Senior Staff Optical Engineer (Semiconductor Inspection)

Location: Milpitas, California, United States; onsite role.

Base pay: $167,300–$245,367 annually.

Company

hirify.global develops semiconductor inspection tools, metrology systems, process solutions, and computational analytics for electronics manufacturing.

What you will do

• Lead the complete design process for one or more optical subsystems in broadband plasma wafer inspection products.
• Own optical architecture investigations and evaluate design options through systematic trade-offs across performance, cost, and schedule.
• Collaborate with suppliers, technology teams, and systems engineering to define optical, mechanical, and metrology requirements.
• Develop optical metrology and alignment concepts for targeted performance in complex, high-precision systems.
• Follow design reviews, procurement, testing, integration, and release processes.
• Resolve problems in prototype and released inspection systems while sharing knowledge with junior engineers.

Requirements

• Doctorate with 5 years, Master's degree with 8 years, or Bachelor's degree with 12 years of related work experience.
• Strong background in optics, physics, or a related field, including imaging aberrations, Fourier optics, polarization, and radiometry.
• Hands-on lens-design experience, especially with diffraction-limited, large-numerical-aperture microscope objectives.
• Experience developing optical-system performance and design requirements.
• Experience developing optical alignment, error budgets, and metrology for highly precise and complex optical systems.
• Expertise with Code V or Zemax, plus proficiency in Matlab or Python.
• Self-directed, intellectually curious, detail-oriented, methodical, and capable of critical problem-solving.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to work in leading or supporting roles and share knowledge with junior engineers.

Nice to have

• Semiconductor inspection or lithography equipment experience.
• Direct experience with DUV or VUV optics.

Culture & Benefits

• Full-time employment in Milpitas, California.
• Medical, dental, vision, life, and other voluntary benefits.
• 401(k) with company matching, employee stock purchase program, student debt assistance, and tuition reimbursement.
• Professional development, career growth, financial planning, wellness, paid time off, paid holidays, and family care and bonding leave.
• Interviews evaluate individual skills and authentic problem-solving; use of AI or recording tools during interviews is prohibited unless approved as an accommodation or invited by the interviewer.