Compensation & Growth

• Base Salary Range:

• Additional Rewards: Annual bonus opportunities and potential long-term incentives tied to both company and individual success.

Empowering Every Voice to Shape the Future:

Onto Innovation is committed to creating a workplace where every qualified candidate has an equal opportunity to succeed. We evaluate applicants based on skills, experience, and potential - without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We believe diversity of thought and background drives innovation and strengthens our team.

Important Note on Export Compliance

For certain positions requiring access to technical data, U.S. export licensing review may be necessary for applicants who are not U.S. Citizens, Permanent Residents, or other protected persons under 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).