Systems Engineer III (Optics)

Location: Santa Clara, California, United States. Onsite role with approximately 20% travel. Relocation is not available.

Salary: $138,000–$190,000 per year

Company

hirify.global develops materials science and engineering solutions and semiconductor manufacturing equipment used in advanced chips and displays.

What you will do

• Support the full product development cycle for complex optical systems, from system specifications and prototyping through verification, manufacturing, installation, and field support.
• Identify scope, constraints, and risks for optical subsystem design, fabrication, testing, and volume production.
• Derive subsystem and component specifications, contribute to optical error budgets, and define validation requirements.
• Plan and execute optical alignment, calibration, characterization, acceptance testing, qualification, and design-of-experiments studies.
• Troubleshoot optical and system-level issues, perform root-cause analysis, and collaborate with engineering, supplier, manufacturing, and customer-site teams.
• Develop optical test scripts, metrology tooling, build documentation, work instructions, technical reports, and best-known methods.

Requirements

• BS, MS, or PhD in Optics, Physics, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
• At least 2 years of relevant experience with a BS; no minimum experience is required with an MS or PhD.
• Hands-on experience assembling, aligning, calibrating, and using opto-mechanical systems with light sources, sensors, lenses, filters, or cameras.
• Knowledge of geometric and physical optics, imaging, illumination, optical metrology, and optical test equipment.
• Experience creating test plans, feasibility studies, data analysis, and visualization; programming or scripting with Python or Matlab.
• Ability to read engineering drawings, optical prescriptions, and schematics, with strong troubleshooting and communication skills.

Nice to have

• Optical modeling and simulation experience with Zemax OpticStudio, Code V, or similar tools.
• Experience with imaging systems, high-speed or line-scan cameras, laser systems, image processing, or metrology equipment.
• Software automation and AI tools experience, including Claude Code or similar tools.
• Experience with semiconductor equipment, cleanrooms, ESD, contamination control, or manufacturing and service documentation.

Culture & Benefits

• Supportive environment focused on learning, professional development, and technical growth.
• Health and wellbeing programs with comprehensive employee benefits.
• Potential eligibility for bonus and stock award programs, where applicable.
• Regular collaboration across engineering, suppliers, manufacturing, and customer-site organizations.